How to Throw the Best Super Bowl Party: The Ultimate Guide for Super Bowl 2026

It's 9 a.m., your alarm rings on Super Bowl Sunday, and you're hosting.

After a late Saturday night, your worst nightmare has come true: you haven't bought anything for the party. People are coming in just a few hours, and you totally forgot. In a daze, you Google "How to throw the best Super Bowl party" - and luckily, you found us.

Ahead of Super Bowl 2026, we've put together five essential Super Bowl party ideas you need to throw the best bash imaginable. You won't be the laughingstock of your friend group - you and your party are about to thrive.

🎉 How to throw the best Super Bowl party

Here are five essentials you'll need to pull off the best Super Bowl party ever.

5. No bad seats in the house

I can't tell you how many times I've been to a party and there aren't enough seats for everyone, or the television is in a spot where only about five people have a great view of it. This isn't you - not at your party. If your seating arrangements aren't up to snuff, head on down to the dollar store and buy a handful of foldable chairs for the guests to sit and chat - you'll be happy you did, and so will they. On top of that, make sure to test the sound and TV picture beforehand; we all want to hear Cris Collingsworth compliment Patrick Mahomes (who isn't even playing).

4. Super Bowl party games are a necessity

If you have a group of friends who love to play poker, have them come early, set up a table or two, and play a couple of hands for the true degenerates. When your other guests arrive, make sure to have your printable Super Bowl squares sheet so everyone can be involved come kickoff. If you want to dig deeper, print off the 2026 Super Bowl prop bet sheet so everyone can have some fun during the game, too, including the halftime show. Throw a little money in the pot ($5-$10) for the winner of each quarter, and get ready for some fun. Remember, it's not just about the game, it's about everyone having a good time - a true spectacle. We're getting closer to pulling this off.

3. Own the Super Bowl drink menu

No Super Bowl party is complete without a couple of drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) to keep your friends' thirst quenched. Yes, of course, you're not on the hook for everything - it's mostly BYOB, but it's nice to have some backup if need be. If you need help finding the best kind of beer to have for kickoff, we're here to help with our best Super Bowl party beer rankings. If you have time, you can craft up some team-oriented cocktails like the "12th man Mojito" for Seattle or the "Patriot Punch" for New England. I don't know, I'm spitballin' here.

2. Food, food, and more food

Luckily for you, you do remember having a chat with your friends a week before kickoff and delegated the food, so you're safe there. But what did you guys talk about? The best Super Bowl parties always have some type of layered nachos, pizza, chicken wings, and dip. You can't forget the dip. If you need more ideas, our Super Bowl food index is here to help you out. Your friends come hungry, and leave with a smile on their face, no matter who they're cheering for.

1. Take a breath, relax, and have a damn good time

You've planned the perfect party and it's all come together. You have games, food, drinks, football, and are surrounded by family and friends. What else do you really need? Make sure to take some time to have some fun yourself - nobody likes it when you're stressed. Enjoy the game, the halftime show, and have the best Super Bowl you'll remember. You deserve it.