Who Has More Super Bowl Wins: AFC or NFC?

By Sarah Miller · May 3, 2053

The NFC has more Super Bowl wins than the AFC, with 28 victories compared to the AFC's 27 as of Super Bowl LVIII in 2024.

NFC vs. AFC: Super Bowl Dominance Explained

The battle between the National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC) is one of the defining rivalries in the NFL. Since the league merger in 1970, the two conferences have faced off annually in the Super Bowl, with each striving for supremacy on the sport’s biggest stage.

As of February 2024, following Super Bowl LVIII, the NFC holds a narrow edge in total championships won.

Key Points About Conference Super Bowl Performance

The NFC leads the AFC 28–27 in Super Bowl victories.
This includes wins by original NFC teams and those that moved from the AFL or NFL pre-merger.
The San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys are among the most successful NFC franchises.
The New England Patriots lead the AFC with six titles.
Conference dominance has shifted over decades, with strong runs by both sides.

Historical Breakdown of Super Bowl Wins by Conference

The Super Bowl era began in 1967, but the modern conference structure emerged after the 1970 AFL–NFL merger. From that point forward, every champion has come from either the AFC or NFC.

While early Super Bowls featured dominant AFL and NFL teams before realignment, official conference records count titles based on a team’s affiliation at the time of victory.

Super Bowl	Date	Champion	Conference	Final Score	Runner-Up
XLVIII	Feb 2, 2014	Seattle Seahawks	NFC	43–8	Denver Broncos
XLIX	Feb 1, 2015	New England Patriots	AFC	28–24	Seattle Seahawks
50	Feb 7, 2016	Denver Broncos	AFC	24–10	Carolina Panthers
LI	Feb 5, 2017	New England Patriots	AFC	34–28 (OT)	Atlanta Falcons
LII	Feb 4, 2018	Philadelphia Eagles	NFC	41–33	New England Patriots
LIII	Feb 3, 2019	New England Patriots	AFC	13–3	Los Angeles Rams
LIV	Feb 2, 2020	Kansas City Chiefs	AFC	31–20	San Francisco 49ers
LV	Feb 7, 2021	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	NFC	31–9	Kansas City Chiefs
LVI	Feb 13, 2022	Los Angeles Rams	NFC	23–20	Cincinnati Bengals
LVII	Feb 12, 2023	Kansas City Chiefs	AFC	38–35	Philadelphia Eagles
LVIII	Feb 11, 2024	Kansas City Chiefs	AFC	25–22 (OT)	San Francisco 49ers

Table data source:1, 2

The table shows results from Super Bowl XLVIII through LVIII, highlighting recent trends. The AFC won three of the five Super Bowls from 2014 to 2018, then claimed victories in LVII and LVIII. Despite this recent AFC momentum, the NFC maintains a slim overall lead due to dominant runs in the 1980s and 1990s.

Teams like the 49ers, Cowboys, and Packers built dynasties that contributed heavily to the NFC’s historical advantage.

Franchise Success by Conference

Top NFC Teams in Super Bowl History

San Francisco 49ers: 5 wins (XVI, XIX, XXIII, XXIV, XXIX)
Dallas Cowboys: 5 wins (VI, XII, XXVII, XXVIII, XXX)
Green Bay Packers: 4 wins (I, II, XXXI, XLV)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 2 wins (XXXVII, LV)
New York Giants: 4 wins (XXI, XXV, XLII, XLVI)

Top AFC Teams in Super Bowl History

New England Patriots: 6 wins (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLIX, LI, LIII)
Pittsburgh Steelers: 6 wins (IX, X, XIII, XIV, XL, XLIII)
Kansas City Chiefs: 4 wins (IV, LIV, LVII, LVIII)
Denver Broncos: 3 wins (XXXII, XXXIII, 50)
Las Vegas Raiders: 3 wins (XI, XV, XVIII)

Although the Patriots and Steelers share the record for most Super Bowl wins (6), the concentration of multiple NFC teams with four or five titles gives the conference its cumulative edge.

Shifting Tides: Decade-by-Decade Analysis

Conference dominance has fluctuated across eras:

1970s: AFC led 6–4 (Steelers, Raiders, Colts)
1980s: NFC dominated 8–2 (49ers, Bears, Giants, Redskins)
1990s: NFC led 7–3 (Cowboys, 49ers, Packers)
2000s: AFC led 7–3 (Patriots, Ravens, Buccaneers*, Steelers) (*Buccaneers moved to NFC in 2002)
2010s: NFC led 6–4 (Seahawks, Giants, Eagles, Bucs)
2020s: AFC leads 3–2 as of 2024 (Chiefs x3, Rams, Bucs)

The NFC’s strength in the 1980s and 1990s laid the foundation for its current lead, even though the AFC has been competitive in recent years.

Frequently Asked Questions About NFC vs AFC Super Bowl Wins

Which conference has won more Super Bowls, NFC or AFC?

As of 2024, the NFC has won more Super Bowls than the AFC, with 28 titles to the AFC’s 27.

Have the AFC and NFC won an equal number of Super Bowls?

No, the NFC holds a one-win advantage over the AFC in Super Bowl history, leading 28–27 after 58 games.

What team has the most Super Bowl wins in the NFC?

No single NFC team has the most wins. The San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys are tied with five Super Bowl victories each, the most in the NFC.

Why does the NFC have more Super Bowl wins?

The NFC gained an early lead due to dominant teams in the 1980s and 1990s, including the 49ers, Cowboys, and Packers. Although the AFC has had strong performers like the Patriots and Chiefs recently, the NFC’s historical success keeps them ahead by one win.

Has the AFC ever had more Super Bowl wins than the NFC?

Yes, the AFC briefly held the lead after Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004, when the New England Patriots defeated the Carolina Panthers. However, the NFC regained the edge in subsequent years and has maintained it since Super Bowl XLIV in 2010.