Honestly, the way streaming rights work these days is enough to give anyone a massive headache. You’ve got a dozen different apps, "bundles" that don't always include what you think they do, and the constant fear of seeing a "Blackout" screen right at kickoff. If you've been wondering can you watch monday night football on disney plus, the answer used to be a hard "no." But things have changed fast.
We are officially in a new era where Mickey Mouse and the NFL are best friends. For years, you had to jump over to the ESPN app or find a cable login to catch the big game. Now? The lines are blurring. But before you cancel your other subs, there are some really weird caveats you need to know about.
The Short Answer: It Depends on the Week
If you are looking for a simple "yes" or "no," it's kinda complicated. For most of the season, Monday Night Football (MNF) lives on ESPN. However, because Disney owns both ABC and ESPN, they’ve started "simulcasting" games.
During the 2025-2026 season, Disney+ has actually stepped up as a legitimate destination for live NFL action. Specifically, for the first time ever, certain traditional Monday Night Football games are streaming directly on Disney+ for standalone subscribers. For instance, the Week 16 showdown between the San Francisco 49ers and the Indianapolis Colts was a massive milestone because it aired directly on Disney+.
But here’s the kicker: You can’t just open Disney+ every single Monday and expect the game to be there. Most weeks, you still need access to the ESPN "hub" within the app, which usually requires a specific bundle or a separate subscription.
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How the ESPN "Hub" Changes Everything
Disney recently integrated ESPN content directly into the Disney+ interface. This is a game-changer. If you have the Disney Bundle (Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+), you’ll see an ESPN tile right on your home screen.
- ESPN Select: This is the basic tier. It gives you the stuff that used to be exclusive to ESPN+ (like college sports or soccer). It rarely includes the main Monday Night Football broadcast unless it’s a special simulcast.
- ESPN Unlimited: This is the heavy hitter. If you have this plan, you get everything. We're talking ESPN, ESPN2, and the full Monday Night Football schedule, all without leaving the Disney+ app.
If you're just a standard Disney+ subscriber without the sports add-on, you're mostly out of luck, except for those "event" games Disney decides to share with everyone.
The "Funday Football" Factor
You might have seen those weird animated games—the ones where it looks like the players are characters from Toy Story or The Simpsons. Disney+ loves these. They call it "Funday Football." These alternate broadcasts always stream on Disney+, and they’re actually pretty fun if you have kids (or if you just want to see a 3D animated Homer Simpson get tackled).
Can You Watch Monday Night Football on Disney Plus with NFL+?
This is where people get really confused. You can actually buy NFL+ Premium as an add-on through your Disney+ account page.
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It sounds perfect, right? Well, there's a catch. Even if you pay for it through Disney, you cannot actually watch the games inside the Disney+ app. You have to go over to the NFL app to use it. It’s basically just a billing convenience.
Real-World Limitations and Technical Annoyances
Even if you have the right plan, you aren't totally in the clear.
- Blackouts are real: If you’re trying to watch a game and you’re in a specific market where a local station has the rights, sometimes the stream gets wonky.
- Location Services: You have to have your GPS or location settings turned on. If the app doesn't know where you are, it won't let you stream live sports. It's a legal thing.
- The Delay: Streaming is almost always 30 to 60 seconds behind the live cable broadcast. If you have friends texting you about a touchdown before you see it, turn off your notifications.
The Best Way to Watch MNF Right Now
If your main goal is to never miss a game, the most reliable path is Hulu + Live TV. It’s expensive, usually around $80–$90 a month, but it includes ABC, ESPN, and Disney+ all in one package.
If you want to stay cheap, getting a digital antenna is the "old school" hack. Since many Monday Night Football games are now simulcast on ABC, a $20 antenna can get you the game in HD for free, provided you live close enough to a broadcast tower.
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Why This Matters for the Future
Disney is clearly testing the waters. By putting the 49ers-Colts game on Disney+ for everyone, they are seeing if the app can handle the massive traffic. The goal is likely to eventually make Disney+ a one-stop shop for everything—movies, cartoons, and bone-crushing hits on the gridiron.
So, next time you're asking can you watch monday night football on disney plus, check the schedule first. If it's a "special event" week or you have the Unlimited bundle, you're good to go. If not, you'll be staring at a "suggested for you" list of Pixar movies while the game kicks off without you.
What to do next:
Check your current subscription tier in the Disney+ account settings. If you see "ESPN Unlimited" listed, you can watch every MNF game directly in the app. If not, look at the upcoming NFL schedule to see which games are designated as "ABC Simulcasts," as those are the ones most likely to pop up on the standard Disney+ service.
Actionable Insight: If you're a die-hard fan, don't rely on the basic Disney+ sub. Use the "Live" tab (the lightning bolt icon) on the left side of your Disney+ screen a few hours before kickoff. If the game doesn't appear there, you'll need to switch to a provider like Sling Orange or Fubo to catch the action.