US Trends

how long is the superbowl

The Super Bowl game usually lasts about 3.5 to 4 hours from kickoff to final whistle, including halftime and all the stoppages.

How long the Super Bowl actually is

  • A regulation NFL game has 60 minutes of game clock, split into four 15‑minute quarters.
  • Because the clock stops often (timeouts, reviews, incomplete passes, out of bounds), those 60 minutes stretch to just over 3 hours for a typical NFL game.
  • The Super Bowl runs a bit longer than a normal game thanks to extra ceremonies, more commercials, and a longer halftime show.

In practical terms, if kickoff is around 6:30 p.m. Eastern, you can expect the Super Bowl to wrap up a little after 10:00 p.m. Eastern in a normal, non‑overtime year.

What makes it longer than a regular game?

  • Extended halftime show:
    • Regular NFL halftime is about 12 minutes.
* Super Bowl halftime is usually 20–30 minutes to fit in the big music performance and field setup/tear‑down.
  • Commercials and TV production:
    • Commercial breaks are more frequent and often a bit longer because brands pay premiums for airtime.
* There is extra time for replays, on‑air analysis, and special segments.
  • Pregame and postgame coverage:
    • If you include studio shows before and after, your “Super Bowl night” can easily run 4–6 hours or more, depending on how early you tune in and how long you stay for the trophy ceremony and interviews.

Quick example timeline

  • 6:00 p.m.: Pregame show in full swing.
  • 6:30 p.m.: Kickoff.
  • Around 8:00 p.m.: Halftime show window (20–30 minutes).
  • Around 10:00–10:15 p.m.: Typical time the game ends if there is no overtime.

Over the past couple of decades, the average Super Bowl has landed around the 3.5‑hour mark from kickoff, with only a few games finishing under 3.5 hours or stretching past 4 hours.

TL;DR: The Super Bowl itself is about 3.5 hours long from kickoff, and your whole viewing experience can easily run 4+ hours once you include the halftime show plus pre‑ and postgame coverage.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.