The Super Bowl is one of the biggest yearly events in sport – an annual extravaganza of touchdowns, tunes, and trailers. And its 58th instalment is coming on 11 February. AFC champions Kansas City Chiefs will take on the NFC champions San Francisco 49ers. Not a sports fan? No problem. The legend that is Usher will headline the Super Bowl halftime show in what will undoubtedly be a performance to remember.
Whether it’s Usher or running backs you’re into, there are many ways to watch the Super Bowl, whether through ad-free services or with a little VPN work aroundery. So get those chicken wings in the fryer (not the air fryer, please), pour out a big bowl of the gelatinous liquid known as ‘ranch’, and prepare to root for the San Francisco 49ers or Kansas City Chiefs.
When does it kick off?
Super Bowl LVIII will be played at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. American football fans (and those who don’t but pretend they do once a year) will know this as the home stadium of the Las Vegas Raiders. It’s set just across the freeway from the glitz and glam of the iconic Strip.
In the US, it will air from 6:30 pm ET. That translates to 3:30pm PT (the local time in Vegas), 23:30 GMT, and 00:30 CET. You’re looking at a late night if you want to stay up for the action from anywhere across the Atlantic.
How to watch in the US
The 2023 Super Bowl was watched by an estimated 114 million-plus viewers in the US alone, making it the most popular game to date. Naturally, with such colossal viewing figures, TV companies vie for the opportunity to air it on their networks. To keep things fair, NBC, CBS, ABC and Fox alternate Super Bowl broadcasts year on year in the US.
This year, the game will be aired live on CBS and will stream live on Paramount+, with coverage ongoing throughout the day leading up to the kickoff. The CBS network is available on all basic cable plans. And Paramount+ is giving you a free month with promo code “SUPERBOWL”. For most, either of these options is going to be your best bet. But given how the US is the only place in the world where American Football is consumed en masse, there’s no shortage of ways to watch.
Live TV streaming services also carry the network. Being subscribed to DIRECTV STREAM, fuboTV, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV, YouTube TV or Vidgo allows you to watch the game on the CBS app, but this is only available in select markets. The CBS App is also available on Roku, Apple TV, Xbox, Fire TV, Android TV and Google Chromecast devices.
Another option is the NFL Plus streaming service, which allows subscribers to stream nationally televised games. The downside is that you can only do so on a mobile device.
How to watch in the UK
Watching the Super Bowl in the UK couldn’t be much easier, given how it will be airing on ITV and ITVX for free. And you’ll be able to access it for free on Paramount+. Viewers will get the game and Rihanna-headlining halftime show, but arguably just as famous as the Super Bowl itself are the multi-million dollar adverts. While ITV is going to be chock full of ads during the breaks, you’ll have to succumb to the usual humdrum of British ads, none of the exciting stuff that the Yanks get.
If you really want to see the newest film trailers and Old Spice adverts, the original US broadcast (including commercials) is available through the NFL Game Pass via DAZN. There are three options for the big game in the UK. A Super Bowl pass offers 31 day access to NFL Game Pass with Super Bowl live and on-demand viewing for just 99p. A Super Bowl pass does not allow for mobile viewing, though. A mobile only account is £13.99 annually, while a Pro account is £14.99.
The Super Bowl will also be shown on Sky Sports services, available for Sky members signed up to the package. You can tune in to the game on the dedicated Sky Sports NFL channel. There’ll be plenty of other coverage for you to sink your teeth into during the run-up to kick-off.
If you want to watch the US version, many VPN services allow you to stream the game. The likes of ExpressVPN (3000+ servers in 3,000 servers in 94 nations) and NordVPN (5400 servers across 60+ countries) offer deals perfectly tailored for Super Bowl viewing. Many even come with a few months free. To find the best VPN services of 2023, check out our guide to borderless viewing here.
How to watch anywhere in the rest of world
No US citizenship? You can still watch the Super Bowl whether you live in Andorra or Zambia. Consult the list to watch the Super Bowl in your nation. Spoiler alert, most of the international options are dominated by ESPN. But, you might find a channel or service you’re already subscribed to.
