How to Watch NFL Games in 2024 If You Don’t Have Cable
The NFL regular season kicks off this weekend with the Thursday night opener on September 5th and an international game on September 6th, followed by Sunday afternoon games on September 8th and the premiere of Sunday Night Football that same evening. , “Monday Night Football” on September 9 and “Thursday Night Football” on September 12. This year, games will be distributed on Fox, CBS, ESPN, NBC, Amazon Prime Video and The NFL Network, as well as several exclusive games. for Peacock, Netflix and ESPN+, it is not possible to watch every game on the same streaming service or channel.
Unfortunately, piecing together football seasons across different streamers isn’t cheap—you’ll spend about $100 a month to get most of what’s on offer—but it can be done. Here’s what you can combine to have every game at your fingertips.
How to Piece the NFL Season Together via Streaming
If you want access to almost everything scheduled this season, you can do so by combining Amazon Prime Video, which has exclusive rights to Thursday Night Football, with a subscription to DirectTV Stream, Hulu+ Live TV, YouTube TV, or FuboTV. These streamers include the four major broadcast networks—ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC—for games available in the market, as well as add-ons such as ESPN, NFL Network, and NFL RedZone. Before purchasing a subscription, be sure to check the list of channels in your area for live coverage.
Prime Video costs $9 per month. Here’s how much it will cost you to add a second service:
-
DirecTV Stream : DirecTV Stream gives you access to games on ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC (in most markets), plus ESPN, NFL Network and NFL RedZone. You’ll only miss a few one-time games exclusive to ESPN+, Peacock and Netflix. DirecTV Stream packages with the NFL Network start around $75 per month.
-
Hulu + Live TV : Hulu + Live TV includes local broadcasts of ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC, plus the ESPN and NFL networks, plus CBS Sports and Fox Sports for $77 per month with ads or $90 per month without ads (increasing to 84 and 96 US dollars, respectively, in October). NFL RedZone is an optional add-on for $10 per month, so it’s a more expensive option than DirecTV Stream if you don’t already have a Hulu subscription. You can also add ESPN+ ($11/month) to get the Chargers-Cardinals game in Week 7.
-
YouTube TV : YouTube TV also offers all four broadcast networks (for local and national televised games), as well as ESPN, Fox Sports and the NFL Network. The basic plan costs $73 per month with the option to add NFL RedZone for $11 per month. YouTube TV is also the only place to get NFL Sunday Ticket, which includes all Sunday out-of-market games and costs $479 per year on its own or $639 when combined with YouTube TV.
-
FuboTV : FuboTV comes with ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC (in many markets), plus ESPN and NFL Network for $80 per month, or all of the above plus NFL RedZone and additional channels for $100 per month.
Cable TV alternative Sling TV has a combo subscription of Blue and Orange plans ($55 per month) for NFL Network and ESPN, plus an NFL RedZone add-on for $15 per month. ABC, Fox and NBC are available in some markets, but you won’t have access to Sunday afternoon AFC games shown on CBS.
While most of the season is covered above, there are a few games that can only be found on certain streaming services:
-
Peacock : Peacock will broadcast the first game on Thursday night, September 5, and the service is the exclusive host of the Eagles-Packers international game (played in Sao Paulo, Brazil) on September 6, as well as one playoff game later in the season. If you have a Peacock subscription ($8 for the ad-supported tier, $14 for the ad-free tier), you’ll also be able to watch every game broadcast on NBC, including every broadcast of Sunday Night Football.
-
Netflix : While Netflix is not typically known for live television, it has a three-year deal with the NFL to broadcast at least one game on Christmas Day. In 2024, it will be the only place to watch the Chiefs-Steelers and Ravens-Texans games. Netflix ranges from $7 (standard plan with ads) to $23 (premium plan) per month.
-
ESPN+: As mentioned above, this is the exclusive home of the Week 7 Chargers-Cardinals matchup. You’ll also be able to watch select Monday night games as well as divisional and divisional playoff action.
Paramount+ will stream all AFC Sunday afternoon games (via CBS), as well as several AFC postseason games and most NFL pregame content. Subscriptions cost $8 per month for the ad-supported tier and $13 per month for Paramount + With Showtime without ads.
Finally, you can view market-available Sunday afternoon games, as well as Thursday, Sunday and Monday night games on NFL+ (but only on mobile devices) and select games through online apps (but only if you have a cable or satellite subscription ).
Alternative 1: Go to a friend’s house or a sports bar
One obvious alternative to bundling multiple streaming subscriptions is to find a friend who has a service that shows the games you’re looking for and offer to bring drinks or snacks in exchange for a seat on the couch, or find a nearby sports bar. , which probably plays everything you want to watch for the price of a couple of beers. You can also look for a bar or restaurant that serves as a meeting place for your favorite team, where you can count on watching every game. Just Google [team name] + bar + [your city], post on your local subreddit, or browse fan sites like Packers Everywhere to find the best options.
Alternative 2: Buy a digital antenna
If you want to watch football from the comfort of your couch but don’t want to pay for streaming, you may want to consider using a digital antenna to access local channels via over-the-air (OTA) broadcasts. Please note that your mileage may vary depending on the technology – we have several digital TV antennas that we recommend for best results.