People across the world will be tuning in on Sunday, Feb. 11 to watch Super Bowl LVIII, and that includes a completely new group of individuals. 

And the National Football League can thank Taylor Swift for that one. 

After the pop star arrived at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Sept. 24, Swifties across the world began to navigate their way through being a football fan, having to try and learn the confusing rules and numerous positions. But because of Swift, they were willing to do it. 

And with that, it's brought the fanbase along with many families closer together, as they bonded over this new passion for the sport that dominates conversations across the United States each week. And now those conversations are happening everywhere. 

"When Taylor showed up for the first time at a football game, I was super curious to learn more about the guy who thought he had a shot with Taylor Swift," Anusha Ramaswamy from India told A to Z Sports. "At that point, I had no idea what a 'Tight End' even is."

Travis Kelce's name was already very well-known, but it didn't have the reach that Swift's name does. But because of her, people now know what his position in the NFL is, what team he plays for, and so much more about the 34-year-old tight end.

Many of these new fans had a very interesting reaction after watching that first game, including Alma Gauto from Paraguay. 

"It turns out it’s actually pretty entertaining, who knew?"

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Eyes Open

While there is a large group of people who are willing to sit in front of the television for hours every weekend, just watching players throw the ball and then hit each other over and over again, there are also many others who don't understand it. 

But when Swift started doing it, people's opinions instantly changed. And they figured that if she was watching, it couldn't be that bad. 

“From the first game she went to I noticed how she had fun and enjoyed being at a game," Leidy Cardenas from Colombia said. "I said, 'There must be something interesting about watching a three-hour game if Taylor looks so excited about it?'"

As her relationship with Kelce continued to become more public, the number of viewers for each game grew. And the broadcast didn't shy away from knowing that they had quality content at the tip of their fingers. References were being made and the camera flashed to her whenever Kelce did anything of note. 

Swifties refused to miss any opportunity to see the pop star. So every weekend, they tuned in for the games. 

"Cut to today, I have watched all matches that the Chiefs have played, whether or not Taylor was in attendance because I am a fan of the Kelce brothers and some of the other players from the Chiefs team," Anusha Ramaswamy from India added. "I'm watching the Super Bowl because I felt a genuine kinship with the Kansas City football fans I met online who seemed to respect Taylor as an artist and more importantly as a human being.”

Before this began, there were two separate groups: Swifties and Chiefs fans. However, now those two have combined in some ways. 

And since she has started publicly watching and enjoying the games, some new football fans feel like they maybe should have been watching all along. 

"When it became officially public that she and Travis Kelce were dating, I, a 22-year-old Dominican girl, who only came to know about the Super Bowl because of its halftime performances, started a bit amongst my friends," Isa Gonell from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic said. 

She joked, telling her friends that she had always been a Kansas City Chiefs fan.

"By the end of the year, I was clearing out my Sundays to sit down and watch the games," she said.

While it started as an opportunity to just see Swift, it became so much more. And fans found themselves enjoying the game itself. Plus, seeing the way she got so involved and cheered for the team at each game was inspiring for her fans to do the same. 

"Since Taylor introduced this sport to me, I surprisingly found myself enjoying it every time," Lamyae Latarsi from Morocco told A to Z Sports. "I guess I just grew a liking to the sport when I saw how much it made her happy and relaxed."

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If This Was A Movie

Swift and Kelce's relationship began due to one thing that has become associated with the singer: a friendship bracelet. And Emma Whaley from Minnesota remembers the exact moment when this all began. 

"So back in July when he posted on the podcast and said he wanted to give Taylor a friendship bracelet, I remember thinking it was funny and being like, ‘she probably won’t say anything, but they would be maybe a cute couple of whatever,’" Whaley explained. "I started seeing stuff on my TikTok about him a little bit more. And I was like oh he seems like a nice, funny guy and whatever. But I was still not gonna watch football over it. And then when she showed up to the first game, all the Swifties were freaking out over Twitter and stuff, and so then I turned on the TV.”

Swift keeps to herself, not giving anything away despite being in the public eye. So her fans began tuning in to the "New Heights Show" podcast, hoping Kelce or his brother might give something away. 

