Super Bowl Kickoff Time History: What Time Does the Game Usually Start?

Unlike some championship games, the Super Bowl has been pretty consistent with kicking off at the time that it is scheduled.
The Eagles and Chiefs will once again meet in the Super Bowl for the second time in three seasons.
The Eagles and Chiefs will once again meet in the Super Bowl for the second time in three seasons. / Patrick Breen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Super Bowl LIX is set for Feb. 9 between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs. It is the second time in the last three seasons that the two teams have met in the NFL's annual title game.

The Chiefs, of course, won the first meeting, as well as the Super Bowl last season against the San Francisco 49ers. They're going for a three-peat as star quarterback Patrick Mahomes looks to win his fourth Super Bowl title.

The Super Bowl, of course, is set to kickoff at 6:30 p.m. ET. Championship games across professional sports (and at the college level) in the United States tend to start later than the time indicated. This is frequently due to advertising, and ensuring that as many eyes as possible are on the television screen when the game is kicked off.

With that said, the Super Bowl has been remarkably consistent at starting right around 6:30 p.m. ET. So if you're planning to watch The Big Game as millions will be on Feb. 9, make sure to be in front of the television as close to the advertised start time as possible.

Here are the start times for the last 10 Super Bowls. As you'll note, the league has been very good about being on time for kickoff. In fact, the last time the game didn't kickoff at 6:30 p.m. sharp was in 2014, when Super Bowl XLVIII kicked off at 6:32 p.m. ET.

Kickoff Times for Last 10 Super Bowls

Super Bowl

Kickoff Time

Advertised Time

Super Bowl XLIX

6:30 p.m. ET

6:30 p.m. ET

Super Bowl 50

6:30 p.m. ET

6:30 p.m. ET

Super Bowl LI

6:30 p.m. ET

6:30 p.m. ET

Super Bowl LII

6:30 p.m. ET

6:30 p.m. ET

Super Bowl LIII

6:30 p.m. ET

6:30 p.m. ET

Super Bowl LIV

6:30 p.m. ET

6:30 p.m. ET

Super Bowl LV

6:30 p.m. ET

6:30 p.m. ET

Super Bowl LVI

6:30 p.m. ET

6:30 p.m. Et

Super Bowl LVII

6:30 p.m. ET

6:30 p.m. ET

Super Bowl LVIII

6:30 p.m. ET

6:30 p.m. ET


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Mike McDaniel
MIKE MCDANIEL

Mike McDaniel is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated, where he has worked since January 2022. His work has been featured at InsideTheACC.com, SB Nation, FanSided and more. McDaniel hosts the Hokie Hangover Podcast, covering Virginia Tech athletics, as well as Basketball Conference: The ACC Football Podcast. Outside of work, he is a husband and father, and an avid golfer.