Look, being a Chiefs fan used to be simple. You’d flip on the local CBS affiliate on a Sunday afternoon, see Patrick Mahomes do something impossible, and go about your day. Now? It's a logistical puzzle. Between the NFL's massive broadcast deals and the shift toward exclusive streaming rights, figuring out how can I watch the Kansas City Chiefs game depends entirely on the day of the week and which tech giant bought the rights this time.
It's frustrating. One week you’re on Paramount+, the next you’re digging through your emails to find your Amazon login, and then suddenly you're told a playoff game is only on Peacock.
The Sunday Afternoon Standard
For most of the season, the "bread and butter" of Chiefs football remains on CBS or FOX. Since Kansas City is an AFC powerhouse, CBS (owned by Paramount Global) carries the bulk of their games. Jim Nantz and Tony Romo have basically become the unofficial soundtrack to Sunday afternoons in KC.
If you live in the Kansas City market—roughly from western Missouri across to mid-Kansas—you just need a pair of rabbit ears. A basic digital antenna is still the most reliable way to get 1080p high-definition video without a two-minute stream delay. There is nothing worse than hearing your neighbor scream because of a touchdown while your stream is still showing a third-down huddle.
If you’re out-of-market, it gets trickier. NFL Sunday Ticket, which migrated from DirecTV to YouTube TV in 2023, is the only way to legally watch every single out-of-market Sunday afternoon game. It’s expensive. Honestly, it’s a massive investment for most fans, often topping $350-$450 per season depending on when you sign up. But if you’re a member of the "Chiefs Kingdom" living in Los Angeles or New York, it’s basically the only way to ensure you don't miss a snap of those 1:00 PM or 4:25 PM ET windows.
Prime Time and the Streaming Shift
Everything changes when the sun goes down. The Chiefs are basically the darlings of the NFL schedule-makers, which means they get the maximum allowance of prime-time slots.
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Monday Night Football is still primarily on ESPN. However, many of these games are now simulcast on ABC. If you’re a cord-cutter, you can stream these via ESPN+, though blackouts sometimes apply depending on your local provider agreements.
Thursday Night Football is the one that still catches people off guard. Since 2022, Amazon Prime Video has held the exclusive rights. You cannot watch this on cable. You cannot watch it on network TV (unless you live in the immediate Kansas City or opponent's local market, where by NFL rule, it must be broadcast on a local over-the-air station). For everyone else, you need that Prime subscription.
Then there’s Sunday Night Football on NBC. This remains the most-watched show in America for a reason. You can watch it on your local NBC station or stream it live via Peacock.
The Peacock and Netflix Era
We have to talk about the "streaming exclusives" because they aren't going away. In January 2024, the NFL put a Chiefs playoff game exclusively on Peacock. It was a massive moment for the industry and a headache for fans. Moving into 2025 and 2026, the league has doubled down on this.
Netflix is now in the NFL business. They've secured the rights to Christmas Day games. If the Chiefs are scheduled for a holiday showdown, don't bother looking for it on cable. You'll need a Netflix login. It’s a polarizing move, but the NFL follows the money, and the money is currently in subscription-based streaming services that want to reduce "churn" by offering live sports.
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International Games and Early Starts
The Chiefs have become global icons. Thanks to the "Taylor Swift effect" and Mahomes’ worldwide brand, they are frequently sent to London or Frankfurt for the NFL International Series.
When this happens, get ready for a 9:30 AM ET kickoff. These games are almost always exclusive to NFL Network, though they are occasionally picked up by ESPN+. Again, local KC fans get a pass here—the game will be broadcast on a local channel in the Kansas City metro area, but for the rest of the country, you'll need a specific cable tier or a subscription to NFL+.
What about NFL+?
Speaking of NFL+, it's the league's own streaming service. It’s okay. Not great, but okay. For about $7 to $15 a month, you can watch live "local and prime-time" games on your mobile phone or tablet.
The catch? You can’t watch it on your TV. They literally block the "cast" function. It’s meant for the fan on the go, or the person stuck at a wedding who needs to hide their phone under a napkin to see the fourth quarter. If you want to watch on the big screen, NFL+ only offers "Full" or "Condensed" replays shortly after the game ends.
Legal vs. "Gray Area" Options
I know what you're thinking. "I can just find a stream on Reddit or some shady site with twenty pop-up ads."
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Sure, you can. But let’s be real—those streams are terrible. They lag, they're often three minutes behind the live action, and you’re one click away from a malware nightmare. If you’re looking at how can I watch the Kansas City Chiefs game without the headache, sticking to the official apps like YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, or FuboTV is the play. These services carry CBS, FOX, NBC, and ESPN, covering about 90% of the schedule in one interface.
The Bar Scene
If you don't want to pay for six different streaming services, there is always the sports bar. Kansas City fans are everywhere. Groups like the "Chiefs Bars" network track locations across the country—from the "Village Pourhouse" in NYC to "Toasted Walnut" in Philly—where fans congregate. It’s often cheaper to buy a couple of beers than to pay for a full season of Sunday Ticket if you only care about a few games.
Actionable Checklist for Chiefs Fans
To make sure you're ready for kickoff, follow these steps:
- Check the Schedule Weekly: Don't assume it's on CBS. Check the NFL's official schedule or the Chiefs' website to see if it's a "Special Presentation" on a streaming platform.
- Invest in a High-Quality Antenna: If you live in or near Kansas City, this is a one-time $30 purchase that saves you from monthly cable bills for most games.
- Verify Your Streaming Logins: If it’s a Thursday night, log into Amazon Prime before 7:00 PM to ensure your app is updated.
- Use the NFL App for Scores: If you're completely blacked out and can't find a way to watch, the NFL app provides a free "Game Center" with live drive charts and near-instant highlights of every scoring play.
- Consolidate with a Live TV Streamer: If you want the closest thing to "old school cable" without the contract, YouTube TV is currently the best-rated option for sports fans due to its "Multiview" feature, allowing you to watch four games at once.
Watching the Chiefs shouldn't feel like a part-time job, but in the current media landscape, it requires a little bit of prep. Pick your platform, check your internet speed, and get ready for another season of the most explosive offense in football.