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One of the biggest sporting events in the world is less than a week away and while it’s not the sport we think of when we talk about football — the most popular game in Australia, aka AFL — it’s a match that in 2023, was viewed by more than 113 million people worldwide. This year, that number is expected to increase significantly due to the massive growth in NFL fans over the last few months driven by Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.
So, who made it to the Super Bowl LVIII?
The San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs will meet in Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday, February 11, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas — in Perth time, that’s Monday, 7:30 am. The 49ers are returning to the big stage for the first time since the 2019 season, while the reigning NFL Champion has now advanced to four of the past five Super Bowls (including this one).
Kansas City will be looking to win its fourth Vince Lombardi Trophy and can become the first team in two decades to clinch back-to-back league titles. San Francisco can join the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots with an NFL-high six Super Bowl victories.
Who’s performing at halftime?
Often the halftime performance is bigger than the actual game. Last year’s halftime show by Rhianna was watched by more than 118.7 million people making it the biggest halftime show of all time. Some of the other all-time performances have been Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, and Coldplay.
This year, it’ll be Usher entertaining audiences around the world as he paces through his greatest hits. With the recent growth in NFL fanbase, will Usher take over the top spot as most viewed half-time performance?
49ers road to Super Bowl LVIII
San Francisco clinched the NFC West and the top seed in the conference with a 12-5 record. The 49ers opened the playoffs with a lacklustre 24-21 win over Green Bay in the Divisional round. Christian McCaffrey scored on a six-yard scamper with 67 seconds left in the game to avoid the upset.
McCaffrey and Elijah Mitchell added short touchdown runs to help the 49ers erase a 17-point deficit and claim a 34-31 victory over Detroit in an exciting NFC championship matchup. The Lions held a commanding 24-7 lead at halftime before San Francisco tallied 17 unanswered points in the third quarter en route to the comeback win.
Chiefs road to Super Bowl LVIII
Kansas City clinched the AFC West and the No. 3 seed in the conference with an 11-6 record. In the wild-card game with sub-zero temperatures, the Chiefs rolled to a lopsided 26-7 victory over Miami. Patrick Mahomes threw for 262 yards and two scores, and Kansas City limited the Dolphins’ high-powered offence to just 264 total yards.
Mahomes and All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce hooked up for two touchdowns to lead the Chiefs to a 27-24 win over Buffalo in the Divisional round. Isiah Pacheco rushed for 97 yards and a score, and Harrison Butker booted a pair of field goals as Kansas City advanced to the AFC title contest for the sixth consecutive season.
The Chiefs booked a ticket to Super Bowl 58 with a 17-10 victory over Baltimore in the AFC championship game. Kansas City’s underrated defence limited MVP favourite Lamar Jackson and the Ravens to just three points over the final three quarters to pull off the upset. Kelce continued his impressive postseason with 11 catches for 116 yards and a touchdown.
Players to watch
QB Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City
The two-time Super Bowl MVP is one win shy of capturing his third Super Bowl ring. The 28-year-old has been locked in this postseason while completing 70 of 103 passes for 718 yards, four touchdowns, and zero interceptions. If Mahomes can evade the 49ers vaunted pass rush, the Chiefs will celebrate their second straight NFL title.
TE Travis Kelce, Kansas City
Kelce caught 93 balls during the regular season but failed to surpass 1,000 receiving yards for the first time since 2015. The future Hall of Famer has been electric in the playoffs and arrives in Las Vegas with 23 receptions for 262 yards and three touchdowns.
RB Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco
McCaffrey led the league with 1,459 rushing yards while posting an eye-catching 5.4 yards per carry. The All-Pro running back has tallied 188 yards and four scores on the ground this postseason and has added 11 catches for 72 yards.
QB Brock Purdy, San Francisco
Mr. Irrelevant continues his improbable success in the NFL and has the 49ers knocking on the door to their first Super Bowl title in 30 years. Purdy has a 4-1 career playoff record and has completed 43 of 70 pass attempts this postseason for 519 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.
Head-to-head matchup
The Kansas City Chiefs lead the all-time series 8-7 and have won the last three meetings between the two squads. The Chiefs pounded the 49ers, 44-23, in Week 7 of the 2022 season. Mahomes threw for 423 yards and three touchdowns, while Kelce finished with six receptions for 98 yards.
Predictions
There is no denying San Francisco has an array of impressive offensive playmakers and one of the league’s top defensive units. However, Kansas City will showcase the league’s premier quarterback and a much-improved defence. Mahomes is the measuring stick for big-game quarterbacks and has enough weapons to lead the Chiefs to back-to-back Super Bowl titles.
Super Bowl MVP: Patrick Mahomes
Score: Kansas City 27, San Francisco 20
How to watch
It’s a 7:30 am AWST kick-off on Monday, February 12 and, although it’s going to be an early one for us in Perth, that doesn’t mean that the usual places aren’t screening it. If you’re looking for an excuse to take a sick day and go to a venue to watch the 2024 Super Bowl with many other devoted fans, here’s a list of venues such as Varsity that are open and screening it.
Otherwise, the game can be watched on Channel 7, ESPN, Kayo Sports, 7Plus, or NFL Game Pass.
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