You're sitting there, remote in hand, wings getting cold, and you're frantically scrolling through the guide. We’ve all been there. It’s the classic Sunday scramble. If you’re trying to figure out what channel will the Dallas Cowboys be playing on right now, the answer is a little bittersweet for the 2025-2026 cycle.
Honestly, if you're looking for a live game today, January 16, 2026, you won't find one. The Cowboys' season officially wrapped up on January 4th with a tough 34-17 loss against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Since they finished the regular season with a 7-9-1 record, they didn't make the cut for the playoffs this year. While the "Big Four" (the Bills, Broncos, 49ers, and Seahawks) are duking it out in the Divisional Round this weekend, the Cowboys are already looking ahead to the draft.
Where to find Cowboys coverage when they return
Even though the pads are off for now, you've still got plenty of ways to keep up with the team. When the 2026-2027 season kicks off in September, the broadcast rotation will look familiar but with a few modern twists.
Most Sunday afternoon games will land on FOX or CBS. Because the Cowboys are in the NFC, FOX usually handles the bulk of their schedule. However, with the NFL's current "cross-flexing" rules, CBS snagged more NFC games lately to balance out the viewership.
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For the big national windows, you’re looking at:
- NBC: Sunday Night Football remains the gold standard for primetime.
- ESPN/ABC: Monday Night Football often features Dallas because, love them or hate them, they bring the ratings.
- Amazon Prime Video: Thursday Night Football is exclusively streaming here.
- Netflix: This is the new player on the block. The Cowboys actually played their Christmas Day game against Washington on Netflix this past season. Expect more of that moving forward.
What channel will the Dallas Cowboys be playing on for the 2026 Draft?
Since the on-field action is paused, the next "game day" for fans is actually the NFL Draft in April. Because of that 7-9-1 finish, Dallas is sitting in a pretty interesting spot. They hold the No. 12 overall pick, but thanks to the Micah Parsons trade with Green Bay, they also own the No. 20 pick.
You can catch the draft coverage on ESPN, ABC, and NFL Network. It’s the closest thing we get to a victory in the offseason, especially with rumors swirling that the front office is looking at defensive standouts like Caleb Downs or Mansoor Delane to shore up the secondary.
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The 2026 Opponent Map
We already know who they're playing next season, even if the exact dates haven't been plugged into the calendar yet. The NFL uses a specific rotation, so we know the Cowboys will face the AFC South and the NFC West in 2026.
Home Games at AT&T Stadium:
You'll see the usual suspects—Giants, Eagles, and Commanders. But they’ll also host the Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers, and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Away Games:
The road schedule is brutal. They have to travel to Seattle, Green Bay, and Los Angeles to play the Rams. There’s even talk from guys like Patrik Walker at DallasCowboys.com that a 2026 international game in Mexico could be on the table. If that happens, that specific game usually ends up on NFL Network or a dedicated streaming partner like Peacock.
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Why the channel changes so often
It’s annoying, I know. You just want to turn on the TV and see the star. But the NFL sells "packages" of games. This is why one week you're on channel 4 and the next you're downloading an app you've never heard of.
The league uses "Flex Scheduling" starting around Week 5. If the Cowboys are playing great, the NFL can move their game from a 1:00 PM slot on FOX to the 8:20 PM slot on NBC. They want the most eyes on the best games.
Actionable Steps for the Offseason
Don't just wait for September. If you want to stay ready for the next time you're asking what channel will the Dallas Cowboys be playing on, do these three things:
- Check the 2026 Schedule Release: This usually happens in mid-May. Mark your calendar to see which games are "protected" by certain networks.
- Verify your Streaming Subs: If you cancelled Netflix after the Christmas game, you might want to see if they secure more rights for 2026.
- Monitor the Draft Board: Watch the Senior Bowl and Combine coverage on NFL Network. Since Dallas has two first-round picks, the roster you see in September is going to look wildly different than the one that just finished in New York.
The "offseason" is really just a long pre-game show. Keep an eye on local Dallas stations like KDFW (FOX 4) for coaching updates and free agency news, as that’s where the most consistent team-specific coverage lives during the winter months.