For 364 days of the year (365 in a leap year) , most Australians are happy to ignore American football.

For most Australians the NFL is a sport that is difficult to understand and seen as inferior in skill and courage AFL or rugby league – what’s the deal with all that padding?

Yet once a year the NFL final – the Super Bowl – hits our headlines and invades our consciousness. Usually this has little to do with the teams or the score.

The Super Bowl is an entertainment spectacular with glitzy halftime entertainment and astronomical amounts spent on specially-made adverts to be shown during the broadcast.

And this year Taylor Swift even threatens to overshadow the usual hype.

So for those of us who are happily indifferent to NFL throughout the year, but still want to take in the spectacle – here’s everything you need to know about Super Bowl LVIII.

When and where is the Super Bowl?

The Super Bowl is will take place on Sunday, February 11 in the US, so Australians will be able to watch it live on Monday morning February 12.

• In Australia, pre-match coverage will start at 9am AEDT
• Kick-off is at 10.30am AEDT

The Super Bowl will be played for the first time ever in Las Vegas at Allegiant Stadium – home to the Las Vegas Raiders.

To watch it in Australia, viewers can tune into  Channel 7, 7Mate, 7Plus and ESPN, or stream it on Kayo.

How long does an NFL last?

Each quarter in the NFL lasts for 15 minutes, so there’s a total of one hour of game play. However, there’s no chance game will be over by 11.30 am.

There are repeated stoppages during a game to allow the teams to rearrange for set pieces, or even switch from a defensive team to an offensive teat.

Typically, an NFL game last three hours, but given the half-time show and the commercials, the Super Bowl will take even longer than that.

Who is playing?

This year, reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs will take on the San Fransisco 49ers.

This is the Chiefs’ fourth Super Bowl since 2020, only losing in 2021.

It’s actually somewhat of a rematch of 2020, where the Chiefs beat the 49ers.

Tweet from @NFL

Entertainment

If you’re not watching the Super Bowl to watch men throw around a ball and tackle each other, you’re likely watching it for the star-studden entertainment.

The half time show is the main event for some. Last year, Rihanna took the stage, in 2022 the line up was stacked with Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar.

This year, Usher will be headlining the half time show.

Before the game starts, Post Malone and Andra Day will perform and Reba McEntire will perform the national anthem.

Usher will play the half time show at this year’s Super Bowl.

What about Taylor Swift?

It’s the question many Swifties have been asking and one that will likely have some NFL fans shaking their heads.

Swift is currently on tour in Japan, but due to a very small break in her tour and the time difference, it is likely she will be able to make it back to the States in time for the game.

In case you somehow missed it, Swift is dating the Chiefs’ Travis Kelce and her appearance at his games have fuelled a media frenzy.

And the adverts?

Companies pay between US$6.5 million and US $7m ($10m and $10.8m) for a 30-second advertising spot during the Super Bowl broadcast in the US.

The adverts are the highlight for many casual views (especially non-NFL fans) and the best of them live on for viewing pleasure on YouTube.

As in previous years, this Super Bowl will feature a some of the biggest names from Hollywood and sport.

Advert fans can expect to see:

• Ted Lasso star Jason Sudeikis and NFL Hall of Famer Dan Marino in an advert showcasing soccer great Lionel Messi’s magical footwork.
• Oscar-winner Anthony Hopkins takes on a surprising role as Wrex the Dragon, the mascot of football club Wrexham – owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

If you’ve watched the documentary, you’ll know what it means. Photo: Uber Eats

• The David and Victoria Beckham recreate a much-talked-about  scene from the recent David Beckham documentary for Uber Eats. 
• A Hellmans Mayonnaise mascot cat that says ‘mayo’ instead of ‘meow’, and dates comedian Pete Davidson.
• NFL great Tom Brady joins NHL legend Wayne Gretzky and Hollywood’s Vince Vaughn.
• There will also be appearances from Christopher Walken, Jason Momoa, Martin Lawrence, Snoop Dogg, Martha Stewart, Willie Nelson, Aubrey Plaza, Nick Offerman, Chris Pratt, Jenifer Ortegaand Tina Fey.