So, you’re staring at the remote, the wings are getting cold, and you’re frantically scrolling through a guide that seems to have a thousand channels but none of them are showing the New England Patriots. We’ve all been there. It’s annoying. Especially now, in 2026, where the "broadcast map" feels more like a jigsaw puzzle scattered across three different streaming apps and two different cable networks. If you're trying to figure out what station is the patriots game on, the answer depends entirely on the day of the week and where you're sitting on your couch.
The NFL’s media rights deals have become a behemoth. Honestly, it’s a bit of a mess for the casual fan. You used to just turn on Channel 4 in Boston and call it a day. Now? You might need a login for a tech giant's platform one week and a digital antenna the next.
The Local TV Lockdown: CBS and FOX Still Rule Sunday
For the vast majority of the schedule, if you are in the New England market—think Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and chunks of Maine and Connecticut—your go-to is going to be WBZ-TV (CBS 4). Because the Patriots are in the AFC, CBS holds the primary rights to their games. It's the bread and butter of Sunday afternoon.
But don't get too comfortable. If the Pats are playing an NFC opponent at home, or if the "cross-flex" rules kick in, you'll find them on WFXT (FOX 25). This happens more often than you’d think. The NFL moves games between networks to balance out the "prestige" of the viewing windows. If the Patriots are playing the Giants or the Cowboys, check FOX first.
Check the clock. Is it 1:00 PM or 4:25 PM? That's the first clue. If it’s a late afternoon kickoff and it’s a national "Game of the Week," the station is almost certainly going to be your local FOX or CBS affiliate. If you’re outside of New England, though, you’re at the mercy of the "coverage map." This is where things get dicey. If the Patriots are playing a low-stakes game against a basement-dweller and you live in California, CBS is going to show you whatever local West Coast matchup is happening instead.
The Streaming Shift: Prime Video and Beyond
Thursday nights are a totally different animal. If the Patriots are scheduled for Thursday Night Football, you aren't looking for a traditional "station" at all. You’re looking for the Amazon Prime Video app.
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Amazon has the exclusive rights to the Thursday night slate. There is one loophole, though. If you live in the immediate Boston television market, federal law requires the game to be broadcast on a "free" over-the-air station. Usually, this ends up being WCVB (ABC 5) or WSBK, but it changes year to year based on who outbids whom for the local simulcast rights. If you’re in New Hampshire or Vermont? You’re likely stuck with the app. No app, no game. It’s a bitter pill for fans who’ve been watching on local TV for forty years, but that’s the 2026 landscape.
What Station is the Patriots Game on for Primetime?
Sunday Night Football is still the crown jewel. If the Pats are flexed into the Sunday night slot, grab your remote and head to NBC (WHDH in Boston). NBC has held onto this window with a vice grip because it’s consistently the highest-rated show on television.
Monday Night Football is slightly more complicated. It’s primarily on ESPN, which is a cable channel, not a broadcast station. However, the NFL has been increasingly putting "Doubleheaders" on, where one game is on ESPN and the other is on ABC. If the Patriots are the featured Monday night game, it’s highly probable you can catch it on ABC 5 in Boston.
The "Out of Market" Struggle
If you live in Florida or Texas and want to know what station is the patriots game on, the answer is often "none of them"—at least not for free. This is where YouTube TV comes in.
YouTube TV took over the NFL Sunday Ticket contract from DirecTV, and it has fundamentally changed how displaced fans watch the team. You basically pay a flat fee for the season and you get every single out-of-market Patriots game. If you don't have Sunday Ticket and you're outside New England, you’re basically hoping the Patriots are playing well enough to earn a "national" broadcast.
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Radio: The Old Reliable
Sometimes the TV just isn't an option. Maybe you're driving home from the Cape or stuck at a family event where the TV is tuned to something else.
In that case, the station you want is 98.5 The Sports Hub. It’s the flagship for the Patriots Radio Network. Bob Socci and Scott Zolak have been the voice of the team for years, and honestly, listening to Zolak lose his mind after a touchdown is often more entertaining than the TV broadcast anyway. They have a massive network of affiliates across all six New England states, so even if you're in the middle of the White Mountains, you can usually find a signal.
How to Check Every Single Week
Don't guess. The NFL schedule is fluid. "Flex scheduling" allows the league to move games from Sunday afternoon to Sunday night with only a few days' notice.
- Check the 506 Sports Maps: Every Wednesday, a site called 506 Sports releases color-coded maps. They show exactly which parts of the country are getting which games on CBS and FOX. It is the single best resource for a Patriots fan living outside of Boston.
- The Patriots Official App: They post the "How to Watch" guide about 48 hours before kickoff. It lists the local station, the radio frequency, and the streaming options.
- Social Media: Follow the Patriots on X (formerly Twitter). They usually blast out the broadcast info on game day morning.
Avoid the "Pirate" Pitfalls
It's tempting to look for those "free" streams online when you can't find the station. Don't do it. Most of those sites are riddled with malware and the lag is so bad that you'll hear your neighbor cheer for a touchdown thirty seconds before you see it on your screen.
Instead, look into NFL+. It’s the league's own streaming service. It doesn't let you watch every game on your TV, but it does allow you to watch local and primetime games on your phone or tablet. It’s a solid backup plan if you’re stuck at work or away from your main setup.
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Technical Nuances of 2026 Broadcasting
We are seeing more games move to Peacock or Paramount+ exclusively. Last season, we saw the first-ever exclusive streaming playoff game. This means that even if you have a "station," you might actually need a specific login for that station’s parent company app.
For the Patriots, if the game is on CBS, you can almost always stream it on Paramount+. If it’s on NBC, it’s on Peacock.
The strategy is simple: Identify the network first (CBS, FOX, NBC, or ESPN/ABC), then determine if you are "in-market." If you're in New England, an antenna is your best friend. It gets you the highest quality signal—often better than cable or streaming—and it’s totally free once you buy the hardware.
Actionable Steps for the Next Kickoff
To ensure you never miss a snap, follow this pre-game checklist. First, verify the kickoff time, as the 1:00 PM vs. 4:25 PM distinction determines which network has the local rights. Second, if you're using a streaming service like YouTube TV or Fubo, check your local channel lineup 24 hours in advance to ensure your "home" location is set correctly. Third, download the 98.5 The Sports Hub app as a fail-safe; it’s the most reliable way to get the game audio if your internet or cable goes out. Finally, if you are an out-of-market fan, bookmark the 506 Sports map page to see if the New England game is being broadcast in your specific zip code that week. Having these three bases covered—TV network, backup stream, and radio—guarantees you won't be scrolling through channels while the opening kickoff is in the air.