The 25 Most Watched Super Bowls of All-Time (2024)

Media

By FOS Staff

UPDATED February 15, 2024 | 03:27 pm

  • The current record belongs to Super Bowl LVIII in 2024.
  • Between 2010 and ’18, the Super Bowl consistently garnered more than 100 million viewers.

The 25 Most Watched Super Bowls of All-Time (1)

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The NFL is the most highly viewed sport in the U.S.—and the Super Bowl, often the most popular event on television, is its crown jewel.

The 2024 edition between the Chiefs and the 49ers was no exception, as it became the most-watched Super Bowl ever. The Chiefs’s third Super Bowl win in five seasons had more than 123.7 million total average viewers and beat the record set the previous year in Super Bowl LVII between the Chiefs and the Eagles, which had more than 115 million total average viewers.

Holding the third spot is 2015 Super Bowl XLIX between the Patriots and Seahawks, with 114.8 million total average viewers.

Taking the fourth spot is the 2014 Super Bowl XLVIII between the Seahawks and Broncos, which attracted more than 112.7 million total average viewers. Capping off the top five is the ’16 Super Bowl 50 between the Broncos and Panthers. The game commanded more than 112.3 million total average viewers.

Super Bowl XLIV between the Colts and the Saints became the first game to cross the 100 million viewer bar in 2010. The Saints’ 31–17 upset the Colts to earn the franchise’s first Super Bowl title for the historically downtrodden organization.

Here is the list of average viewers’ top 25 most-watched Super Bowls. The list was compiled in February 2024 using data fromNielsen.

RankSuper BowlTeamsNetwork(s)Total Average Viewers P2+ (Persons age 2 or more)Date
1LVIIIKansas City vs. San FranciscoCBS, Univision, Nickelodeon, Nick-at-Nite123,714,000Feb. 11, 2024
2LVIIKansas City vs. PhiladelphiaFox, Fox Deportes115,096,000Feb. 12, 2023
3XLIXNew England vs. SeattleNBC, Universal114,810,000Feb. 1, 2015
4XLVIIISeattle vs. DenverFox, Fox Deportes112,752,000Feb. 2, 2014
5SB 50Denver vs. CarolinaCBS, ESPN Deportes112,336,000Feb. 7, 2016
6LINew England vs. AtlantaFox, Fox Deportes111,973,000Feb. 5, 2017
7XLVINew York Giants vs. New EnglandNBC111,346,000Feb. 5, 2012
8XLVGreen Bay vs. PittsburghFox111,041,000Feb. 6, 2011
9XLVIIBaltimore vs. San FranciscoCBS108,693,000Feb. 3, 2013
10XLIVNew Orleans vs. IndianapolisCBS106,476,000Feb. 7, 2010
11LIIPhiladelphia vs. New EnglandNBC, Universal104,016,000Feb. 4, 2018
12LIVKansas City vs. San FranciscoFox, Fox Deportes102,086,000Feb. 2, 2020
13LVILos Angeles Rams vs. CincinnatiNBC, Telemundo101,470,000Feb. 13, 2022
14LIIINew England vs. Los Angeles RamsCBS, ESPN Deportes98,950,000Feb. 3, 2019
15XLIIIPittsburgh vs. ArizonaNBC98,732,000Feb. 1, 2009
16XLIINew York Giants vs. New EnglandFox97,448,000Feb. 3, 2008
17LVTampa Bay vs. Kansas CityCBS, ESPN Deportes95,877,000Feb. 7, 2021
18XXXDallas vs. PittsburghNBC94,080,000Jan. 28, 1996
19XLIIndianapolis vs. ChicagoCBS93,184,000Feb. 4, 2007
20XXChicago vs. New EnglandNBC92,570,000Jan. 26, 1986
21XXVIIDallas vs. BuffaloNBC90,990,000Jan. 31, 1993
22XLPittsburgh vs. SeattleABC90,745,000Feb. 5, 2006
23 (tie)XXXIIDenver vs. Green BayNBC90,000,000Jan. 25, 1998
23 (tie)XXVIIIDallas vs. BuffaloNBC90,000,000Jan. 30, 1994
25XXXVIIINew England vs. CarolinaCBS89,795,000Feb. 1, 2004

