Watching Super Bowl 2021 on BBC: stream the NFL's biggest game today

The BBC lost the UK TV rights to air the Super Bowl as of Super Bowl 2023. The new home of the Super Bowl is ITV. Take a look at our explainer for how to watch Super Bowl 2023 from anywhere for full information.

Super Bowl LV took place in the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, Florida today and - let's face it - this Chiefs vs Buccaneers game is as big as big games get.

Assuming you won't be lucky enough to get hold of one of the limited tickets on offer (and that getting across the pond to the US will remain tricky), there’s a perfectly accessible way to watch the Chiefs and the Bucs go head-to-head in real time without needing to leave your home. If you live in the UK, BBC One, BBC Sport and iPlayer will allow you to watch Super Bowl live stream action 100% free and without commercials.

Here’s everything you need to know about watching Super Bowl 2021 on the BBC tonight.

• Likely to be abroad? Get the best BBC iPlayer VPN to tune in from anywhere

Watching Super Bowl 2021 on BBC tonight

UK users can stream the Super Bowl on BBC iPlayer using a smart television, gaming console, mobile, tablet, or computer. You can also follow the event on BBC One on TV or the BBC Sport website. 

BBC One will have live coverage of the entire event. This will include the halftime show as well as live commentary and all the analysis you can handle by pundits. In fact, that's one of the best things about watching the event on the BBC - because of the unique way that the organisation is funded through the UK's TV License, you don't have to put up with even a single commercial break. It's just wall-to-wall football.

You don’t need to pay anything to access the live stream on your preferred device. Being in possession of a valid UK TV license is enough. 

How to see Super Bowl 2021 on BBC: all the action free today

BBC iPlayer will have live coverage for the entirety of Super Bowl 2021, including the halftime event. To begin the stream on your preferred device, all you have to do is log into the app at the predetermined kick-off time.

If you are more of an analogue person, you can also watch Super Bowl by tuning into BBC One on regular TV. You can also visit bbc.com/sport or download the mobile app to follow live coverage of Super Bowl 2021.

Game time is slated for 11.30pm and the BBC has confirmed that its coverage will commence at 11pm on BBC Two on the Sunday night, switching to BBC One at 11.25pm ahead of kick-off.

How do I catch up on Super Bowl 2021 with the BBC? 

Not fancying the idea of staying up through the night to watch this year's Super Bowl? Not a problem - you can use BBC iPlayer to catch up on the entire game (halftime show and all) on your Smart TV, streaming device, laptop or mobile over breakfast on Monday morning.

Watching BBC Super Bowl coverage with a VPN

BBC iPlayer can only be used by users with a UK-based IP address. This means that if you happen to be outside the UK on Super Bowl weekend, you won’t be able to follow BBC’s live coverage of the event unless you use a VPN.

A VPN is a private network that reroutes your connection through a remote server to disguise your true location on the internet. Once you have connected to a UK-based IP address using the service of your choice, you should be able to access BBC iPlayer just like you were back in the country watching at home.

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Not only is ExpressVPN fast, secure and has the keys to unlock pretty much all the streaming services going, it's also a doddle to use with BBC iPlayer.

And remember that there's lots more benefits to VPNs, too. Many people are now installing them as their default first line of defence against cybercrime - their encrypted tunnels mean that online banking and shopping become much safer. And as well as American football, there are loads of other content options (other sports, foreign Netflix, etc) that they unlock.

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What is BBC iPlayer?

BBC iPlayer is an online streaming service that serves as a hub for the BBC’s movies, television shows, and exclusive content.

If you live in the UK, you only need to have paid your television license fee to stream your favourite programmes using BBC iPlayer. Moreover, you can enjoy the entire experience completely ad-free. All it requires is signing up with an email address - nothing more.