Quarterback Patrick Mahomes led Kansas City to a 12–4 regular season record and the team's third Super Bowl appearance overall.

With the emergence of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, the 49ers finished the regular season with a 13–3 record and advanced to their seventh Super Bowl appearance overall.

The league had also originally announced in 2015 that Los Angeles would be eligible as a potential Super Bowl LIV site if there were a stadium in place and a team moved there by the start of the 2018 season.

[21] Garoppolo began his career in 2014 as a backup to New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, winning Super Bowls XLIX and LI.

After two uneventful seasons, Garoppolo's playing time increased substantially in 2016, due to Brady's suspension and because of several large late-game leads.

The 49ers ground game was led by running back Raheem Mostert, who had bounced around five different teams in his first two seasons before settling into San Francisco in 2017.

San Francisco's offensive line was led by 13-year veteran tackle Joe Staley, a six-time Pro Bowl selection.

Mahomes had previously won the NFL Most Valuable Player award in the 2018 season, when he threw for 5,097 yards and 50 touchdowns as he led the Chiefs to a 12–4 record, along with a trip to the AFC championship game.

Two of their top players from 2018, running back Kareem Hunt and linebacker Dee Ford, played elsewhere in 2019, while Mahomes and wide receiver Tyreek Hill both missed several games with injuries.

The Chiefs defense was bolstered late in the season when they claimed 16-year veteran linebacker Terrell Suggs off waivers from the Arizona Cardinals in week 14.

Tyrann Mathieu, in his first season with the Chiefs, tallied four interceptions, two sacks and 75 tackles, which was enough to earn his second career Associated Press first-team All-Pro selection as a defensive back.

Rookie safety Juan Thornhill added three interceptions and 57 tackles, but was lost for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in week 17.

[38] Their next opponent was the 6th-seeded Tennessee Titans, who advanced to the AFC championship by beating the 12–4 New England Patriots and 14–2 Baltimore Ravens, mainly due to the dominating performance of running back Derrick Henry, who gained over 200 yards from scrimmage in each game.

The elder Shanahan previously won Super Bowls XXXII and XXXIII as head coach of the Denver Broncos.

Buck's father Jack had announced the Chiefs' Super Bowl win 50 years prior for CBS Sports.

[52] Fox Deportes aired the game in Spanish with Adrian Garcia-Marquez on play-by-play and Rolando Cantú as color commentator.

[58] Fox constructed a broadcast plaza in South Beach along Ocean Drive, which originated FS1's studio programs during the week leading up to the game and served as the main location for its pregame show.

[51] Fox's executive vice president of sports sales Seth Winter said these changes had increased the early demand for commercial time during the game.

It was reported that due to concerns from other advertisers, only Fox network promos would air alongside the political ads during their respective breaks.

[63] In contrast to its largest collection of Super Bowl ad buys in 2019, perennial sponsor Anheuser-Busch purchased only four 60-second spots, fewer than previous years.

Club chose as the best ad of the night one for attorney Darryl Isaacs, whose law firm paid for a large-budget space opera homage.

[70] Kevin Harlan, the Chiefs' radio broadcaster from 1985 to 1993, called the play-by-play, joined in the booth by Kurt Warner on color commentary; Laura Okmin and Tony Boselli contributed sideline reports, while Gene Steratore served as rules analyst.

In December 2019, considering an appeal of a prior decision at the request of Bell Media, the Supreme Court of Canada overturned a ruling that had allowed the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission to restrict use of the simultaneous substitution (simsub) regulations for the Super Bowl in order to allow access to the U.S. commercials (which they had deemed, by public response, to be an integral part of the telecast).

[85][86] In Brazil, Super Bowl LIV was televised by ESPN Brasil and exhibited in the movie theatre chains Cinemark, UCI and Kinoplex.

[92] The game was held one week after the Calabasas helicopter crash that killed basketball legend Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others.

[107] After forcing the Chiefs to punt on the opening drive, San Francisco drove 62 yards in 10 plays, including a 32-yard run by receiver Deebo Samuel.

Mahomes completed a 28-yard pass to Sammy Watkins on the next play, sparking a 43-yard drive that ended with Harrison Butker kicking a 31-yard field goal, giving the Chiefs a 10–3 lead.

[107] Linebacker Fred Warner intercepted Mahomes on a pass intended for Tyreek Hill on the next drive, returning it three yards to the San Francisco 45-yard line.

Hill tried to reach back for it, but the ball bounced off his arm and was intercepted by cornerback Tarvarius Moore, who returned it seven yards to the 49ers 20-yard line with 11:57 left in the game.

[107] After the Chiefs defense rallied to force a punt, Kansas City got the ball with 8:53 left in the game and went on to score touchdowns on their next three drives.