The game that America stops for, the finale of the NFL season — the Super Bowl — is upon us.
This year's Super Bowl LVI — or 56 if you prefer non-Roman numerals — features the Los Angeles Rams against the Cincinnati Bengals.
This event is traditionally the most-watched program in the United States every year. The day is known as Super Bowl Sunday, but here in Australia it is happening today (Monday).
Regardless of whether you're at home, at a party or just trying to keep up on your phone or tablet, here is what you need to know about Super Bowl LVI.
Who is playing in the Super Bowl?
The NFL is split into two, 16-team conferences. As always, the Super Bowl pits the winner of the National Football Conference (NFC) against the winner of the American Football Conference (AFC).
This year, the NFC champions are the Los Angeles Rams and the AFC champions are the Cincinnati Bengals.
The venue for the Super Bowl is decided years in advance, designed to avoid the teams getting a home advantage.
This year, however, it hasn't worked that way: The venue of SoFi Stadium in California happens to the be home ground of the Los Angeles Rams.
Apart from the title of NFL champions — or world champions as the league tags its winners (if you ignore the lack of international team involvement) — the two teams are playing for the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
What time does the game start?
The game starts at 10:30am AEDT in New South Wales, Victoria, Australian Capital Territory and Tasmania; (10am ACDT in South Australia, 9:30am AEST in Queensland, 9am ACST in the Northern Territory, 7:30am AWST in Western Australia).
How long does the game go for?
The average Super Bowl goes for about three and a half hours. This includes a 20-30 minute break for half-time, when organisers put on a half-time show.
How can I watch the Super Bowl in Australia?
If you have free-to-air TV, you can watch the game on Channel Seven from 10am AEDT.
If you have Foxtel, you can watch it on ESPN (Channel 509).
For those who want to stream the live coverage, you can go to 7plus or Kayo.
You can also follow the game on ABC Sport's live blog at www.abc.net.au/sport.
Who will be performing in the Super Bowl half-time show?
For many, the actual game is incidental, and the real interest is on that half-time break where the NFL brings a star act or two to perform on a temporary stage set up right in the middle of the pitch.
This year's half-time show has something for everyone — but, if you're a kid of the 1990s or 2000s — and in particular if you like hip-hop — there's a bit more for you.
With the Super Bowl back in the Los Angeles area for the first time in decades, organisers have chosen three rap stars from the West Coast in Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg and Kendrick Lamar.
Then there is Detroit's own Eminem and, from New York, there is pioneering hip-hop/R&B artist Mary J Blige.
Who are the main players to watch for?
There's an old football saying that "defence wins championships", but the bottom line is that everyone's eyes are on the quarterbacks, who get the offence (attack) moving.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is a veteran of the NFL: He played for years with the struggling Detroit Lions, before being traded to the Rams before this season as the last piece of the puzzle for Los Angeles.
He will be trying to compete big plays to wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Odell Beckham Jr.
For the Bengals, Joe Burrow has a chance to become the first quarterback in history to complete the set as the winner of a national college football championship, an NFC or AFC championship game, and the Super Bowl.
He is an excellent passer, and he also has the ability to scramble (run, evade tacklers, get passes away and gain yards on the ground).
His go-to receiver will be Ja'Marr Chase, with whom he combined in college at LSU.
Have either of these teams won a Super Bowl before?
Yes … and no!
The Rams have won one Super Bowl in their history — Super Bowl XXXIV in 2000 against the Tennessee Titans — but it was not as the Los Angeles Rams, but in their previous location as the St Louis Rams.
They also lost Super Bowl XXXVI (2002) and Super Bowl LIII (2019) — both games were against the New England Patriots.
The Cincinnati Bengals have never won a Super Bowl. They lost in Super Bowl XVI (1982) and Super Bowl XXIII (1989) — both games were against the San Francisco 49ers.
