1–2 Weeks Before

Send the headcount requestText or post the invite with an RSVP deadline; your food and seating plan both depend on a real number.
Plan the menu around make-ahead and slow-cooker foodPicking dishes that hold at temperature (chili, dips, wings in a warmer) saves you from being stuck in the kitchen during the game.
Check your TV/streaming access works for the gameConfirm the channel is actually included in your cable package or streaming subscription; blackout and carriage disputes happen most years, and finding out at kickoff is too late.
Order or reserve extra seating and a folding table if your crowd is bigger than your furniture if crowd bigger than furnitureRental or borrowed folding chairs need lead time.
Tell close neighbors it's happening if you share walls or a driveway if shared walls or drivewayA heads-up about noise and parking avoids a bad night for everyone.

A Few Days Before

Shop for food and drinks, buying perishables lastBuild the list around your RSVP count plus a buffer.
Count your coolers and iceYou'll need more ice than you think once drinks and food both need chilling.
Check your smoke alarm batteries if you'll be frying or deep-frying anything if frying foodA kitchen full of guests and a hot fryer is exactly when you don't want a false (or real) alarm going off.
Stock disposable plates, cups, and labeled cups or markersLabeling cups cuts down on half-finished drinks left everywhere.
Set a Super Bowl squares or pool, but check your state's gambling rules first if running a poolInformal, no-cut-for-the-house pools among friends are treated very differently than ones where someone takes a rake; laws vary by state, so don't assume it's automatically fine everywhere.

Prep anything that can be made ahead and refrigeratedDips, casseroles, and desserts taste the same reheated and free up your game-day hours.
Set up extra tables and clear traffic paths to the bathroom and foodWalk through it once; narrow paths get worse once people are standing around.
Test every extension cord and power strip you'll use for the TV, warmers, and slow cookersDon't daisy-chain multiple power strips or overload one outlet with space heaters, warming trays, and the TV at once; that combination is a known cause of house fires.
Chill drinks and ice down coolers overnightCold drinks ready to go means less fridge-door traffic during the game.
Arrange a designated driver or rideshare plan if you're serving alcohol if serving alcoholDecide now who's staying sober or how people are getting home, rather than figuring it out at 11pm.

Set food out in stages, not all at onceStarting the spread closer to kickoff and refreshing it keeps things fresher longer than one giant buffet sitting out for hours.
Keep hot food hot and cold food cold, and don't leave perishable food out more than two hoursDips, meats, and anything with mayo or dairy should go back in the fridge or onto ice after the two-hour mark (one hour if the room's hotter than about 90°F); this is the single biggest food-safety number to actually follow.
Set up a drink station away from electronicsKeep cups and pitchers clear of power strips and the TV stand so a spill doesn't become an electrical problem.
Have a working fire extinguisher accessible if you're frying food if frying foodGrease fires can't be put out with water; know where the extinguisher is before you start frying, not after.
Put out a few extra trash and recycling binsOne bin fills fast with a full house; spreading them around cuts down on overflow.

Check the food timer periodically, not just at the startIt's easy to lose track once the game's exciting; a phone timer for the two-hour mark helps.
Keep an eye on anyone who's had a lot to drinkSlow down service, offer water and food, and don't let someone who's clearly impaired decide they're fine to drive.
Keep pets in a separate room if your crowd includes young kids or people unfamiliar with the animal if kids or unfamiliar guestsA loud, crowded living room is stressful for most pets.

Hand out or arrange rides for anyone who's been drinkingThis is the moment the designated-driver plan from before the party actually matters; don't skip it because people seem fine.
Refrigerate leftovers promptly, within that same two-hour windowFood sitting out through a long overtime game should be tossed rather than saved.
Unplug warmers, fryers, and space heaters before you go to bedAppliances left on overnight are a common and avoidable fire risk.
Settle up any squares pool or pot winnings before people leave if running a poolEasier to do in person than by tracking people down later.