Super Bowl 2017: International TV Channels, Start Times For New England Patriots vs. Atlanta Falcons

Although it remains primarily a uniquely American spectacle, the Super Bowl is making inroads across the globe and Sunday’s showdown between the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons will be watched by close to 200 countries. But viewers watching from overseas could be up for a late night or very early morning.

Unfavorable time zones continue to be one of the biggest impediments to the NFL’s aim to increase its global audience and why the vast majority of the more than 100 million expected to tune into Super Bowl LI will be within the United States.

In the United Kingdom, where it will be screened live on the BBC, the game gets underway at 11:30 p.m., guaranteeing some bleary eyes Monday morning for the increasing legion of British NFL fans.

Both teams may have some extra support, having recently played regular-season games in London. While the Falcons lost in their only visit in 2014, the Patriots won both in 2009 and 2012.

The NFL also has a sizable following in mainland Europe, particularly in Germany, although fans will have to be extra committed to watch the Super Bowl with the game not starting until past midnight.

The NFL’s attempts to crack the potentially lucrative Chinese market are made particularly difficult by the timing of the Super Bowl. In China, the event will kick off at 7:30 a.m. just as a large percentage of the almost 1.4 billion population are heading off to work.

Meanwhile, in Australia, where the Super Bowl has attracted decent-sized audiences of over 200,000 in recent years, the game will take place in the late morning. With many Australians set to be at their desks, the availability to watch the game via the NFL’s online streaming service, NFL Game Pass, for the first timer could come in handy.

There will be no such complications closer to home, where sizable audiences are likely to watch in Canada and in Mexico, where the Patriots will be heading to play a regular-season game later in 2017.

International TV Channels For Super Bowl 2017
USA (6:30 p.m. EST)
Fox

United Kingdom (11:30 p.m.)
BBC 1, Sky Sports 1

Germany, Switzerland, Austria (12:30 a.m., Monday)
SAT 1

Mexico (6:30 p.m. EST)
Televisa, ESPN 2

Canada (6:30 p.m. EST)
CTV, CTV Two, TSN

Australia (10:30 a.m., Monday)
7mate, ESPN

New Zealand (12:30 p.m., Monday)
ESPN

South Africa And Sub-Saharan Africa (1:30 a.m., Monday)
SuperSport

China (7:30 a.m., Monday)
AliSports, Fox Sports, BesTV, GDTV, LETV, SMG

Middle East (2:30 a.m.)
OSN Sports 2

France (12:30 a.m., Monday)
W9

Italy (12:30 a.m., Monday)
Italia 1

Spain (12:30 a.m., Monday)
Canal +