Super Bowl 54 is here! It’s that time of year for the biggest US sports event to hit our television screens as the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers will battle out for the Lombardi trophy.
The Super Bowl is one of few events where sports fans welcome everyone into the fold and relish the chance to share their wealth of knowledge to those just looking forward to the half-time extravaganza, the new movie trailers or just an excuse for a good party.
Football fan or not, here’s our complete guide including everything you need to know about Super Bowl 54.
The Important Parts
Who is playing: The San Francisco 49ers will take on the Kansas City Chiefs.
Help. What colour is which: The San Francisco 49ers will be in white as the “away” team while the Kansas City Chiefs will be in red as the “home” team.
When and where: This year’s Super Bowl will take place at the Hard Rock Stadium, in Miami Gardens, Florida – home of the Miami Dolphins – and will kick off at 6.30pm ET on February 2.
How We Got Here
San Francisco 49ers: Throughout much of the season, fans and pundits have been talking about the 49ers as sure-things for Super Bowl 54.
The team finished the regular season with a 13-3 record, winning the NFC West and earning that all-important first round bye as the top seed in the NFC.
The Minnesota Vikings were the 49ers’ first playoff opponent and they were destroyed in a 27-10 defeat which announced this year’s 49ers as serious contenders not just to get to Super Bowl 54, but to take it all.
If people were still in doubt, the Niners went on to annihilate Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game.
The 37-20 scoreline made it look closer than it was and Kyle Shannahan and his men had secured their first Super Bowl berth since they lost to the Baltimore Ravens.
Kansas City Chiefs: The Chiefs finished their regular season with a record of 12-4 but had some notable victories on their way there, including a win over the New England Patriots which meant they finished as the second seed in the AFC with a first-round bye.
In the AFC divisional round, Patrick Mahomes led the Chiefs back from a 24-point deficit against the Houston Texans to take the game 51-31.
In what is becoming a popular pattern for Kansas City, they also fell behind by 10 against the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Championship game.
But having lost in overtime the previous year, the young quarterback was not letting another shot at the Super Bowl slip by and Mahomes put in an incredible performance to carry the team to a 35-24 victory.
Who’s who?
Kansas City Chiefs
Head Coach: Andy Reid (2013-present)
Quarterback: Patrick Mahomes
Offensive captain 2: Travis Kelce (TE)
Defensive captains: Tyrann Mathieu (S) and Anthony Hitchens (LB)
Special teams captains: Harrison Butker (K) and Dustin Colquitt (K)
San Francisco 49ers
Head coach: Kyle Shanahan (2017-present)
Quarterback: Jimmy Garoppolo
Offensive captains: George Kittle (TE) and Joe Staley (LT)
Defensive captains: DeForest Buckner (DT) and Richard Sherman (CB)
What are the Super Bowl 54 odds?
This game is expected to be a close one as both teams have put in strong performances this season.
The Kansas City Chiefs have been listed as slight favourites over the San Francisco 49ers at 13/15 and 11/10 respectively, according to oddschecker.com.
READ MORE: What we learned from NFL Championship games
Can I ask about the half-time show now?
Pop superstars Jennifer Lopez and Shakira will be taking to the stage at half-time in Super Bowl 54 and are sure to put on a phenomenal show. It can’t be any less popular than Maroon 5 last year right?
Demi Lovato will be opening proceedings by singing the US National Anthem this year.