But besides the conversation regarding the failed attempt at giving Swift the friendship bracelet, the two stayed quiet on the topic. Yet, people still got invested, leading to Swifties being introduced to a whole new family. And it's a family that likes to have fun. 

"That’s been one positive thing about their relationship — even if they aren’t 'endgame,'" Courtney Dycus from Conway, Arkansas said. "Swifties got to know the Kelce family, and they are fantastic! I’ve enjoyed learning about Jason & Kylie’s involvement with the Eagles Autism Foundation and contributed to that. I appreciate how much they seem to value their community and each other." 

It has truly been a ripple effect. And it all began with the Love Story between Kelce and Swift.  

"Seeing her in love and supporting her boyfriend is like the kind of romantic movie that all girls dream of, and seeing it in real life is another level," Berenice Vegara from Mexico said. "Honestly, I'm going to watch the Super Bowl for the first time to see how Taylor gets excited and supports her boyfriend. It's like watching a classic love movie."

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'tis the damn season

Fast forward to February, Swift is set to attend her 13th game as the Chiefs look to clinch back-to-back championships. But a determined San Francisco 49ers team stands in their way. 

Along with NFL fans, Swift's fans will also be tuning in. But for many of them, it will be their first time watching the biggest game of the year. And they don't care what time it begins. 

"The Super Bowl airs at 1:30 a.m. Central African Time, which puts the ending time likely after 5:00 a.m., so we won’t be having a party unfortunately," Lisa Siebrits from South Africa said. "However, my sister and I are currently at a nature reserve for a Super Bowl weekend getaway."

"We had custom Chiefs T-shirts made and we will be making Chiefs-themed friendship bracelets before the game," she added. "We will be waking up (or staying up) to watch, wearing our T-shirts and friendship bracelets, with some snacks and definitely lots of caffeine!"

Plus on the topic of snacks, Carmen Lopez from Santiago, Dominican Republic is truly sticking with the theme by making "American-style snacks."

No matter what time the game is at and despite having no one to watch with, Swifties are doing whatever they can to catch a glimpse of the star and see an incredible football game. 

"I live in Poland so basically no one is interested in American football. I will probably watch it alone as it starts past midnight in my country," Dorota Król said. "I expect it to be EPIC and FUN! It will probably be nerve-racking as well … until the Chiefs win."
And Król isn't the only one, with Vindya Vithana from Sri Lanka also planning to watch alone. However, she has a very specific plan. 

"I will watch alone, but I will have Twitter open so it’s going to feel like I’m having a watch party," Vithana said. "I actually went back and watched the last year’s game so I am prepared to be on the edge my seat, super entertained."

Of course, there is also Razan Youssef from Dubai, who will tune in at 3:30 a.m. for the game. He and members of his family are planning an all-night party for the Super Bowl. And while he only started watching to see Swift, it isn't like that anymore. 

"I wanted to understand why she was with this guy I'd never heard of, but then people on the internet started attacking me for not knowing him. So, I decided to watch a game to try and figure out what was going on," Youssef said. "Not only am I looking forward to seeing Taylor there, hopefully, but I am also really excited about just watching the game itself."

As for Rachel Collins from Georgia, she isn't dealing with a time difference, but instead she will be at a party of one. 

“I’ll be by myself, so can we call that dedication," she said with a laugh. "I’ve made sure I have upgraded my Paramount Plus so I’ve got the CBS subscription to be able to watch.”

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Suburban Legends

Through all this, it's also important to highlight someone who has a bit of the opposite story. 

Erica Dagley Galea is originally from Massachusetts, but is now living in New Jersey. She describes herself as, "a longtime football fan."

While she is a fan of the New England Patriots, her husband is a Chiefs fan. And because of that, they have a divided household in terms of fandom. However, with the Patriots' struggles in recent seasons, she has been following the Chiefs a little more closely. 

So with her husband being a football fan and her daughter being a Swiftie, it was the perfect combination. 

“The Taylor stuff started happening and I’ve become, in the past year, more of a Swiftie because of my daughter and we went to the Eras Tour," Galea said. "So, I have like the reverse story personally where Taylor getting into football as this other stuff was happening in my life made me get more into her. And Travis made me get into her."

