SUPER Bowl LVIII: Who is playing, when is it on and where can I watch it
SUPER Bowl LVIII could be one of the most-watched sporting events of the year, if not the decade as the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers face off in Las Vegas this weekend.
The last time these two sides met on the biggest stage in American football, the Kansas City Chiefs came out on top with a 31-20 scoreline.
This season has seen some amazing moments, all culminating in the sport’s showpiece, which drew in 113 million viewers worldwide according to The Athletic.
The Super Bowl is the pinnacle of the American football season, bringing together the two best teams in the NFL to play for the Vince Lombardi Trophy (the Super Bowl).
Contested by the winners of the National and American Football conferences, the winners of the Super Bowl each traditionally receive a ring for winning the trophy and earn an audience with the president of the United States, as well as a place in the history of the sport they love.
The Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers are the teams that will battle it out for rings this year, with the Kansas City Chiefs hoping to retain the title they won last year against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Super Bowl LVIII will be held at Allegiant Stadium, in Las Vegas. The Allegiant Stadium was built to accommodate the Raiders franchise moving from the San Francisco suburb of Oakland to the dazzling lights of Las Vegas in 2020.
The Super Bowl will be played this Sunday, with the match kicking off at 11.25pm, so for those who want to watch it, it may need to be a rather late night.
The Chiefs are full of star power, starting with their quarterback, Patrick Mahomes II, who continues to impress fans and pundits year after year.
Travis Kelce is another player that people will be keen on following, this year more than any other.
The tight end has found himself in a somewhat even more heightened social status due to his budding relationship with pop star Taylor Swift, causing a whole new wave of fans to flock to games, particularly Chiefs games.
There were fans even worried if Swift would even make it to the Super Bowl, as she has a concert in Tokyo the previous day.
However, ‘Swifties’ need not fear as the Japanese Embassy in Washington assured fans that there wouldn’t be a problem with the ‘Anti-Hero’ artist seeing her beau.
As for the San Francisco 49ers, quarterback Brock Purdy has surpassed everyone’s expectations as he leads the team out to a Super Bowl for the first time.
Purdy was given the unfortunate title of ‘Mr. Irrelevant’ after he was the last player to be drafted in 2022, a title previously held by Tom Brady.
The California outfit will also be relying heavily on their star running back Christian McCaffrey, who will be hoping to win his first ring and follow in his dad’s footsteps, who was a three-time Super Bowl winner, winning once with San Francisco and twice with the Denver Broncos.
The Super Bowl will be shown on ITV, so the spectacle will be available for free to anyone who wants to watch the greatest show on turf.
There are also a number of Super Bowl watch parties being put on around the North, with every American Football club in the North putting on a watch event of some description.
The Belfast Trojans will be holding a watch party at The Botanic Inn with food being put on by Wing-It, tickets available from their website.
The Antrim Jets will be holding their event in the Top of The Town bar, visit their Facebook page for more details.
The Craigavon Cowboys will be holding their event at Club 91 in Shamrock Park.
The NI Razorbacks will hold their watch party at Franklin’s Sports Bar, with more details available on their social media channels.
The Causeway Giants will be watching at the Hedges Hotel and encourage anyone to come along and watch it with them.
So, as the Super Bowl weekend approaches, football fans around the world prepare for the clash between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers. With star-studded lineups and the promise of high intensity, this year’s Super Bowl LVIII is not to be missed. Whether you tune in on ITV or join one of the many watch parties, get ready for an unforgettable showdown on the grandest stage of American football.
