Get ready for a Super Bowl like no other. As Star Wars celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2027, Disney and ESPN are pulling out all the stops—including turning the big game into a galaxy far, far away. The next installment of their beloved Funday Football series will be a full-on Star Wars takeover, airing live alongside Super Bowl LXI on February 14, 2027.
Funday Football has become a fan-favorite tradition since its debut in 2023, offering a real-time animated alternative to the NFL broadcast. Previous editions have transported games into the worlds of Toy Story, The Simpsons, and Monsters, Inc. Now, Lucasfilm is joining the fun, and the result promises to be out of this world.
What to Expect from the Star Wars Funday Football
The Star Wars-themed telecast will recreate every play of the actual Super Bowl, but with players transformed into animated avatars and iconic characters stepping in for key moments. According to the newly released key art, the game might be set under the twin suns of Tatooine, with Stormtroopers and droids cheering from the stands. Easter eggs from the franchise's rich history will be scattered throughout, ensuring both die-hard fans and casual viewers have plenty to spot.
One familiar voice is already confirmed: Anthony Daniels will reprise his legendary role as C-3PO, bringing the protocol droid's signature wit to the broadcast. More characters and commentators are expected to be announced closer to game day.
How to Watch
The Star Wars Funday Football will air on Disney Channel and Disney XD, and stream live on Disney+ and the ESPN app. It will be available in over 155 markets worldwide, including Latin America, the Caribbean, Australia, New Zealand, Canada (via TSN+), the Netherlands, sub-Saharan Africa, Sweden, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Japan. Viewers in the UK, France, Germany, South Korea, and other regions can stream it on-demand shortly after the game.
This isn't the only Star Wars football crossover ESPN has planned. Starting October 20, the daily SC+ show on Disney+ will feature "Hyperspace Highlights," giving standout plays a Star Wars visual twist. Then, on October 26, an animated Darth Vader will make his SC+ debut, interviewing a player from the Monday Night Football matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles—with new Vader interviews airing weekly.
For those who can't get enough of the Force, the 50th anniversary celebration extends far beyond the gridiron. A restored version of A New Hope is heading back to theaters, the Ryan Gosling-led Star Wars: Starfighter is on the horizon, and the original trilogy's novelizations are getting their first-ever audiobook releases. Marvel Comics is also kicking off a monumental crossover in January. And if you're wondering about other projects in the galaxy, Taika Waititi's Star Wars movie has been put on ice, but there's plenty more to look forward to.
The Funday Football technology, powered by Sony's Beyond Sports, uses NFL Next Gen Stats and Hawk-Eye Innovations to turn real-time action into animated fun. The first telecast earned three Sports Emmy Awards, so expectations are high for this Star Wars edition.
Mark your calendars for February 14, 2027. The Force will be with the Super Bowl, and it's going to be spectacular.
