Finding out what channel is the Oakland Raiders game (well, Las Vegas now, but the heart never really leaves the East Bay, does it?) is honestly a bit of a nightmare these days. One week you’re flipping to CBS, the next you’re digging through your phone to find an app you forgot you paid for.
The NFL TV landscape has become a jigsaw puzzle where the pieces keep moving. If you’re just trying to sit down with some wings and see the Silver and Black, you've likely realized that a single channel doesn't exist for every kickoff.
Where the Games Actually Land
Most Sunday afternoon games—the bread and butter of the season—are going to be on CBS or FOX. Since the Raiders are an AFC team, CBS is usually your best bet. It’s been that way for decades. However, the "crosstalk" rules mean if they’re playing an NFC team like the Giants or Rams, you might find them over on FOX.
It’s kinda weird how the league splits these up now.
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Then you’ve got the primetime stuff. If it’s a Thursday night, don't even bother with cable. You’re looking at Amazon Prime Video. For Monday Night Football, it’s ESPN or ABC. Sunday night? That’s NBC territory. Basically, you need a spreadsheet just to keep track of the remote.
The 2025-2026 Reality
Looking at the most recent season, the Raiders have had a rough go on the field, but they’ve still been a massive draw for TV networks. For example, their 2026 season finale against the Kansas City Chiefs was a huge CBS broadcast. If you were looking for that game, you would’ve found it on your local CBS affiliate or streaming on Paramount+.
The schedule for the 2026 season is already taking shape, even if the exact times haven't all been set in stone by the league offices in New York. We know they’ll be facing off against the usual AFC West rivals—the Broncos, Chargers, and those Chiefs again. Those divisional games are almost always CBS locks unless they get flexed into a primetime slot because the drama is too good to pass up.
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Streaming vs. Old School Cable
You’ve got options, but none of them are particularly cheap anymore. Honestly, it's getting expensive to be a fan.
- The Antenna Way: If you live in the Las Vegas market (or Northern California/Oakland areas where the local stations still prioritize the Silver and Black), a cheap digital antenna is your best friend. You’ll get CBS, FOX, and NBC for free. No monthly bill.
- YouTube TV & Fubo: These are the big hitters for "cable cutters." They carry all the local channels plus ESPN and NFL Network.
- NFL Sunday Ticket: This is the big one. Now on YouTube TV, this is the only way to see the Raiders if you live in, say, Florida or New York and the game isn't being shown nationally. It costs a chunk of change, but it's the only way to avoid those annoying "out of market" blackouts.
What Most People Get Wrong
A lot of fans think that because they have the "NFL+ app," they can watch every game on their TV. Nope. NFL+ is mostly for mobile devices—tablets and phones. If you try to cast it to your 65-inch screen for a Sunday afternoon game, you're usually going to get a "restricted" message unless it's a primetime broadcast.
Also, don't sleep on the "Flex Scheduling" rules. The NFL can move games from Sunday afternoon to Sunday night with just a couple of weeks' notice. So, if the Raiders are suddenly on a winning streak late in the 2026 season, that 1:00 PM CBS game might suddenly become an 8:20 PM NBC game.
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Keeping Track of the 2026 Matchups
For the upcoming 2026 cycle, keep an eye on these specific channels for these opponents:
- Buffalo Bills & Miami Dolphins: Likely CBS.
- LA Rams & Seattle Seahawks: Often FOX.
- Thursday Night Matchups: Exclusively Amazon Prime.
The best move is to check the official Raiders website or a reliable app like the NFL app exactly 48 hours before kickoff. That's when the "final-final" broadcast maps are usually released to the public.
Actionable Next Steps:
First, check if you are "in-market." If you are in Nevada or parts of California, grab a high-quality 4K digital antenna—it'll save you thousands over the next few years. Second, if you're an out-of-market fan, wait for the NFL Sunday Ticket "early bird" discounts that usually pop up in the spring or summer before the 2026 season starts. Lastly, make sure your Paramount+ subscription is active if you want to stream the CBS games on your smart TV without a cable box.