If you’re scrambling to find what channel is the Vikings game right now, honestly, I get it. The 2025-2026 season has been a absolute rollercoaster for Minnesota. One week they're crushing it in London, and the next, we're all squinting at our TVs trying to figure out if the game is on a local affiliate or some new streaming exclusive.
As of Wednesday, January 14, 2026, the Minnesota Vikings’ season has officially wrapped up. They finished their regular season strong with a 16-3 win over the Green Bay Packers on January 4. While the win was sweet, the Vikings finished third in the NFC North, which unfortunately means they didn't make the cut for the 2026 NFL playoffs.
If you see "Vikings" on your TV guide today, you're likely seeing the Cleveland State Vikings basketball team. They are playing the Detroit Mercy Titans tonight at 7:00 p.m. ET. That game is streaming on ESPN+.
What Channel Is the Vikings Game: Why It’s Getting Harder to Find
Basically, the NFL has turned into a giant jigsaw puzzle. You've got games on CBS, FOX, NBC, and then suddenly Netflix jumps in for Christmas Day games. If you were looking for the Minnesota Vikings during the final stretch of the season, you probably noticed the channel hopping.
Their New Year's-adjacent game against the Packers was on CBS. But just a week before that, the Christmas Day matchup against the Lions was exclusively on Netflix. It’s sort of a mess for fans who just want to turn on the TV and see the purple and gold without checking five different apps.
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The primary channels for the Vikings remain:
- FOX: Usually for Sunday afternoon games against other NFC teams.
- CBS: Used more often this year for cross-conference games and specific rivalry windows.
- NBC/Peacock: Sunday Night Football territory.
- ESPN/ABC: Monday Night Football.
- Amazon Prime Video: The home for Thursday Night Football.
Streaming the Vikings Without Cable
Most people I know have ditched the traditional cable box. If you’re in the Minneapolis-St. Paul market, you’ve actually got it pretty easy because of local broadcast rules. Even if a game is on a "streaming" service like Prime Video or NFL Network, it’s almost always simulcast on a local over-the-air station like FOX 9 (KMSP) or WCCO (CBS 4).
But what if you live in, say, Florida? You’re basically at the mercy of the "coverage maps."
For out-of-market fans, NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube TV is still the heavyweight champ, though it’s definitely not cheap. If you're looking for a more "kinda" affordable way to watch, NFL+ allows you to watch local and primetime games on your phone or tablet. It’s a bit annoying if you want to watch on a 65-inch screen, but for a $7-a-month price point, it beats the alternative of missing the game entirely.
What Happened to the 2025-2026 Vikings?
The Vikings ended the season with a 9-8 record. It was a weird year. They started the season with a win against the Bears on Monday Night Football (ABC/ESPN) and even had back-to-back international games in Dublin and London.
The highlight for many was that Week 18 victory over Green Bay. That game aired on CBS and Paramount+. Seeing the Vikings defense hold the Packers to just 3 points was a great way to end the year, even if the playoff math didn't work out in Minnesota's favor.
Key Broadcast Partners for 2026
Looking ahead to the next season, the broadcast landscape isn't getting any simpler. The NFL's deal with Netflix for holiday games is likely here to stay. Amazon continues to hold the rights to Thursday night, and Peacock remains the exclusive home for at least one high-profile game per year.
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If you’re a radio person, KFAN 100.3-FM remains the "Home of the Vikings" in the Twin Cities. Paul Allen’s play-by-play is honestly legendary at this point. There’s something about hearing his "He's loose!" call that a TV broadcast just can't replicate.
Actionable Tips for the Offseason
Since the Minnesota Vikings aren't in the playoffs this January, here is what you should do to stay ready for the 2026-2027 season:
- Check Your Subscriptions: If you only kept Netflix or Peacock for the Vikings games, you might want to pause those until next fall to save some cash.
- Download the Vikings App: It’s actually one of the better team apps. They push out the schedule and channel info the second it’s finalized.
- Invest in a High-Quality Antenna: If you live within 50 miles of Minneapolis, a $30 digital antenna will get you 90% of the games for free in 4K-adjacent quality.
- Follow the 2026 NFL Draft: Since the season is over, the focus shifts to the draft. Coverage usually lands on ESPN and NFL Network in late April.
Knowing what channel is the Vikings game today might result in a "season over" notification, but the cycle starts again soon. Keep an eye on the schedule releases in May to see which primetime slots the Vikings snag for the next run.