when does super bowl coverage start

Super Bowl 60 pregame coverage on NBC is expected to begin in the early afternoon, around 1:00 p.m. ET, with build‑up and studio shows leading into the 6:30 p.m. ET kickoff on Sunday, February 8, 2026. Many full-day “Super Bowl Sunday” blocks also include lighter features and interviews starting late morning on related NBC platforms and Peacock.
Quick Scoop: Key Times
- Super Bowl 60 date: Sunday, February 8, 2026.
- Stadium: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California.
- Official kickoff time: 6:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m. PT).
- Main network: NBC (with Telemundo carrying Spanish-language coverage).
- Streaming: Peacock as the primary streaming home, plus providers that carry NBC live (like some live TV streaming services).
- Typical extended pregame studio shows on the rights-holding network start roughly five to six hours before kickoff, often around 1:00 p.m. ET or earlier.
How “coverage” usually rolls out
When people ask “when does Super Bowl coverage start?” , they can mean a few different things:
- Earliest pregame programming
- Networks usually roll out Super Bowl–branded content by late morning, with magazine-style stories, city features, and historical looks at past Super Bowls.
* Expect bonus interviews, human‑interest pieces, and segments about the halftime performer and host city culture in those earlier hours.
- Big official pregame show
- The main, heavily promoted pregame show on the game network (NBC in 2026) generally lands around early afternoon (about 1:00 p.m. ET), then runs straight into kickoff.
* This block is where you get deeper analysis, live reports from team facilities or locker rooms, and more structured countdown segments.
- Final countdown window
- The last 60–90 minutes before kickoff tend to focus tightly on matchups, injury updates, starting lineups, and on‑field warmups.
* That’s also when broadcasts spotlight the national anthem, coin toss, and any major pre-kick ceremonies.
In other words, if you just want the actual game, tune in by about 6:15 p.m. ET. If you want the “full Super Bowl Sunday experience,” plan to have NBC or Peacock on by early afternoon.
Practical viewing tips
- Decide what you care about most:
- Only the game: be ready shortly before 6:30 p.m. ET.
* Game + serious analysis: aim for about 4:30–5:00 p.m. ET.
* Full-day Super Bowl vibe: turn on NBC or Peacock by late morning or early afternoon and let it run.
- Check your local listings:
- Local NBC affiliates may brand and time certain pregame blocks a bit differently, but all will be synced to the national 6:30 p.m. ET kickoff.
- Streaming prep:
- Log in to Peacock and any live TV streaming service you use earlier in the day so you’re not troubleshooting right before kickoff.
TL;DR: Super Bowl coverage on NBC and Peacock runs for much of Sunday, with the main pregame shows starting early afternoon (around 1:00 p.m. ET) and the game itself kicking off at 6:30 p.m. ET on February 8, 2026.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.