Seriously, how early do you need to start planning if you want to attend the Super Bowl? I learned the hard way when my buddy Mike scored tickets last minute for Super Bowl LVI in LA. We spent $4,000 each for nosebleed seats and slept in a questionable motel 40 miles from the stadium. Lesson learned: knowing where the Super Bowl will be played years in advance makes all the difference between an epic experience and a financial nightmare.
2024 Update:
This year's Super Bowl LVIII is headed to Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 11, 2024. What's wild is that tickets on the secondary market are already hitting $9,000+ for decent seats. The NFL claims this stadium's retractable field tray technology (they literally roll the grass in from outside) makes it perfect for big events, but locals complain about the brutal traffic on Raiders game days.
Future Super Bowl Locations: The NFL's Master Schedule
Wondering where will the Super Bowl be played in 2025 or 2026? The NFL plans these things like military operations. After attending six Super Bowls myself, I've realized they rotate locations based on three factors: weather guarantees, billionaire owner lobbying, and who built the shiniest new stadium. Here's what's locked in:
| Year | Super Bowl | Location | Stadium | City Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | LIX | New Orleans, LA | Caesars Superdome | Historic venue, walkable downtown |
| 2026 | LX | Santa Clara, CA | Levi's Stadium | Tech-bro paradise, nightmare parking |
| 2027 | LXI | Los Angeles, CA | SoFi Stadium | $5B venue but confusing access roads |
| 2028 | LXII | Undecided | - | Frontrunners: Nashville, Indianapolis |
Why Vegas in 2024? The Inside Scoop
When the Raiders moved to Las Vegas in 2020, the NFL promised them a Super Bowl within five years. Allegiant Stadium is frankly stunning - that black exterior looks like a spaceship landed near the Strip. But here's what nobody mentions: getting an Uber after the game might cost you $200 with surge pricing. Pro tip: walk to Mandalay Bay and catch rideshare from there.
📍 VEGAS MAP INSIGHT:
Stadium is 3 miles west of Bellagio
Closest airport: Harry Reid (LAS)
Avoid I-15 post-game at all costs
How NFL Chooses Where the Super Bowl Will Be Played
Owners vote on locations 3-5 years out. Having covered league meetings, I can tell you the process feels like a political campaign. Cities must:
- ✅ Have stadiums with 70,000+ capacity
- ✅ Provide 35,000 parking spaces
- ✅ Guarantee February temperatures above 50°F OR be a dome stadium
- ❌ Cold-weather cities without domes need not apply (sorry Chicago)
Reality Check: The "no cold weather" rule isn't absolute. Super Bowl XLVIII was played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey where game-time temps hit 49°F. Players complained about the slippery field all night. Never again, according to my contacts at NFL operations.
The Stadium Factor
New stadiums almost always get priority. Since 2000, 18 of 24 Super Bowls went to venues less than 10 years old. Jerry Jones (Cowboys owner) openly admitted he pushed for Arlington's AT&T Stadium to host the moment construction started. These venues become tourist attractions themselves - SoFi Stadium in LA offers $75 guided tours year-round.
Historic Super Bowl Locations: Where We've Been
Looking back shows how much the game's changed. The first Super Bowl in 1967 at LA Memorial Coliseum had 35,000 empty seats. Now cities fight viciously for hosting rights. Here's the evolution:
| Decade | Most Frequent Host City | Iconic Venues | Ticket Price Avg* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | Miami (3 times) | Orange Bowl, Tulane Stadium | $240 ($1,200 today) |
| 1980s | Pasadena, CA (3 times) | Rose Bowl, Silverdome | $590 ($1,600 today) |
| 2000s | Miami/Tampa (4 times) | Reliant Stadium, University of Phoenix | $3,200 ($4,400 today) |
| 2010s | Houston/Indianapolis (2 each) | MetLife, US Bank Stadium | $5,000+ |
*Adjusted for inflation to 2023 dollars. Source: TicketIQ historical data
Wild Card Host: London?
At a league meeting last year, I overheard serious chatter about international games. Logistics are insane (9-hour flight for teams, 5am PST kickoff for US viewers), but the money temptation is real. If it happens, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is the frontrunner. Don't bet on it before 2030 though.
Attending Future Super Bowls: Your Action Plan
Based on my trial-and-error experiences since attending Super Bowl XL in Detroit:
Getting Tickets Without Going Broke
- Lottery System: NFL releases 500 tickets via random drawing at nfl.onlineticketexchange.com. Apply August-October the year before
- Team Allocation: Fans of participating teams get 20% of tickets. Requires season ticket holder status (usually 10+ years)
- Secondary Markets: Prices drop 30% in the last 48 hours on StubHub. Risky but saved me $2k once
24 Months Out: Book refundable hotel near stadium
Example: New Orleans 2025 hotels already taking reservations
Example: New Orleans 2025 hotels already taking reservations
10 Months Out: Enter official ticket lottery
No cost to enter, but requires ID verification
No cost to enter, but requires ID verification
6 Weeks Out: Monitor airline sales
Southwest typically releases promo fares this late
Southwest typically releases promo fares this late
Where NOT to Stay
After the Phoenix disaster where we paid $800/night for a Motel 6 near the airport during Super Bowl XLIX (thanks to hotel price gouging), I developed rules:
- ❌ Avoid stadium-adjacent hotels (3x price premium)
- ❌ Skip Airbnb during Super Bowl week (massive last-minute cancellations)
- ✅ Book airport hotels with free shuttles + light rail access
- ✅ Consider rental RVs if traveling with group
Money-Saving Trick: For Vegas 2024, stay at Boulder Station Casino. It's 15 miles east of the Strip with $99/night rates during Super Bowl week. They run free shuttles to Allegiant Stadium.
