Super Bowl Sunday rarely begins with a roar. It begins with paws. Puppy Bowl XXII returns on Sunday, February 8, 2026, serving up three hours of comic tackles, toy turnovers and joyful chaos from dogs who are, very deliberately, looking for homes. It is a sweet pre-game ritual that also carries a clear point: adoption, spotlighted at the loudest moment on the American sports calendar.
For anyone timing their day around the main event, you can also keep your Super Bowl viewing plan close with this internal guide: what time Green Day performs at the Super Bowl .
When is Puppy Bowl 2026 Puppy Bowl XXII airs on Sunday, February 8, 2026, ahead of Super Bowl LX. The broadcast is designed to fit comfortably into the day, with a pre-game hour and then the full contest.
Start time and runtime The pre-game show begins at 1 p.m. ET, with kickoff set for 2 p.m. ET and 11 a.m. PT. The listed duration for the main event is three hours, running roughly from 2 to 5 p.m. ET.
Where to watch Puppy Bowl XXII Puppy Bowl XXII is scheduled to air across Animal Planet and other Warner/Discovery outlets, with streaming availability through the Discovery ecosystem and Max. For the official hub that includes the show page and lineup references, use Discovery’s Puppy Bowl page here: Discovery’s official Puppy Bowl page .
What Puppy Bowl XXII is really selling The football is pretend, but the purpose is not. This year’s show features 150 adoptable dogs from 72 shelters, split into the two familiar squads: Team Fluff and Team Ruff. A number of participants have special needs, including one determined three-legged competitor and another who is both deaf and vision-impaired, underscoring what the broadcast tries to normalise: that “adoptable” is not a narrow definition.
Teams on the field The Puppy Bowl format sticks to tradition, with the same two franchises and the same gentle rivalry. The names are part of the fun, but the shelters behind them are the real story.
Team Fluff starting lineup
- Benito: Siberian Husky and Chihuahua mix
- Chappell Bone: Pembroke Welsh Corgi
- Cheesecake: Shih Tzu and Miniature Schnauzer mix
- Fudge: Pomeranian and Chihuahua mix
- Josh Howlin’: Beagle and Pit Bull mix
- Rhett: Basset Hound
- Showgirl: Chow Chow and Rottweiler mix
- Wynonna: Miniature American Shepherd and Shih Tzu mix
Team Ruff starting lineup
- Brulee: Boston Terrier and French Bulldog mix
- Button: Boston Terrier and Beagle mix
- Carrie Pawshaw: Elkhound and American Eskimo mix
- Litchi: French Bulldog and Terrier mix
- Lobster Roll: Bulldog and Border Collie mix
- Miss Coco: American Staffordshire Terrier and Chow Chow mix
- Oscar: Toy Poodle
- RuPAW: Boston Terrier
The halftime twist This year adds a senior-dog spotlight: a Pro-Dog Halftime Showdown featuring Team Oldies vs Team Goldies. It is a small programming shift with a big message, widening the lens beyond puppies and nudging viewers toward the dogs who are often left waiting.
Most Pupular vote Puppy Bowl XXII also leans into fan participation with a bracket-style “Pupularity Playoffs”, culminating in a Most Pupular winner announced during the broadcast. It is a harmless contest that, in practice, functions as another adoption billboard.
Who won last year In 2025, Team Fluff won 68–66 over Team Ruff. Foxtrot, a collie mix on Team Ruff, took MVP honours. Since team scoring was introduced in 2015, the “Lombarky” tally has tightened, with both sides trading bragging rights.
Can you adopt the dogs Yes. The dogs featured are adoptable, though many are already placed by the time the show airs. That is, in a quiet way, the Puppy Bowl’s most meaningful stat: fewer animals left behind when the stadium lights finally come on.
