NFL provides update on Super Bowl LVI location

The recent decision by CBS to postpone the 64th Grammy Awards due to health and safety concerns brought questions to the forefront as to whether or not Super Bowl LVI would be played in Inglewood, California, at the SoFi stadium.

It should be noted the league does have a contingency plan in place, but as of now, the game will still be played at SoFi in Inglewood. Katie Keenan, the NFL’s Senior Director of Event Operations, said on Thursday the game will be played as scheduled on Feb. 13.

“All of our plans for Super Bowl week remain fully in place for a month from today,” Keenan said, via Greg Beacham of the Associated Press. “We’re working along with everyone here, with the L.A. County Health Department, to make sure all of our events are being held safely.”

Several California Universities have recently limited fan attendance at their indoor sporting events due to the recent omicron surge. UCLA is playing its game against Oregon without fans on Thursday night.

The Chargers and Rams have had no restrictions this season. The Rams had a crowd of 74,447 people on Sunday night and expect full attendance for their Wild Card matchup with the Cardinals on Monday night.

SoFi Stadium just opened up two years ago. It has a unique design, including a translucent roof and airflow from the open ends of the bowl. Normally, the stadium seats 70,420 people. It can be expanded greatly for major events, including the Super Bowl, to seat up to 100,240.

The cost to build the facility was nearly $5 billion, making it the most expensive sports venue ever built.

Why was the NFL considering other venues for the Super Bowl?

The NFL had recently been exploring the idea of moving the Super Bowl to AT&T Stadium in Dallas as a backup site for the game. They started exploring options in case California state laws prevented the league from hosting the game in SoFi Stadium.