As her excitement grew, her friends became a little curious about everything. So she made a simple offer. Football is always on at her house, so anyone is welcome to come join. 

"We’ve been doing this, I mean we didn’t start doing it at the very beginning of the season," Galea continued, adding that these get-togethers started in November. "Everyone comes to my house on Sundays or whenever the games are. And it’s like full, I have a completely packed house. It’s all families."

And she wouldn't have traded this time with her friends and family for the world. 

"It has been the best two and a half months of our lives," the self-proclaimed 40-year-old suburban mom said. "We were all great friends before, but it just added this other thing that we all look forward to and it has been such a joy. And we would not have had this if Taylor didn’t start going to games.”

So before you all ask – yes, they are hosting again on Sunday. 

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Glitch

For many Swifties, American football is not a common sport where they are from. Along with getting new people to watch from across the United States, the Chiefs and Taylor Swift are helping the NFL reach a global audience like never before.

"It is important that I tell you that I am from Brazil. Over here American football was never really popular since our main sport is actually soccer. So I have never ever watched an American football game and didn’t even know how it worked. Until Taylor Swift came along," Maria Sales told A to Z Sports. "Started looking up the rules and how the game works and found my self watching games from other teams. At this point I am watching the Super Bowl even if Taylor doesn’t attend. I just really want to see the Chiefs win that trophy again.”

Several others felt exactly the same way. They'd never really been exposed to the sport because it's uniquely American when many other sports are played on the global stage with regularity.

"As someone who isn't from America, I have never really paid much attention to football, as it isn't a sport that is popular where I come from," Razan Youssef from Dubai said. "However, this season, I have started watching every game and I must say, I am super excited about the Super Bowl."

Several evoked the game of Rugby, which once inspired the earliest iterations of American football. 

"I grew up watching rugby with my dad and understood those rules from a young age, but football is not really followed in South Africa at all. Honestly, many South Africans see it as inferior to rugby," Lisa Siebrits said. "However, as a Swiftie, I became intrigued about the sport when I tuned in to catch a glimpse of Taylor at the game."

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Anti-Hero

Some NFL viewers remain angry with how much attention Swift has received for her attendance at NFL games. Although, in reality, she is only shown for a short amount of time on each broadcast. 

But what those who are angry don't care to realize, is how similar the two fanbases truly are. 

"Swiftie culture mirrors football fan culture in its intensity," Courtney Dycus from Conway, Arkansas said. "When Taylor started going to games, it was so exciting to see how much she was enjoying herself. That was enough to spark my interest!"

Some Swifties even understand the frustration. 

"I feel like she’s hyper-aware of that too," Rachel Collins from Georgia said. "I do think that they sometimes focus too much on it. Really they should be focusing on the guys and how hard they work to get there.”

But other fans know that this reaction is not always justified. Mariana Paiva from Sao Paulo, Brazil couldn't have said it any better. 

“Her courage to go to the games without caring about the dads, brads, and chads," she said. "She is just supporting her boyfriend and living her life without caring about what people are saying about her.”

Fellow Brazilian Maria Sales echoed Paiva's sentiments. 

"I never thought she would ever do something like that. I think that, besides her being an amazing artist, she is an incredible person," she said. "And I feel that seeing her there only to support someone she loves humanized her even more. Also seeing her so in love and going above and beyond even in the middle of a tour just to be there for Travis is beautiful and really inspiring.”

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Look What You Made Me Do

Many of the fan's increased interest in football has had a heartwarming effect that they could have never seen coming. 

"I love spending time with my family watching. Like my brothers, we bond on a whole new level," Emmeline Hamlin from Charleston, South Carolina said. "I’ve learned so much and it’s a whole new level that I’ve never really experienced with my brothers and my dad before.”

Isa Gonell from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic feels the same way. 

"Even if Taylor is not as big of a topic in the next few seasons, I’m deciding to stay and see how my favorite team goes out and put their hearts into that field every week," she said. "It’s common to be questioned or put down when you show interest in sports as a girl. This is something that drove me away from ever learning about any sport ever. But so many NFL fans and personalities, like Travis and Jason themselves, have been so welcoming!"

