What Channel Monday Night Football Come On: Where to Catch the Game Tonight

You're sitting there, wings getting cold, beer sweating on the coaster, and you're frantically scrolling through the guide. We’ve all been there. It’s Monday, and you just want the game. The truth is, figuring out what channel Monday Night Football come on used to be simple—you just turned on ABC. Then it was just ESPN. Now? It’s a bit of a moving target depending on the week, your zip code, and whether or not you’ve cut the cord.

For the 2025-2026 season, the short answer is usually ESPN. But that's not the whole story. Because of some big-money deals and the NFL’s obsession with reaching every possible screen, you’ll often find the game simulcast on ABC or tucked away on a streaming service like ESPN+.

The Main Players: ESPN and ABC

If you have a standard cable or satellite package, your first stop is always ESPN. It’s been the home of Monday Night Football since 2006. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman are the voices you’ll hear there, bringing that big-game energy they perfected over at FOX for years.

However, ABC is back in a big way. This season, Disney (which owns both networks) decided to lean heavily into over-the-air broadcasts. This is great news for you if you have a digital antenna. You don't even need a subscription. Many of the high-profile matchups—like that Week 10 clash between the Eagles and Packers—are broadcast on both channels simultaneously.

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There are also those weird "doubleheader" nights. You know the ones. One game starts at 7:00 p.m. ET on ABC, and another kicks off at 8:15 p.m. or 10:00 p.m. ET on ESPN. In those cases, the channel matters more than ever because they aren't showing the same thing. You've gotta check the schedule specifically for that night so you don't end up watching the wrong kickoff.

Streaming the Game Without Cable

Maybe you ditched Comcast or Spectrum months ago. Honestly, I don't blame you. But now you’re worried about missing the game. The good news is that the "what channel Monday Night Football come on" question has several digital answers now.

• ESPN+ and the New ESPN DTC: If you aren't into the whole "Live TV" bundle thing, ESPN launched a direct-to-consumer (DTC) service. It’s basically a standalone app where you can pay just for ESPN’s content.
• Hulu + Live TV: This is a heavy hitter. It includes ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2 (for the ManningCast). Plus, they usually throw in Disney+ and standard ESPN+ as part of the bundle.
• YouTube TV & Fubo: These are the fan favorites for sports. They carry the local ABC affiliates and all the ESPN networks. If you’re a stats nerd, YouTube TV’s "Key Plays" feature is actually pretty cool for catching up if you log in late.
• Sling TV: The "Orange" package is the one you want here. It’s cheaper than the others, but be careful—it doesn't always include your local ABC station unless you live in a major market like Chicago or New York.

Don't Forget the ManningCast

Sometimes the standard broadcast feels a little... stiff. If you want to watch two Hall of Fame brothers make fun of each other while talking high-level X’s and O’s, you need to find ESPN2. Peyton and Eli Manning host their alternate broadcast for about 11 games a year. It’s loose, it’s funny, and they usually have celebrities like Arnold Schwarzenegger or current players hopping on the Zoom call.

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Special Schedule Quirks for 2025-2026

The NFL loves to mess with the schedule late in the year. It’s called "flex scheduling." Starting around Week 12, the league can actually move a Sunday game to Monday night if the original Monday matchup looks like it’s going to be a blowout between two teams with losing records.

This means that the "channel" might stay the same, but the teams could change with just twelve days' notice. Always double-check the NFL app on Tuesdays to see if any late-season Monday night games have been swapped out.

Also, the season finale in Week 18 usually doesn't even have a Monday night game. Instead, they do a Saturday doubleheader on ESPN and ABC to set up the playoff seeds. It’s a bit of a chaotic weekend, but it leads right into the Wild Card Monday game, which is arguably the biggest broadcast of the year for the ESPN crew.

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How to Find the Game Right Now

If the game is starting in five minutes and you're still lost, follow this hierarchy:

1. Turn on ABC: If it’s there, it’s free (with an antenna) and in HD.
2. Check ESPN: This is the 90% guarantee.
3. Open the ESPN App: If you have a login from a friend or your own provider, you can stream it on your phone or Roku.
4. Look for ESPN2: See if the Mannings are on. Sometimes the main game is on ABC and the ManningCast is the only thing on the ESPN cable channels.

Actionable Next Steps for Fans

To make sure you never have to ask what channel Monday Night Football come on again mid-kickoff, take these three steps today:

1. Scan your local channels: If you use an antenna, run a "channel scan" on your TV to ensure ABC is coming in clearly. Signal strength can shift with the weather.
2. Download the NFL or ESPN App: Set notifications for "Game Start." These apps usually send a push notification five minutes before kickoff that explicitly says which channel or streaming service is hosting the broadcast.
3. Check your streaming login: If you use a service like Fubo or YouTube TV, make sure your subscription hasn't lapsed. There is nothing worse than a "Payment Failed" screen when the ball is on the tee.

By staying ahead of the flex schedule and knowing which apps carry the simulcast, you'll spend less time searching the guide and more time actually watching the game. The broadcast landscape is messy, but as long as you have access to a Disney-owned property, you're usually good to go.