The Super Bowl is seen as the biggest sporting event of the year in the States, and it regularly attracts over 110 million viewers worldwide. In recent years the Super Bowl has garnered a huge following in the UK, thanks to its coverage on television and formation of American Football teams within universities and amateur clubs.

But with all the hype around this event and its famous halftime show, how do you go about participating? If you plan on getting involved, we’ve planned the ultimate gathering to watch the event!

When is it?

Sunday, February 4th.

Get the following Monday booked off because you’ll be up all night!

How to watch it

No cable? No problem.The BBC and Sky Sports will be broadcasting the game live, with coverage likely to start at around 11 pm and end early on Monday morning.

Who is playing?

This year’s finale opponents are the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles.

Get involved and pick a team – the Patriots have arguably the best NFL player in history with Tom Brady and have won the Super Bowl for two years running. If you fancy supporting the underdogs go for the Eagles!

There’s also the highly anticipated halftime show that is being headlined by Justin Timberlake this year. His performance will likely start around 1 am.

Also keep an eye out for other big name celebrities in attendance!

What are the rules?

NFL can be quite a slow affair, make sure you understand what’s going on or you could be nodding off at midnight!

The team that has the ball will have their offensive, or attacking, players on the pitch and the other team will have their defensive players on.

You score a point, which is called a touchdown, by carrying the ball into the opposition’s end zone.

The team in control of the ball has four attempts to advance it 10 yards up towards the opponents end zone.

If you succeed you’ll get another four attempts, and that keeps happening until you score or you fail, then the other team gets control of the ball.

This is a great overview of the game.

What to eat

The Super Bowl notoriously lasts for hours so make sure you stock up on snacks and party fodder! We suggest a large supply American inspired selection of hot dogs, nachos and plenty of drinks to keep you fueled. You could even try this easy corn dog recipe!

Set the mood

Get the place looking like you’re actually in the stadium by getting a few NFL themed decorations. These disposable plates, cups and table cover are cheap, will look great, and save on cleaning up the next day!

Get your jersey on, invite your friends round and prepare to catch up on sleep on Monday!