Everything you need to know about the 2026 Super Bowl – from where to watch it to who will win
Super Bowl Sunday – sorry, Super Bowl Monday for Australians – is right around the corner. Here’s everything you need to know about who’s playing, who’s performing, where to watch it from and much more
THE SUPER BOWL’S POPULARITY has been growing exponentially in Australia. Due to surging interest in American football and an enduring love of celebrities and commercials, ‘Super Bowl Monday’ has become an annual celebration for some. And – as a result of an unfortunate time zone disparity – taking off work to watch the big game has also become a tradition.
To the sports-averse eye, the Super Bowl may look like a relentless smattering of corporate advertisements, musical performances and over-the-top pyrotechnics with occasional glimpses of football played in between, but the game also has undeniable appeal. After all, it is the most overt celebration of American culture we can think of, and an opportunity for Aussies to extend the weekend by calling off sick on a Monday.
This year, fans will be watching with renewed interest. That’s because the Kansas City Chiefs won’t be playing for just the second time since 2019. This time around it’s the Seattle Seahawks vs the New England Patriots. So, if nothing else, there will at least be some fresh colours on the field. As always, the half-time show will draw viewers. Bad Bunny, fresh off cleaning up at the Grammys, is the main event – that is unless you’re watching Turning Point USA’s ‘All-American half-time show’ for some godforsaken reason.
Ahead of the big game, we’ve rounded up everything you need to know about Super Bowl 60 to ensure you’re prepared. From the best places to watch it to the narratives forming behind each team and the likelihood of a Swift appearance (negligible this year, sorry Swifties), you’ll find it all below.
First things first: when is the Super Bowl in Australia?
Super Bowl LX will take place on Monday, February 9th, 2026. The game will kick off at 10:30am AEDT, but pregame coverage will begin at 9:30am. Kick off is 6:30pm Eastern Time on Sunday, February 8th for the Americans reading this.
Who is playing in the Super Bowl?
Super Bowl 60 will be contested by the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots. Both teams weren’t expected to make it this far this season. Before this run, the Patriots hadn’t made the playoffs since 2021 and have been in a years-long rebuild, going 4-13 just last season. Similarly, the Seahawks hadn’t made the playoffs since 2022 and have been a middle-of-the-pack team in recent years.
Few would have picked either team to win the Super Bowl at the start of the season (if someone tells you they did, they’re lying). That said, this isn’t a matchup between two teams that have never tasted success. With Tom Brady at quarterback, the Patriots were the most dominant dynasty of the 21st century, winning six Super Bowls during his tenure with the team. The Seahawks, meanwhile, won the Super Bowl most recently in 2014 and went back to the big game a year later. In that Super Bowl, Seattle played (no way!) the Patriots, who won the game thanks to a now iconic goal line interception by Malcolm Butler. No players remain from either the Seahawks or Patriots rosters from Super Bowl 49, but this matchup is still within living memory.
Here’s what you need to know about each team.
Seattle Seahawks
After winning the Super Bowl in 2014 and losing it in 2015, the Seahawks saw their talented roster slowly wither away. The team’s legendary defence eventually aged out of the NFL and superstar quarterback Russell Wilson lost his magic touch. Seattle has been ‘retooling’ since 2021, but still managed to average 8.75 wins per season from 2021-2024, meaning they were never really in a total rebuild.
The Seahawks’ big shift from middle-of-the-pack to contenders came with the acquisition of quarterback Sam Darnold this past offseason. Darnold, once considered one of the biggest busts in recent memory, has revitalised his career and become the key to the Seahawks’ success. The 3rd pick in the 2018 draft, Darnold struggled mightily in his first three seasons with the New York Jets. There’s a particularly famous clip from 2019 where a hot mike picked up Darnold telling a coach he was “seeing ghosts” during a turnover-laden loss that cemented his reputation as a guy who’s simply not cut out for the big leagues. Then, after jumping teams for a few years, Darnold finally found some form with the Minnesota Vikings in 2024, leading them to a 14-3 record. But in the playoffs, Darnold returned to his old, turnover-prone ways by throwing an interception and losing a fumble. The Vikings were eliminated and decided not to resign him.
