Super Bowl LXI airs February 14, 2027 on ESPN, simulcast free on ABC. Here's the date, the network, and how to watch the whole game over the air with no cable or subscription.
Super Bowl LXI is set for Sunday, February 14, 2027, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California — and for the first time ever, it's airing on ESPN, simulcast on ABC. That ABC simulcast is the part that matters most if you've cut the cord: it means the whole game is free over the air, no subscription required.
- Network
- ESPN, simulcast on ABC
- Date
- Sunday, February 14, 2027
- Where
- SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
- Kickoff
- Super Bowl kickoffs have landed around 6:30 PM ET in recent years; the NFL typically confirms the exact time closer to the season.
Why is ESPN suddenly broadcasting the Super Bowl?
The NFL's national TV deal rotates the game among its broadcast partners — CBS, FOX, and NBC have each taken turns in recent years. Starting with Super Bowl LXI, ESPN joins that rotation for the first time, marking the first Super Bowl on ESPN in network history. The simulcast on ABC is possible because the two networks are actually siblings: both ESPN and ABC are owned by Disney, which is exactly why Disney can hand the game to its cable flagship while still putting the same broadcast on a free, over-the-air network it also owns — the first Super Bowl on ABC since 2006.
The good news if you don't have cable
ESPN itself is a cable/streaming channel, so if that were the only place showing the game, cord-cutters would be stuck. But the simulcast on ABC changes that completely: ABC is a full-power broadcast network, which means anyone with an antenna gets the entire game, in HD, for free — same broadcast, same commercials, same halftime show, no subscription of any kind required. If ESPN's alternate coverage (a ManningCast-style second broadcast, if one is offered) requires streaming or cable, the main game on ABC won't.
The short version: You don't need cable, ESPN+, or a streaming bundle to watch Super Bowl LXI. Point an antenna at your local ABC affiliate on February 14, 2027, and you'll get the entire game for free.
Not sure what channel ABC is where you live?
ABC affiliates broadcast on a different channel number in nearly every market. Search your city or zip code below to find your local ABC station, its exact channel number, and how strong a signal to expect — so you know well before kickoff whether your current antenna will pull it in cleanly.
We'll update this post with the matchup, exact kickoff time, and halftime performer as the NFL confirms them closer to game day.
Need help picking out an antenna to watch the game? Check out our antenna buying guide.
