How to Enjoy the Super Bowl Even If You're Not a Football Fan
The Super Bowl is one of the biggest sports and pop culture events of the year. Even if you do not follow the NFL, you have probably watched it anyway for the sheer social energy of it all. But, it can be confusing or even boring if you're not a football fan.
This year’s game is Super Bowl LX, set for Sunday, February 8, 2026 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
If football is not your thing, you can still have a great Super Bowl Sunday. Here are the best parts of the day that do not require knowing what a nickel defense is. So, RSVP to that Super Bowl party you never go to or throw one yourself and celebrate all the fun things you can do instead of just watching the game.
1. Puppy Bowl XXII
The Super Bowl is not the only competition happening that day. Puppy Bowl XXII is back with a brand new roster of adoptable pups from shelters and rescues, plus the extra feel good moments that makes this the easiest watch on TV.
While the doggos aren't completely aware of the rules of football, sometimes they score a touchdown or two. This event is not only fun for animal lovers to watch, but it's also for a good cause.
The two teams of dogs - Team Ruff and Team Fluff - features a record 150 dogs from 72 shelters, with pups coming from across the United States plus Puerto Rico and the British Virgin Islands.
Even better, the Puppy Bowl is leaning harder into the heart. The show will spotlight 15 special needs dogs, and for the first time, it will include a senior dog exhibition called the Pro Dog Halftime Showdown, featuring Team Oldies vs Team Goldies.
Want to see the pups competing? From Puppy Bowl Team Fluff to Team Ruff, check out the dogs you'll see on the field this year.
2. Super Bowl Halftime Show
Who doesn't love a good concert? Even non football fans tune in for halftime, because it is basically America’s biggest surprise concert. The show is designed for everyone, not just die hard fans, with big visuals, quick hit songs, and the kind of guest cameo potential that keeps people watching even if they have ignored the entire first half.
This year, Bad Bunny headlines the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show, so expect a performance built for memes, moment clips, and nonstop group chat commentary the second the first beat drops.
3. Super Bowl Pre-Game Entertainment
Super Bowl pregame includes several nationally televised performances before kickoff, and it is one of the easiest ways to follow the broadcast without needing to know the teams or the rules.
For Super Bowl LX, the NFL announced these performers:
Charlie Puth will sing the national anthem
Brandi Carlile will perform “America the Beautiful”
Coco Jones will perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing”
4. Celebrity Sightings
One reason the Super Bowl stays on even for non fans is the crowd coverage. The broadcast regularly cuts to luxury suites and celebrity attendees between plays, during breaks, and after big moments.
Pro tip: Make it a drinking game. Everyone picks one celebrity before kickoff. If your pick shows up on screen, take a sip. If two people picked the same celeb, both sip. Always drink responsibly.
5. Super Bowl Watch Party
If you need a reason to party, drink beer, and eat snacks, a Super Bowl watch party is exactly what you're looking for. Even if you're not there for the watching part, a Super Bowl watch party still has plenty of fun things for non-football fans to do.
In fact, a study conducted in 2023 showed that out of 2,000 Americans, 56% of people attend a Super Bowl watch party for the food, 54% attend to be social, and 49% attend to actually watch the game.
Grab your favorite drinks and enjoy time with your friends or family while the game is on. You can even look up Super Bowl drinking games to play together. But always remember to drink responsibly.
You can also enjoy the snacks that are bound to be at any Super Bowl watch party. Indulge in pizza, wings, chips, and more to help keep the party more fun. If you're hosting the party, it's easy to find Super Bowl party supplies to keep your guests in the game mood.
6. Super Bowl Commercials
Football and non-football fans alike can all agree on one thing - the Super Bowl commercials are one of the best parts of game day. Funny commercials, emotional commercials, commercials featuring A-list celebrities, and even bad Super Bowl commercials help make the game more fun to watch if you don't care who wins.
Coming in at around $7 million for a 30-second commercial, Super Bowl ads are intended to catch your attention and represent the brand the best way they have all year. Over 100,000,000 people have their TVs tuned in when these commercials air, so the companies work to make them remarkable and unforgettable.
Brands treat this as their biggest stage of the year, and viewers treat it like entertainment, not marketing. If you want to make it interactive, do a quick “commercial awards” ballot:
Funniest
Most emotional
Best celebrity cameo
Most confusing
Actually Enjoy the Super Bowl This Year
So, even if you aren't a fan of football, you can still enjoy game day with your family and friends. Grab some Super Bowl party supplies, sit back, and enjoy the game, halftime show, Puppy Bowl, or whatever else comes your way.
How to watch Super Bowl LX: It airs live on NBC, Telemundo, and Peacock, with kickoff set for 6:30 pm ET.