Go Sports Ball!

16 Super Bowl Nail Ideas To Show Off Your Chiefs & 49ers Spirit

Even if you’re just watching to see Taylor Swift’s boyfriend.

by Katie McPherson

Super Bowl nails might normally take a back seat to Valentine’s Day nails — if you’re not a huge football fan to begin with, naturally you’d want cute holiday nails to take precedence. But because Super Bowl LVIII is a showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers, and both teams’ colors just so happen to be red and gold, you can actually have it all. Yep, your Valentine’s Day mani can double as your Super Bowl nails (unless of course you go all in on the football theme, which is totally fine, too).

Are some of us watching the Super Bowl just because of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s romance? Sure. Others yet are tuning in purely to catch Usher’s halftime show and rap the Lil Jon verse of “Yeah!” with their friends (guilty). But if you’re in it because you love the sport of football, or you’re a major fan of the Chiefs or the 49ers, it’d be fun to have nails that match your gear, you know?

These Super Bowl nails come in all lengths, shapes, and sizes. Some are minimal and others are very, very much not. Whatever you like, you’ll find some inspo here.

1Super Bowl nails for the Travis Kelce fans

Want to show your love for America’s golden retriever boyfriend? These Kansas City-themed nails look to be purely about the team, but if you look closely at the thumb nail, you’ll see a little tribute to one special Taylor Swift lyric.

2Super Bowl nails that are all about football

Your favorite player’s jersey number, the 50-yard line, ref stripes, and your favorite play — these nails, courtesy of Dazzle Dry, couldn’t be more on theme. You could choose on pattern to continue on all your nails, or mix and match like so.

3A minimalist red and gold look

If you’re typically a minimalist when it comes to nail art, this abstract take on a traditional French manicure might be more your speed. The red and gold lend themselves nicely to rooting for either team, and will look equally beautiful clutching a glass of red wine on your Valentine’s date next week.

4Simple, sparkly red & gold nails

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These long, square nails feel super modern, and the glittering gold and red are perfect for cheering on your team Sunday, then hitting the town for Valentine’s Day the week after.

5Red & gold nails with a genius 49 design

These Super Bowl nails are bright in color, but subtle in the sports theme. Can you spot the hidden 49?

6Super Bowl nails that somehow really look like turf

You’re going to need a serious nail artist to pull these off — @classicfiednails actually used flocking powder from the craft store to turn these nails into turf.

7Abstract red & gold nails

Here you have another excellent example of Super Bowl-meets-Valentine’s Day nail art. These abstract swirls are all the rage right now, and they look equally beautiful on short or long tips.

8These sweet little stripes

They’re sweet, simple, and festive — this red and gold manicure, complete with a little heart accent nail, is guaranteed to be the cutest at the watch party.

9San Francisco 49ers nails

The talent it takes to paint those team logos so tiny... wow. This nail artist not only gave her client some pigskin laces, but even managed to make her index finger nails look just like the 49ers’ helmets.

10These cute Kansas City gnomes

Is Travis Kelce still the cutest thing about the Chiefs? Of course. But these nail art gnomes, sporting their red and gold hats, are a pretty close second.

11A gold heart accent with a deep red base

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This manicure really drives home the Valentine’s Day and Super Bowl nails combo. They’ll match your team gear while you scream at the TV on Sunday, and go right back to being V-Day nails on Monday.

12Super Bowl nails for 49ers lovers

These are the cutest combination V-Day and Super Bowl nails maybe ever. The little sweethearts even say players’ names.

13Nails that honor the Chiefs’ coach

Kansas City head coach Andy Reid is known for keeping a pretty stern look about him. Nail artist Rach Maxwell (@rachpaynts) captured his countenance perfectly, even on a canvas as tiny as her client’s nail.

14Red nails with gold leaf accents

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Something about short, square nails is just so chic. Anyway, this candy apple red makes a beautiful base for touches of gold leaf.

15Some red & gold pattern play

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If you want really fun nails for the Super Bowl, then don’t be afraid to play with patterns. These polka dot and chunky glitter nails are so cute, and look easy enough to replicate at home.

16Taylor Swift-inspired Super Bowl nails

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Listen, we all know who the lady of the hour is. And when she met Travis Kelce on the field to congratulate him, her peachy, sparkly nails were front and center. So, if you’re not a huge fan of red and gold, don’t be afraid to steal Taylor’s nail look.

So, do any of these football-themed tips strike your fancy? Since both teams’ colors work so well for Valentine’s Day this year, too, there’s really no reason not to get a special mani, just for fun.