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Super Bowl 60 set to captivate global audience in California
America's most-watched sporting event, Super Bowl 60, takes place Sunday night in Santa Clara, California, as the New England Patriots aim to secure a record seventh Lombardi Trophy. The Seattle Seahawks, slight favorites to win, will face off in a rematch of the 2015 championship game.
The stakes and storylines
The Patriots, led by second-year quarterback Drake Maye, are making their 12th Super Bowl appearance-the most by any franchise. A victory would break their tie with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most titles in NFL history. This marks their first Super Bowl since 2019, following the departures of legendary quarterback Tom Brady and coach Bill Belichick.
The Seahawks, meanwhile, return to the big game for the first time since their 2014 championship win. Quarterback Sam Darnold, playing for his fifth team in eight years, has helped turn the franchise into contenders, aided by a formidable defense under British defensive coordinator Aden Durde-the first overseas coach to reach the Super Bowl.
A global spectacle beyond the game
Super Bowl 60 is not just about football. Millions worldwide will tune in, with the past three Super Bowls ranking as the most-watched U.S. television broadcasts since the 1969 Moon landing. The halftime show, headlined by Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny, is expected to draw massive viewership. Bad Bunny will make history as the first solo male Latin artist to perform the halftime show entirely in Spanish.
Green Day, the California rock band, will perform during an anniversary ceremony before the game, while the NFL has teased additional surprises for the halftime show.
"All it does is sow hatred," U.S. President Donald Trump said of the halftime lineup, calling the selection of Bad Bunny and Green Day a "terrible choice."
Donald Trump, former U.S. President
Bad Bunny, a vocal critic of Trump's immigration policies, had previously avoided performing in the U.S. due to concerns over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids. However, NFL Chief Security Officer Cathy Lanier confirmed on Tuesday that no ICE operations are planned around Super Bowl events, which are classified as a tier-one security event by the Department of Homeland Security.
Celebrity presence and cultural impact
The Super Bowl has attracted a star-studded crowd, including actors Jon Hamm, Chris Pratt, and Mark Wahlberg, musicians Travis Scott and Jay-Z, tennis legend Roger Federer, and Paris Saint-Germain owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi. Wahlberg's fellow New England fan Jon Bon Jovi will introduce the Patriots, while Pratt, a Seahawks supporter, will do the same for the opposing team.
Events leading up to the game have spanned the San Francisco Bay Area, from Opening Night in San Jose to parties hosted by Shaquille O'Neal and Post Malone. Other performers during the week included Olivia Dean, Sting, Calvin Harris, and Cardi B, who will attend the game to support her partner, Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs.
Economic and broadcasting milestones
Super Bowl 60 is projected to generate over $500 million for the local economy, with more than 90,000 visitors from outside the Bay Area expected. The game will be broadcast live on multiple platforms, including Channel 5, Sky Sports, and DAZN in the UK, and NBC in the U.S.
Advertisers have paid an average of $8 million for a 30-second commercial slot, with some reaching a record $10 million. The American Gaming Association estimates a record $1.76 billion will be wagered on the game in the U.S. alone. Additionally, the National Chicken Council predicts Americans will consume 1.48 billion chicken wings during the event.
The cheapest resale ticket available on Thursday was priced at $4,388, while last year's Super Bowl drew a U.S. television audience of 127.7 million, with Kendrick Lamar's halftime show averaging 133.5 million viewers-the most-watched halftime performance on record.
When and where to watch
Super Bowl 60 kicks off at 23:30 GMT on Sunday. Live text commentary will be available on the BBC Sport website and app starting at 21:30 GMT, with radio coverage on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds. The BBC's preview show, The Whole 10 Yards, is also available on iPlayer.