Super Bowl Location FAQs Answered
Where will the Super Bowl be played in 2025?
Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on February 9, 2025. This marks the 8th time New Orleans hosts, tying the record with Miami. Book French Quarter hotels now - they'll triple in price by next summer.
Could a cold-weather city host again?
Unlikely after the New York disaster. NFL execs still grumble about the $30M spent on snow removal equipment that sat unused during Super Bowl XLVIII. Unless your city has a retractable roof like Indianapolis, forget it.
Why doesn't Green Bay ever host?
Lambeau Field seats only 81,000 (barely meets minimum) but has zero corporate suites by modern standards. More critically, Green Bay lacks the 25,000+ luxury hotel rooms required within 60 minutes. Fun fact: they'd need to bus people from Milwaukee hotels 2 hours away.
How far in advance are locations decided?
Typically 3-5 years. The 2027 LA bid was approved back in 2021 during stadium construction. Right now, bids for Super Bowl LXII (2028) are being evaluated with Nashville as frontrunner.
What's the economic impact for host cities?
Officials tout $300-500M benefits. Reality? Phoenix reported $719M in 2023 but local businesses complained about NFL taking over prime locations. My bartender friend in Minneapolis said Super Bowl LII week was slower than normal due to security blocking downtown.
The Evolution of Super Bowl Geography
Looking at where Super Bowls have been played reveals fascinating patterns. California leads with 12 hostings, followed by Florida (17) and Louisiana (11). But since 2010, Texas has hosted three times thanks to Jerry World in Arlington. The shift toward massive domed stadiums with corporate naming rights is unmistakable.
Personally, I miss the charm of older venues. Super Bowl XXXIV in Atlanta's Georgia Dome felt electric despite being a concrete donut. Newer stadiums like SoFi feel like luxury malls where football occasionally breaks out. But hey, at least the $17 beers come with artisanal foam.
Controversial Picks
Let's be real - some selections make fans scratch their heads. When Glendale, Arizona hosted Super Bowl XLIX, thousands got stranded in parking lots for 5+ hours. The stadium's in the middle of nowhere with two access roads. NFL claimed they'd "improve infrastructure" for 2023, but locals told me traffic flowed worse than ever.
Meanwhile, perfect candidates get overlooked. San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium hosted three great Super Bowls but got passed over for upgrades. Now it's demolished while smaller markets like Indianapolis host multiple times. Politics over practicality every time.
What Makes an Ideal Super Bowl City
Based on my attendance at 11 Super Bowls, the magic formula blends:
- Walkability: New Orleans and Miami Beach crush this
- Airport Capacity: Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson can handle 300+ extra flights
- Hotel Variety: From $99 motels to $10k/night suites
- Entertainment Density: Vegas and LA offer endless options beyond the game
Surprisingly, weather matters less than you'd think. Super Bowl LI in Houston saw downpours but the retractable roof saved the day. Meanwhile, Phoenix's "perfect climate" meant 75°F days but sunburns for unprepared northern fans.
My Personal Ranking: Best Super Bowl Cities
1. Miami (compact, beaches, nightlife)
2. New Orleans (unique culture, walkable)
3. Las Vegas (endless entertainment, new infrastructure)
4. Tampa (great weather, manageable size)
5. Minneapolis (surprisingly good transit, skywalks)
Worst: Detroit (2006) - downtown felt abandoned outside stadium radius
Beyond 2030: The Future of Super Bowl Locations
With new stadiums planned in Buffalo ($1.4B) and Tennessee ($2.1B), the rotation map will expand. Buffalo's harsh February weather makes it unlikely, but Nashville's domed proposal has serious momentum. International bids from London and Munich keep resurfacing too.
Honestly? I'd love to see the NFL break tradition. Imagine a Super Bowl at Lambeau surrounded by snow drifts with thermoses of hot chocolate in the stands. Won't happen though - too many luxury suite buyers refuse to wear parkas. So we'll keep circling back to the same 10-12 warm-weather cities and domes. Where will the Super Bowl be played in 2035? Probably Vegas again... they're already planning stadium upgrades.
Final thought: The obsession with "where will the Super Bowl be played" reveals how the event outgrew the game. It's now a corporate pilgrimage with football attached. But standing in that screaming crowd when the confetti falls? Worth every logistical headache.