Who is the home team for Super Bowl LV?

​

NFC Championship - Tampa Bay Buccaneers v Green Bay Packers

For the first time in National Football League history, the team hosting the Super Bowl has also made it to the championship game. So, much like the rest of the world has for the last year, Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be working from home.

Facing off against Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, and the Kansas City Chiefs on February 7, the Buccaneers will be the home team in both the practical and assigned sense of the word.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will become the 1st team in a Super Bowl to play in their home stadium.

Tom Brady will become the 1st player to play in Super Bowl’s in three different decades. He also will become the oldest player to ever play in a Super Bowl game at 43 years old. pic.twitter.com/KJ0SbaqSND

— Fifth Quarter Stats (@FQStats) January 24, 2021

After the Bucs topped the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship game, Brady stood in front of cameras and his teammates to reflect on his team's run and the significance of playing a home Super Bowl.

"It’s just great to get another road win and now we got a home game," Brady said after the NFC Champion ceremony. "Who would have thought a home Super Bowl for us but we did it."

Despite COVID-19 keeping many fans from cheering on their team in person this year, Brady and the Buccaneers will get to play in front of fans at home on Feb. 7. The NFL has invited 7500 vaccinated health care workers to the championship game for free, and 14,500 additional paying fans will be admitted.

"Who would have thought, a home Super Bowl for us... but we did it!"

- @Buccaneers QB @TomBrady pic.twitter.com/jMAAfW80sg

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 24, 2021

How is the Super Bowl home team decided?

The Super Bowl is being played in Tampa's Raymond James Stadium, but the Buccaneers are the "home" team purely by coincidence.

The Super Bowl (until 2021) is played at a predetermined neutral site, and the home team is determined by the year and designated by the National Football League.

The American Football Conference (AFC) winner is the Super Bowl home team on even years, and the National Football Conference (NFC) winner is designated home on odd years. Being 2021 and the Buccaneers being the NFC Champions, Tampa Bay is the home team at home this season.

In 2017-18, the Minnesota Vikings almost became the first team to play in a home game, but the team fell to the Philadelphia Eagles 38-7 in the NFC Championship Game.

As the "home" team in Super Bowl LII, the Eagles then went on to beat Tom Brady and the Patriots at Minnesota's U.S. Bank Stadium.

​