Super Bowl Roman Numerals: Why the NFL Uses Them and the LXI Chart
Decode Super Bowl numerals from I to LXI, learn why the NFL numbers editions instead of seasons, and see why Super Bowl 50 was a one-year exception.
The Super Bowl number is the edition of the championship game, written with a Roman numeral—not the NFL season number or calendar year. The NFL adopted Roman numerals beginning with Super Bowl V in 1971 to identify games played after the season’s calendar year. Super Bowl LX (60) was played on February 8, 2026; LXI (61) is scheduled for February 14, 2027. NFL Super Bowl history and results · NFL schedule listing LXI
Why does the NFL use Roman numerals?
The NFL season spans two calendar years: regular-season games begin in one year, while the championship is usually played in January or February of the next. Numbering the championship by edition avoids naming it after only the year it is played. The league’s historical notes say Roman numeral designations began with Super Bowl V and were used to distinguish the championship from the season year.
The first two AFL–NFL World Championship Games were not originally branded “Super Bowl I” and “Super Bowl II.” The “Super Bowl” name became official for the third game, and earlier games were later assigned the numerals I and II in retrospective listings. The league’s naming history credits Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt with proposing the phrase “Super Bowl,” inspired by a toy his children played with. NFL: origin of the term “Super Bowl”
Super Bowl Roman numeral chart
| Edition | Roman numeral | How to read it | Year played |
|---|---|---|---|
| 49 | XLIX | 40 + 9 | 2015 |
| 50 | 50 | Officially written with Arabic numerals | 2016 |
| 51 | LI | 50 + 1 | 2017 |
| 52 | LII | 50 + 2 | 2018 |
| 53 | LIII | 50 + 3 | 2019 |
| 54 | LIV | 50 + 4 | 2020 |
| 55 | LV | 50 + 5 | 2021 |
| 56 | LVI | 50 + 5 + 1 | 2022 |
| 57 | LVII | 50 + 5 + 1 + 1 | 2023 |
| 58 | LVIII | 50 + 5 + 1 + 1 + 1 | 2024 |
| 59 | LIX | 50 + 9 | 2025 |
| 60 | LX | 50 + 10 | 2026 |
| 61 | LXI | 50 + 10 + 1 | 2027 (scheduled) |
The NFL used Super Bowl 50, rather than Super Bowl L, for the 2016 game. The league returned to Roman numerals the following year with LI. Contemporary reporting on the NFL’s design decision noted that the league preferred the Arabic 50 treatment for the anniversary logo. NFL’s 2016 announcement coverage
How to decode a Super Bowl numeral
The key symbols are L = 50, X = 10, and I = 1. So LX = 50 + 10 = 60. LIX = 50 + 9 = 59, because IX is the standard subtractive pair for nine. LXI = 50 + 10 + 1 = 61.
Keep two clocks separate: the season year and the game date. Super Bowl LX was the championship after the 2025 NFL season and took place in 2026. The NFL schedule lists Super Bowl LXI for 2027. That is why searching “Super Bowl 2026 Roman numeral” points to LX even though the preceding season began in 2025.
Frequently asked questions
What does LX mean in the Super Bowl?
LX equals 60: L is 50 and X is 10. It identifies Super Bowl 60, played in 2026.
What is Super Bowl 61 in Roman numerals?
Super Bowl 61 is LXI: 50 + 10 + 1. The NFL schedule lists it for February 14, 2027.
Why was Super Bowl 50 not called Super Bowl L?
The NFL chose Arabic numerals for the 50th edition’s branding, then resumed Roman numerals with Super Bowl LI the next year.
What was the score of Super Bowl LX?
The Seattle Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots 29–13. NFL game report
References and conversion help
- NFL Super Bowl notes and results
- NFL origin of the “Super Bowl” name
- NFL Super Bowl LXI date and venue listing
- Decode any title with our Roman-to-number converter or practice with the number-to-Roman converter.