Short answer: in the US for the 2026 season, Sunday afternoon games are on CBS and Fox, Sunday Night Football on NBC and Peacock, Monday Night Football on ESPN and ABC, and Thursday Night Football on Prime Video, with out-of-market Sunday games in NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube. The catch is the scattered exclusives: Netflix has the Australia opener and both Christmas Day games, Peacock and NFL Network each have games nobody else airs, and a handful of international games sit on NFL+ and NFL Network only. No single service carries every game, so the cheapest route depends on which team you follow and where you live.
At a glance
NFL 2026 in the US
| Sunday afternoon | CBS (AFC), Fox (NFC); free by antenna |
| Sunday night | NBC and Peacock |
| Monday night | ESPN, some on ABC |
| Thursday night | Prime Video |
| Super Bowl LXI | ABC/ESPN, 14 February 2027 |
Who has which games
The NFL's current broadcast deals run through the early 2030s, so the core structure is stable. What moves each year is the list of one-off exclusive games.
| Window | TV | Streaming |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday 1pm and 4pm ET | CBS (mostly AFC), Fox (mostly NFC) | Paramount+ for CBS; Fox One for Fox; local games only |
| Sunday Night Football | NBC | Peacock |
| Monday Night Football | ESPN; selected games on ABC | ESPN streaming service |
| Thursday Night Football | Local over-the-air simulcast in the two teams' markets | Prime Video |
| Out-of-market Sunday games | n/a | NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube / YouTube TV |
| Thanksgiving | CBS (afternoon), NBC (night), plus Fox or others for the early game | Corresponding apps |
| Playoffs | Split across CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN/ABC | Corresponding apps |
| Super Bowl LXI | ABC and ESPN | ESPN streaming |
Schedule details are from the league's 2026 announcement and broadcaster listings as of September 2026. Flexible scheduling can move games between networks later in the season, so check the week's listings.
The exclusives that trip people up
These are the games you can't get from the usual Sunday, Monday and Thursday sources:
- Netflix: the Week 1 Thursday game in Melbourne (49ers vs Rams, 10 September), a Thanksgiving Eve game, both Christmas Day games, and a Week 18 Saturday game.
- Peacock: the Wednesday season kickoff and a Saturday 2 January primetime game, alongside all of Sunday Night Football.
- Prime Video: the Black Friday game and a Christmas Eve game, in addition to Thursday nights.
- NFL Network and NFL+: several early-morning international games on Sundays and two late-season Saturday games.
If your team appears in one of these, you need that service for that game, or a friend who has it. Monthly services such as Netflix and Peacock can be subscribed for one month and cancelled.
Your local team: the free route
For most fans, the cheapest option is an antenna. CBS, Fox, NBC and ABC broadcast free over the air, which covers local Sunday afternoon games, Sunday Night Football, Monday games on ABC, Thursday games involving your local team (which are simulcast locally), much of the playoffs, and the Super Bowl.
A basic indoor antenna costs less than one month of a live TV service. Whether it works depends on your distance from the transmitters; our antenna guide explains how to check reception before you buy.
What an antenna misses: ESPN-only Monday games, Prime Video Thursdays not involving your team, and all streaming exclusives.
Following a team from another market
If you support a team from somewhere else, local broadcasts won't carry its Sunday afternoon games most weeks. The licensed options are:
- NFL Sunday Ticket, which carries every out-of-market Sunday afternoon game. It doesn't include primetime games or local games, and it's sold through YouTube.
- NFL+, which streams live local and primetime games but on phones and tablets only, not on a TV, plus on-demand replays after games end.
Many fans end up with Sunday Ticket for the Sunday games and rely on an antenna plus one or two streaming services for the rest.
What each piece costs
| Service | What it adds | 2026 price (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Antenna | CBS, Fox, NBC, ABC | One-off, typically $20–$80 |
| Paramount+ | Local CBS games | From about $9/month |
| Peacock | SNF and Peacock exclusives | From about $13/month |
| Prime Video | Thursday Night Football | Included with Prime; standalone about $9/month |
| Netflix | Christmas and other exclusives | Plan-dependent |
| ESPN streaming (Unlimited) | Monday Night Football, Super Bowl stream | About $32/month |
| NFL+ | Mobile live games, replays | From about $7/month or $50/year |
| Sunday Ticket | Out-of-market Sunday games | About $378 with YouTube TV, $480 standalone; new YouTube TV subscribers offered it for about $240 |
| YouTube TV | Most channels above in one package | About $83/month |
Prices are from published rates and reporting in September 2026 and exclude taxes and promotions. They change often; confirm before you buy. For a broader comparison of live TV packages, see what the US live TV services cost.
Cheapest setup by fan type
Casual fan, local team: an antenna. Add Prime Video if you already have Prime. Cost: close to nothing after the antenna.
Every game of your local team: an antenna, Prime Video, and a month of ESPN or Netflix when your team has a game there. Plan by the schedule rather than subscribing to everything all season.
Out-of-market fan: Sunday Ticket, an antenna for primetime network games, and Prime Video. Add ESPN for weeks your team plays on Monday.
Watch everything: YouTube TV with Sunday Ticket covers most of it, plus Prime Video, Peacock and Netflix for their exclusives. This is the most expensive route by some distance.
If you're building this around a streaming device, check that every app you need is available on it. Our streaming device comparison covers app availability on the main platforms, and our guide to IPTV for sports explains why licensed sports streams behave differently from others at kickoff.
Outside the US
Outside the US, the NFL sells an international package called NFL Game Pass, currently distributed through DAZN in most countries, which carries every game live. Some countries also have local broadcasters showing selected games. Availability and pricing differ by country, so check the official NFL Game Pass page for your country. Watching US services from abroad is generally not permitted under their terms.
Be wary of sellers offering "every NFL game" in a cheap bundle. The rights are expensive and sold separately to each of the services above; a single low-cost bundle of all of them isn't licensed, and those streams are frequently taken down on game day. Finding a licensed provider explains how to check.
Quick answers
What channel is the NFL on in 2026? Sunday afternoon games are on CBS and Fox, Sunday night on NBC, Monday night on ESPN and ABC, and Thursday night on Prime Video, with exclusives on Netflix, Peacock and NFL Network.
Can I watch the NFL for free? Yes, many games. An antenna gets CBS, Fox, NBC and ABC, which carry local Sunday games, Sunday Night Football, some Monday games, most playoffs and the Super Bowl.
How much is NFL Sunday Ticket in 2026? About $378 for YouTube TV subscribers and $480 standalone, with a discounted rate of about $240 offered to new YouTube TV subscribers.
Where are the Christmas Day games? Netflix has both Christmas Day games in 2026. Prime Video has a Christmas Eve game.
Where is Super Bowl LXI? On ABC and ESPN, on 14 February 2027.
Does NFL+ show games on my TV? Live games on NFL+ are limited to phones and tablets. Replays can be watched on more devices.
How do I watch the NFL outside the US? Through NFL Game Pass, sold via DAZN in most countries, or a local broadcaster where one holds rights.
Broadcast assignments, prices and exclusive games can change, including through flexible scheduling. Confirm with each service and the NFL's official schedule. Checked September 2026.