While Swift brought in this whole new group of football fans, it seems they aren't going anywhere. Each person we interviewed was asked if they would continue watching football after the 2023 season concludes, and the consensus was nearly unanimous. 

"Yessssss! 100 percent, I will continue to support (Travis Kelce) no matter what," Lamyae Latarsi from Morocco said. 

Dina Safarini from Canada echoed the sentiment. 

"I can honestly say I am a permanent Chiefs Kingdom member," she said. "Taylor Swift was the hook but the team locked me in."

And it seems some of the lingo has caught on. 

"I want to see how the Chiefs' defense will perform," Mariana Paiva from Sao Paulo, Brazil said. "In Spags We Trust."

Yet, some are still not completely sold on football just yet. 

"I don’t think so," Carmen Lopez from Santiago, Dominican Republic said. "Even after Taylor started going to the games I never watched any because I’m not really into football."

And Alma Gauto from Paraguay echoed what she said, providing a brutally honest opinion.  

"If Taylor and Travis are still together, yes. Not sure if I’m at the JUST Chiefs fan level yet." She explained. 

But I'm sure Leidy Cardenas from Colombia feels similarly to many others who will be watching on Sunday: "I will be on the edge of my sofa."

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Question…?

And to make things even better, A to Z Sports asked each individual a very important question: "If you could describe this season with a Taylor Swift song, what would it be?"

The Swifties did not disappoint, so here are all of their answers. 

Name	Song	Why?
Alma Gauto (Paraguay)	Long Live,	“At least for the chiefs’ season”
Mariana Paiva (Sao Paulo, Brazil)	Endgame
Maria Sales (Brazil)	Endgame	“I strongly believe Taylor wrote this one about Travis years before even meeting him”
Anusha Ramaswamy (India)	Karma
Razan Youssef (Dubai, UAE)	Glitch
Lamyae Latarsi (Morocco)	Enchanted	“I guess it was a hell of a ride, but I am grateful that I got to know about American football a little bit, and I am still trying to learn more about it. All I can say is I was enchanted to meet them”
Leidy Cardenas (Colombia)	Karma	“For me it describes how everyone can speak badly about someone or detract from the work of some players but in the end the hard work and the results speak for themselves.”
Lisa Siebrits (South Africa)	Karma	“but the ‘Guy on the Chiefs’ version.”
Dina Safarini (from Canada, but currently in Wisconsin for school)	Bejeweled	“The team has only gotten better and stronger through the season, and they are not afraid of being center stage!”
Berenice Vergara (Mexico)	Shake It Off	“I think there are too many people criticizing Swifties for starting to want to watch football, I don’t blame them but I feel that we don’t care”
Rachel Collins (Georgia)	Bejeweled	“I feel like the NFL is a little bit Bejeweled right now. I feel like that’s her and Travis’s personalities…The kind of place where she’s at in her life and I just love that they both work so hard, are so committed, but also don’t take things too seriously and have fun with it.”
Erica Dagley Galea (New Jersey)	Are You Ready For It	“Because no, none of us were ready for this!”
Emma Whaley (Minnesota)	The Archer	“Because they both do the little bow and arrow thing… And then the archer is about having a lot of anxiety and I feel like it’s causing me anxiety because I’m like ‘oh my gosh,’ when they weren’t doing very good. And then now they’ve been doing good.”
Emmeline Hamlin (Charleston, South Carolina)	Wildest Dreams	“Like in my wildest dream, I would have never imagined that I would be interested in football.”
Dorota Król (Poland)	I Did Something Bad	“Just because all the Dads, Brads and Chads were so annoyed with Taylor at the games. And she just came to support her boyfriend and have the best time!”
Isa Gonell (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic)	Karma	“Because it takes all her friends to the summit (and also because it might be the guy on the Chiefs).”
Carmen Lopez (Santiago, Dominican Republic)	End Game
Courtney Dycus (Conway, Arkansas)	Long Live	Some sports fans seemed snobbish, as though Swifties weren’t welcome to sports, “screaming ‘this is absurd!’” every time she was shown on the screen for a second. (Side note, I never heard them complaining about cheerleaders “taking away from the game” or “ruining football”
Vindya Vithana (Sri Lanka)	End Game