MUMBAI: UK pubcaster the BBC has announced that BBC Sport will broadcast the Super Bowl live, over the next two years, having signed an exclusive free-to-air deal with the NFL.

The two-year deal will also include free-to-air highlights of the NFL London game on 28 October 2007 between the Miami Dolphins and the New York Giants at Wembley Stadium, plus any other NFL London games that may be scheduled for next year.

Super Bowl XLII will be broadcast live from Arizona on 3 February 2008 and Super Bowl XLIII will be broadcast live from Tampa, Florida in 2009.

BBCSport's Philip Bernie said, "The Super Bowl is one of the world's great sporting events and we are delighted that, after many years of covering it on BBC Radio 5 Live, we are now also going to be showing it on BBC Television.

"The Super Bowl always attracts great interest and we are really looking forward to providing a new showcase for this huge occasion."

NFL UK MD Alistair Kirkwood says, "We are thrilled to be announcing a partnership with the BBC. This represents a major landmark in the growth of our sport in the UK and will help us to establish the NFL as a significant part of the sporting landscape here. The BBC's reputation in the presentation of televised sport is unrivalled and we are very excited about working closely with them."

In February 2007, Super Bowl XLI reached an estimated worldwide audience of nearly one billion in more than 220 countries as the Indianapolis Colts overcame the Chicago Bears in Miami.

As well as being one of the biggest events in world sport, the Super Bowl is renowned for its spectacular entertainment line-up, featuring performances in recent years by the Rolling Stones, Sir Paul McCartney, Prince, U2, Sting and Beyonce Knowles.