Here is T-Mobile's 2026 Super Bowl ad hours before the game starts

T-Mobile spent approximately $16 to $20 million to show one 60-second ad that will run during the third quarter of Sunday’s Super Bowl game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. That doesn’t include the millions it cost to produce the commercial and pay the iconic singers who starred in the commercial. As we told you last week, T-Mobile‘s Super Bowl LX ad stars the Backstreet Boys.

Check out the reworked lyrics for “I Want It That Way” written just for the commercial

The commercial features a reworked version of the boy band’s biggest hit, 1999’s “I Want It That Way” with new lyrics penned for T-Mobile. We will get to those in a second. First, let’s take a look at the ad. The video shows that it took place at the T-Mobile retail location in Times Square on January 24th at 6:27 pm. In the middle of the store is a round Magenta cylinder that has the T-Mobile “T” logo on it with the words, “It’s better over here.” Suddenly, the cylinder drops down revealing the Backstreet Boys who are recognized and met with screams from the customers in the store.

So, the Backstreet Boys sing the song, and for those who can’t help singing along, here are the new lyrics:

(Verse 1: Brian & Howie) You think a cell plan… Is just a phone in your hands? Backstreet’s back to make it clear, I have T-Mobile, it’s… better here.(Chorus: All) Tell me why! It’s America’s best network. Tell me why! Netflix included and lots of perks. Tell me why! I never wanna hear you say… “I’m with another carrier!”
(Bridge: Kevin) Nobody ever expects more from their carrier, But maybe it’s time you do… If you like big savings, T-Mobile’s the one for you!

(Outro: All) (Singing to the crowd in Times Square) Yeah, it’s better here! Magenta Status… T-Mobile‘s way!

By the time they are done singing, Times Square is mobbed. But wait. There’s more. The off-screen voice over announcer says, “We also had a second surprise.” With only a mother and her pre-teen daughter the only people left in the T-Mobile store, the cylinder drops again to reveal…Machine Gun Kelly (MGK). The girl asks, “Where are the Backstreet Boys?” The look on MGK’s face is priceless as he starts singing “I Want It That Way.”

Srini Gopalan’s first Super Bowl ad as T-Mobile‘s CEO can be compared with some of the spots the carrier ran during past Super Bowl games under the leadership of former CEO John Legere. The latter had Drake star in the carrier’s 2016 Super Bowl ad, which had rival carrier executives add restricted terms to Drake’s lyrics. In 2017, Justin Bieber starred in T-Mobile‘s Super Bowl ad. Bieber, along with ex-Patriots Tight End Rob Gronkowski and former 49’er Wide Receiver Terrell Owens, documented the history of touchdown celebrations in the NFL.

Based on comments from YouTube subscribers, this ad will be a big hit

Last year’s T-Mobile Super Bowl ad was the last under the tenure of former CEO Mike Sievert who was Legere’s right hand man for many years and became CEO when John Legere left on April 1st, 2020 when the acquisition of Sprint closed/. The ad last year focused on T-Mobile‘s beta launch of its satellite-to-cell text service run in partnership with SpaceX’s Starlink.

Judging by the comments left on YouTube, the ad is going to be a big hit as many really loved the pairing of the Backstreet Boys with MGK. One fan of the latter wrote, “MGK didn’t deserve that but my god that was funny.”

Companies now pull out all stops for their Super Bowl ads and those with the most memorable spots end up with free publicity as they are talked about for weeks after the game. Kickoff time for the big game is 6:30 PM ET (3:30 PM PT) on Sunday. The game will be broadcast on NBC in the U.S. and streamed on Peacock.