Here’s how to watch Super Bowl LVI on your Xbox or PlayStation

Streaming live sports on your games console has never been easier in 2022 – here’s how to do it

Any device that can run BBC iPlayer will be able to stream the big game as it happens (iStock/The Independent)

The Super Bowl 2022 kicks off at 11:30pm GMT on 13 February, when the Cincinnati Bengals face off against the LA Rams in California.

The highlight of the NFL season and one of the biggest television events of the year, the Super Bowl attracts an increasingly global audience. This year fans have no shortage of ways to watch the game online for free in the UK, and will be able to tune into the action on a wider range of devices than ever, as well as on BBC Two and Sky Sports.

If you have an Xbox or PlayStation underneath the TV, you might be wondering if the console can stream the Super Bowl live. Handily, both Microsoft and Sony’s machines are compatible with most of the popular streaming apps out there, so tuning in to the game on your PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5 takes just a few simple steps.

As long as your games console or streaming device can download the BBC iPlayer app, you can tune in at 11:30pm to watch the Super Bowl live and for free. The free streaming service is even popular with viewers outside the UK, thanks to its lack of intrusive ad breaks and the extra game analysis used to fill airtime between plays.

Watching BBC iPlayer outside of the UK requires a VPN and a TV licence, which we’ll talk about shortly. For now, here’s how to watch Super Bowl LVI live on your Xbox or PlayStation.

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How to watch Super Bowl 2022 on Xbox

(Microsoft)

To stream Super Bowl 2022 on your Xbox, download and install the free BBC iPlayer app.

Switch on your Xbox and sign in to Xbox Live. You can use a free Xbox Live account, or whichever account details you used when setting up your console. Navigate to the Microsoft Store and search for BBC iPlayer. Select “Get it Free” to download and install the app.

Once it’s finished installing, the BBC iPlayer app will appear as an icon on the Xbox dashboard. Select it and follow the on-screen instructions to log into your BBC account. From here you can access BBC channels and broadcasts, as well as play, pause and rewind live TV.

If you’re already a Sky Sports subscriber and Sky Go is included in your package, you can download and install the Sky Go app on Xbox to stream the game live on your console and in multiple rooms in your home.

Sky-owned streaming platform Now also offers sports packages and day passes without tying you into a contract, and has an app available to download from the Microsoft Store.

How to watch Super Bowl 2022 on PlayStation

(Sony)

To stream Super Bowl 2022 on your PlayStation, sign in to your PlayStation Network account and download and install the free BBC iPlayer app.

On PlayStation 5 you’ll find it under the ‘Media’ tab on the home screen. Choose BBC iPlayer from the ‘All apps’ section to move it to your home screen for easy access. On PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 4 Pro, you can find the BBC iPlayer app in the ‘My Channels’ section under the ‘TV/Video services’ tab. Select BBC iPlayer to move the streaming service to your home screen.

If you’re a Sky subscriber with Sky Go, you can stream the Super Bowl using the Sky Go app on Xbox. Entertainment and sports streaming platform Now also offers sports packages without a lengthy contract. The Now app can be found on the PlayStation Store.

Will Super Bowl 2022 be in 4K?

No. NBC isn’t planning to broadcast the Super Bowl in 4K this year, but if you watch the game through your Xbox or PlayStation you can ensure you’re getting the full quality stream by double-checking your video output settings.

The current- and previous-generation games consoles can output to your TV at full 4K resolution, and while this won’t magically add detail to this year’s Super Bowl, it will at least make sure you’re seeing the game in as high a quality as the BBC iPlayer app can give you.

Your TV might also feature upscaling technology, which takes 1080p (or Full HD) broadcasts and uses an image sharpening algorithm to make things look a little crisper. If your TV doesn’t have this feature, you’ve still got time to upgrade to one of the best 4K TVs of 2022.

Can you watch BBC iPlayer outside the UK?

You need to be a UK resident and have a paid-up TV licence to watch BBC iPlayer. Attempting to watch shows while outside the UK violates BBC iPlayer’s terms of service and will give you an error message, but there are still ways to continue using the BBC if you’re travelling and want to keep up with the Super Bowl and any other live broadcasts.

A virtual private network, or VPN, is an app that runs on your PC, Mac or smartphone and spoofs your location to make sites believe you’re logging in from somewhere you’re not. We recommend NordVPN for streaming, as well as other VPNs in our list of the best VPNs for streaming and entertainment.

On the lookout for even more streaming tech ahead of the big game? We’ve rounded up some of our favourite products to ensure your Super Bowl Sunday goes off without a hitch.

LG C1 OLED TV 55in: £1,199, Amazon.co.uk

(LG)

The LG OLED55C14LB is the best 4K OLED television set you can buy, and right now at Amazon there’s £500 off the 55in model. If that’s a little too large for your living room, the 48in version can also be found with a £200 discount at Box (£1,099, Box.co.uk).

Thanks to the use of top-end OLED panel technology and Dolby Atmos tuned speakers, the LG C1 delivers a rich and cinematic viewing experience, with deep blacks and vibrant colours. It’s the ideal choice for anyone looking to upgrade their TV in time for kick-off.

Buy now

Nvidia shield TV pro: £179, Currys.co.uk

(NVIDIA)

Don’t have a games console but want to stream the Super Bowl online? The Nvidia shield TV pro transforms your TV into a multimedia streaming powerhouse. It runs on premium hardware – meaning it’s blistering fast to load content and navigate around menus – and comes pre-loaded with Nvidia services, which let you stream your PC games library straight to your TV without any wires, lag or complicated setup. Just pair it with a Bluetooth controller or wireless Xbox pad and you can finally play your Steam games on the sofa.

The Nvidia shield TV pro also uses the company’s incredibly clever image-sharpening algorithms to upscale HD video to 4K in real time, detecting things like facial features and body outlines rather than blindly applying a sharpening filter to the entire screen. The effect works especially well on football games, meaning the Super Bowl will look more detailed on this Android box than anywhere else.

Buy now

NordVPN: £2.74 per month, Nordvpn.com

(NordVPN)

A VPN is an app for phones and computers that makes you effectively anonymous online, meaning your ISP can’t track which sites you visit and websites can’t determine your true location. NordVPN is one of the best virtual private networks for streaming, and allows you to spoof your location to appear to be coming from any one of hundreds of countries around the world.

This means you can access content not normally available in your region and get around content filters and other kinds of censorship. Our reviewer found it easy for novices to use, “with a clear map for access to its servers and a ‘quick connect’ button to take you to the nearest and fastest server with a single tap”. You can save 68 per cent on a two-year plan right now, meaning it’ll cost just £65.76 for the period, slashing the average monthly price from £8.84 to £2.74.

Buy now

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