The Seahawks landed Darnold in free agency at the start of this season, and their faith has been paid back. Darnold was top five in passing yards and top ten in passing touchdowns this season, leading Seattle to a 14-3 record. Although, he remains turnover prone. Darnold threw the third-most interceptions in the NFL this season.
In addition to Darnold, the Seahawks offence is headlined by wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who lead the league in receiving yards this season, and running back Kenneth Walker III. Wide receiver Cooper Cupp and receiver/return specialist Rashid Shaheed are also capable of making big plays. The Seahawks’ offensive line has a few holes outside of Charles Cross, Abe Lucas and Grey Zabel, but so far no team has been able to slow this offence down.
On the defensive side, the Seahawks lack superstars but make up for it with a balanced roster that doesn’t have any glaring gaps in talent. Cornerback Devon Witherspoon has taken a step up this season, while veteran defensive linemen DeMarcus Lawrence and Leonard Williams add consistent pass rushing pressure. Julian Love and emerging star Nick Emmanwori complete the team’s talented secondary.
It’s worth noting that the Seahawks have the league’s best special teams unit. Long considered an afterthought, Seattle’s special teamers make a difference in nearly every game. Australian punter Michael Dickson (a former Sydney Swans reserve) can pin offences back with his hyper-accurate punts, while kicker Jason Myers is the NFL’s scoring leader can hit field goals from 60+. And let’s not forget return man Rashid Shaheed, who can take any return to the house.
On the coaching side, the Seahawks are led by Mike Macdonald, who has been in his role since 2024. Aged only 38, Macdonald is one of the youngest coaches in the NFL but undeniably one of the most talented. Under Macdonald, the Seahawks have developed an efficient offence and balanced defence, which helped them lock up the number one seed in the NFC while playing in the league’s toughest division, the NFC West.
The Seahawks have won their playoff games this season 41-6 and 31-27. They can score a lot of points and win in a shootout, and they have an above average defence to back it up. They will take some beating.
New England Patriots
This is the new New England Patriots. No players remain from the dynasty of the 2010s, but nevertheless, the Patriots are back in the Super Bowl. New England went 4-13 consecutively over the last two seasons but have managed to turn it around quickly with sophomore quarterback Drake Maye and new coach Mike Vrabel.
Maye was the third pick in the 2024 draft, and after a rookie season that was solid but not inspiring, he’s surprisingly emerged as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Maye finished the season ranked fourth in passing yards and third in passing touchdowns, while also putting up the NFL’s best quarterback rating by a considerable margin. It looks like he’ll fall just short of winning MVP, but he’ll be a force to be reckoned with in the Super Bowl.
Alongside Maye on the Patriots’ offence is wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who is a bad dude. Seriously. Diggs is the subject of a criminal complaint from his former (female, mind you) personal chef, who is accusing him of felony strangulation and assault and battery. He’s scheduled for arraignment just five days after the Super Bowl. Oh, he’s also dating Cardi B, who will likely make an appearance at the Super Bowl.
Of the Patriots who aren’t under criminal investigation, there’s rookie offensive lineman Will Campbell and rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson, who have both been incredible boons to the Patriots’ offence this season. On defense, the Patriots are lead by lockdown cornerback Christian Gonzalez, one of the NFL’s best young players.
Coaching the Patriots is Mike Vrabel, who previously played for the team from 2001-2008, winning three Super Bowls as a linebacker. In his last head coaching job, Vrabel led the Tennessee Titans to three-straight playoff appearances. He linked back up with the Patriots after the Titans sacked him, and he’s lit a fire under his new team.
So, with such a formidable roster, why are the Patriots such heavy underdogs heading into the Super Bowl? That comes down to the way they got there. Throughout the regular season, the Patriots only played three teams with a winning record, losing two of those matchups. All season long, their critics have pointed to the Patriots’ easy schedule as evidence that they’re pretenders. So far, the Patriots have proven they’ve belong, but they’ve been far from impressive in the process.
