The New England Patriots will face the Seattle Seahawks in Sunday’s Super Bowl, a championship game drawing global attention both for its unlikely match-up and a politically charged half-time show.
More than 120 million viewers in the United States are expected to watch the annual sporting event, one of the country’s most significant cultural broadcasts. Few analysts predicted either team would reach the NFL’s title game after both began the season as long-shot contenders.
Seattle enter the contest as slight favourites, led by the league’s top-ranked defence. They will be tested by a Patriots team seeking a record seventh Super Bowl title and their first championship since the departure of quarterback Tom Brady in 2020.
Bookmakers have described the pairing as one of the most improbable Super Bowls of the modern era, with both teams starting the season at odds of 60-1 or longer.
Attention will also focus on the half-time show, where Grammy-winning Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny is expected to deliver the first Super Bowl performance sung entirely in Spanish.
Bad Bunny, one of the world’s most prominent music stars, has been an outspoken critic of US immigration policy under President Donald Trump. Speculation has grown that the performer could use the Super Bowl stage to make a political statement.
The president has claimed the performance will “sow hatred” and has said he will not attend the game.
Kick-off is scheduled for 3:30pm local time (2330 GMT) at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Once dominant enough to earn the nickname the “Evil Empire”, the Patriots struggled in the seasons following Brady’s exit. This year, however, they have re-emerged under head coach Mike Vrabel.
Quarterback Drake Maye has led the resurgence, guiding New England to a league-best 17 wins, including the playoffs. At 23, he could become the youngest starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl.
Maye narrowly missed out on the league’s Most Valuable Player award this week, losing by a single vote. Known for both his rushing ability and deep passing accuracy, he has also been among the most-sacked quarterbacks this season.
That vulnerability will be tested by a Seattle defence that has conceded the fewest points in the NFL.
The Seahawks have one Super Bowl title to their name and last appeared in the championship game in 2015, when they were defeated by Brady’s Patriots.
Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold, whose career has included spells at four NFL teams, has revived his form this season and will be tasked with leading the Seahawks to victory.
“He’s a resilient dude and a competitor. A winner,” Seattle head coach Mike Macdonald told AFP.
Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, named the league’s top offensive player this season, has been a key figure in Seattle’s campaign.
A Patriots victory would see the franchise move clear of the Pittsburgh Steelers with a record seven Super Bowl titles.
Around 90,000 fans have travelled to the Bay Area for the event, which local officials estimate will generate an economic boost of about $500 million.
The game takes place amid heightened political tensions following the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and public anger over the killing of two US citizens by federal agents in Minneapolis last month.
NFL officials have denied media reports that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers will play any role at the event.
While details of the half-time show remain undisclosed, Bad Bunny has said the performance will highlight Puerto Rican culture and has described it as “a huge party.”