What to Read

The Highest-Paid NASCAR Drivers

Hendrick Motorsports has the most drivers on the highest-paid NASCAR drivers list.

by Rodney Reeves

The Highest-Paid MLB Managers

Cubs skipper Craig Counsell ranks atop the list as the highest-paid MLB manager in 2024.

by Rodney Reeves

The Highest-Paid Professional Boxers in the World

Anthony Joshua tops the list of highest-earning active boxers in 2024.

by FOS Staff

Top Sports Business Jobs This Week (May 2024)

Each week, our staff combs through the thousands of job listings from…

The 25 Most Watched Super Bowls of All-Time (6)

Front Office Sports Today

Two WNBA Stars’ Plan to Change Women’s Basketball

0:00

Featured Today

The Pac-12 Wants Everybody to Know That It Isn’t Dead Yet

With a broadcast studio and two schools, the league plans to rebuild.

May 26, 2024

Adam Silver Is the Real Winner in the Battle for the NBA’s Rights Future

For the past decade, the commissioner has been playing chess, not checkers.

May 25, 2024

From Revenue-Sharing to Private Equity: Breaking Down the NCAA’s Historic Week

Commercialization of college sports has never been more evident than this week.

exclusive

May 20, 2024

‘This Is Semi-Pro’: Inside One Arena Football League Team’s Collapse

The collapse of the Georgia Force, as told by the players who lived it.

More in Media

by David Rumsey

ESPN Wants More SEC Games, but Conference Eyes a Bigger Payday

Schools currently play eight football games against one another.

May 29, 2024

Nearly Every WNBA Broadcaster Has Set a Ratings Record This Season

Caitlin Clark’s draw has been strong and spreading to other teams.

May 31, 2024

A Rare NBA Break Creates Prime-Time Opportunity for the NHL

The league has three days, and perhaps as many as five, without conference finals competition from the NBA.

Sponsored

How Duracell is Making Fans Fall in Love with F1 Racing

Nobody expected this household brand to become F1’s newest darling.

exclusive

May 29, 2024

Controversial NFL Aggregator Had an Asking Price for X Account

Dov Kleiman was seeking $75,000 for his account in December.

May 29, 2024

Bronny James’s Draft Position Could Mean Boom or Bust for TV Ratings

Bronny could play a critical role in the first two-night draft broadcast.

May 27, 2024

Could the U.S. Women’s Open Get Its Own Media-Rights Deal? ‘It’s Possible’

Traditionally, the USGA has sold all of its media rights together in one package.

May 24, 2024

NBA Media-Rights Talks ‘in Fourth Quarter.’ Here’s What We Know

NBA heads into Memorial Day weekend without a new set of deals.

The 25 Most Watched Super Bowls of All-Time (2024)

FAQs

The 25 Most Watched Super Bowls of All-Time? ›

Super Bowl LVIII is the most-watched program ever, averaging 123.4 million viewers across all platforms, up +7% versus last year's Super Bowl which was the previous record (115.1 million).

What are the most watched Super Bowls of all time? ›

Super Bowl LVIII is the most-watched program ever, averaging 123.4 million viewers across all platforms, up +7% versus last year's Super Bowl which was the previous record (115.1 million).

What is considered the greatest Super Bowl of all time? ›

New England Patriots 28, Seattle Seahawks 24

For its head-spinning plot twist in the final seconds, Super Bowl XLIX is our pick as the best of all time.

What is the most entertaining Super Bowl ever? ›

Ranking the 25 most thrilling Super Bowls
  • 1 of 25. Super Bowl III: New York 16, Baltimore 7. ...
  • 2 of 25. Super Bowl XIV: Pittsburgh 31, Los Angeles 19. ...
  • 3 of 25. Super Bowl XXXIX: New England 24, Philadelphia 21. ...
  • 4 of 25. Super Bowl LVIII: Kansas City 25, San Francisco 22. ...
  • 5 of 25. ...
  • 6 of 25. ...
  • 7 of 25. ...
  • 8 of 25.
May 27, 2024

Who got the most Super Bowls in history? ›

New England Patriots

What's the most watched show ever? ›

The Apollo 11 moon landing is generally considered to have been the most watched event in American television history, having garnered an estimated viewership of between 125 and 150 million viewers.

