The 2023 season is almost over. Super Bowl LVIII is here, and it’s going to be a showdown between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs.
With the two teams facing off in Las Vegas, Nevada, it’s officially a neutral-site game. However, despite that designation, someone has to be the “home team.” Which squad has that distinction for Super Bowl 58?
Who Is Super Bowl LVIII’s Home Team?
In this year’s edition of the Super Bowl, the Chiefs will be the official home team. The Super Bowl’s home team rotates every year between the AFC and NFC conferences. Last year, when the Chiefs played the Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City was designated as the road team.
There are two main perks to being the home team, the first being jersey selection. This year, the Chiefs chose to wear their red jerseys, meaning the 49ers will wear white uniforms as a result.
READ MORE: Super Bowl Winners By Year
The next benefit, and arguably the more important one, is where the teams practice. Since the Chiefs are the home team this year, they are practicing in the Las Vegas Raiders’ facilities, using their practice field and supplies. The 49ers, on the other hand, are practicing at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
When the Chiefs were the road team in Super Bowl LVII, they practiced at Arizona State University while the Eagles practiced inside the Arizona Cardinals’ facility.
The practice-field situation has come under fire in this year’s Super Bowl, as the 49ers have complained that their field was not even remotely near the same quality as the one the Chiefs were getting to use. The NFL hardness score for fields averages 78, while the 49ers field is considered in the 50s, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Despite the complaints, the NFL has said it is a playable surface. “We’ve had 23 experts out there. We had the union out there. All of them think it’s a very playable surface,” said NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. “It’s softer than what they practiced on, but that happens. It’s well within all of our testing standards.”
MORE: Super Bowl Host Cities
Super Bowl LVIII will kick off at 6:30 p.m. ET. Fans will be able to watch it on TV on CBS or stream it on Paramount+.
As the 2023 NFL season comes to a close, the 2024 NFL Draft is on the horizon. Pro Football Network has you covered with everything from team draft needs to the Top 100 prospects available. Plus, fire up PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator to put yourself in the general manager’s seat and make all the calls!