While the Seahawks offence has put up of an average of 36 points per game in the playoffs, the Patriots have only managed an average of 18 points per game. That’s a worrying stat. The Patriots defence is good, but it’s not amazing. The Seahawks are likely to put up more than 25 points, and the Patriots offence might not to be able to match that effort. What’s more, in the AFC Championship game, the Patriots only narrowly defeated the Denver Broncos 10-7, despite the fact that the Broncos were missing their starting quarterback.
Who is going to win Super Bowl 60?
There’s a reason the Seahawks are heavily favoured by the bookies. Seattle has been dominant in the playoffs and throughout the entire season in the hardest division in the NFL. On the other hand, the Patriots’ offence has struggled to put up points during the playoffs after a season where their critics attributed their success to an easy schedule. Now that the Patriots offence has slowed down against tougher opponents, those critics’ voices are getting louder.
We would never predict a blowout in the Super Bowl, and there is a chance that Sam Darnold still has another big game meltdown, but we think the Seahawks will come away from Super Bowl 60 as champions. If the Seahawks can match their offensive output from their earlier playoff games, the Patriots will have a very hard time keeping up.
Who is doing the Super Bowl half-time show?
Bad Bunny is this year’s Super Bowl half-time performer. It will be the first time the half-time show is performed predominantly in a non-English language. Details on guest appearances and what to expect are few and far between, but Bad Bunny has said it will be a “huge party”.
Are there any Australians in the Super Bowl this year?
There are. Seattle Seahawks punter Michael Dickson was born and raised in Sydney. He played Aussie Rules growing up and was a member of the Sydney Swans’ academy. After toiling in the Swans’ reserves for a few years, he decided he’d take his kicking skills to a different sport and was scouted to play college football for the University of Texas. Dickson was then drafted by the Seahawks in the fifth round of the 2018 draft and has cemented his place as one of the NFL’s best punters. He has twice been named an All-Pro, most recently this season.
Will Taylor Swift be at the Super Bowl this year?
We would never say never, but seeing as the Kansas City Chiefs aren’t playing, there is very little chance that Taylor Swift makes an appearance at this year’s Super Bowl. The Chiefs, and Swift’s fiancée Travis Kelce, failed to make the playoffs this year. So unless Swift is purely there for the love of the game, she’ll probably be watching from home.
Cardi B, on the other hand, is likely to attend as one of the bigger names in the crowd. She’s dating Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs, and rumours suggest she may even make an appearance during the half-time show.
Where can you watch the Super Bowl in Australia?
The Super Bowl will be broadcast on free-to-air TV on Channel 7 and will stream on 7plus. You can also watch it on Disney+, KAYO, Foxtel’s ESPN channel or DAZN if you purchase an NFL Game Pass.
The best places to watch the Super Bowl in Sydney
For those lucky enough to be watching the game instead of heading into the office or donning their tool belts on Monday morning, venues nationwide are ready to welcome you in. We’ve rounded up a few of the best venues hosting Super Bowl events, watch parties and celebrations.
Forrester’s, Surry Hills – $50pp all-inclusive package, Coors on arrival, wings, pulled pork burgers, $12 pints and $33 mega jugs.
Bungalow 8, Darling Harbour – Free entry, live cheerleader performances, DJs. Groups of 6+ can get the Luxury Cabana Package ($139pp), featuring a private cabana, bottomless drinks from 10am–1pm and a tasting platter of signature wings.
Cargo Bar, Darling Harbour – Tailgate party. Free entry, cheerleaders, skill games, competitions, DJs, food and drink specials.
BrewDog, South Eveleigh – AYCE wings, halftime raffles, $120pp gets you all-you-can-eat wings, Game Day Platter and a 3-hour drinks package.
Kinglseys, Woolloomooloo – Long Lunch experience for $199pp. Signature Bloody Mary on arrival, chef-curated 3-course banquet, 4-hours of premium drinks.
Taphouse, Darlinghurst – $12 Coors pints, $14 buffalo wings, $18 Super Munch Bowls, $33 Coors mega jugs.
Untied, Barangaroo – Rooftop viewing, $99pp package includes 4-hour bottomless drinks and American-style snack platter.
Related:
Bad Bunny will headline the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show