Who was the most watched Super Bowl halftime show? ›

Rihanna. Rihanna performs during Apple Music Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show at State Farm Stadium on Feb. 12, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona. With 121 million viewers, Rihanna's 2023 performance during Super Bowl LVII is the most-watched halftime show in history.

What is the most famous Super Bowl halftime? ›

Best Super Bowl halftime shows
  1. Shakira + Jennifer Lopez (2020) The first Latina duo to headline a Super Bowl halftime show was quite the spectacle. ...
  2. Prince (2007) ...
  3. U2 (2002) ...
  4. Michael Jackson (1993) ...
  5. Usher (2024) ...
  6. 6. ' ...
  7. Dr. ...
  8. Rihanna (2023)
Feb 12, 2024

Who was the biggest favorite in Super Bowl history? ›

Biggest Super Bowl Point Spread

The largest point spread in Super Bowl history was in Super Bowl XXIX in 1995. The San Francisco 49ers entered the game as massive 18.5-point favorites over the San Diego Chargers.

What was the greatest game ever played in the Super Bowl? ›

It was the first NFL playoff game to be decided in sudden death overtime. The Baltimore Colts defeated the New York Giants 23–17 in what soon became widely known as "the Greatest Game Ever Played".

What team has lost the most Super Bowls? ›

The Patriots and Broncos are tied for the most Super Bowl losses at five. The Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, and Jacksonville Jaguars are the four teams to have never appeared in a Super Bowl, although the Browns and Lions both won NFL championships before the Super Bowl era.

What team has never been to the Super Bowl? ›

There are 4 teams that have never been to the Super Bowl: Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland Browns and Houston Texans. Three were in the playoffs this past season (Lions, Browns & Texans) and the Jaguars were the year before.

What is the most winningest NFL team ever? ›

Their NFC North divisional rivals, the Green Bay Packers have recorded the most wins (799) in NFL history.

What Super Bowl had the most fans? ›

The Rams became the first NFC West team to reach the Super Bowl. The NFC West was the last of the six post-merger divisions to reach the Super Bowl. Super Bowl XIV holds the record for attendance with 103,985 spectators.

What was the most watched live event in history? ›

Apollo 11 Moon Landing (1969)

On July 20th, 1969, 500 million people tuned in to their television screens as history was being made when Neil Armstrong took the first step off the Apollo 11 module and set foot on the surface of the moon.

What was the most watched sporting event ever? ›

The Most Watched Sporting Events in The World
  • World Cup of Soccer – 5 Billion Viewers.
  • Tour de France – 3.5 Billion Viewers.
  • Cricket World Cup – 2.6 Billion Viewers.
  • Women's World Cup – 2 Billion Viewers.
  • Summer Games – 2 Billion Viewers.
  • Winter Games – 2 Billion Viewers.
  • UEFA Champions League Final – 450 Million Viewers.
Nov 3, 2023

Is the Super Bowl the most watched TV event in the world? ›

Super Bowl Earns Record 123 Million Viewers—Most-Watched TV Event Since Apollo 11. Mary Roeloffs is a Forbes breaking news reporter covering pop culture.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Laurine Ryan

Last Updated:

Views: 6048

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (57 voted)

Reviews: 80% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Laurine Ryan

Birthday: 1994-12-23

Address: Suite 751 871 Lissette Throughway, West Kittie, NH 41603

Phone: +2366831109631

Job: Sales Producer

Hobby: Creative writing, Motor sports, Do it yourself, Skateboarding, Coffee roasting, Calligraphy, Stand-up comedy

Introduction: My name is Laurine Ryan, I am a adorable, fair, graceful, spotless, gorgeous, homely, cooperative person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.