You're sitting on the couch, the wings are hot, and the clock is ticking toward 8:15 p.m. ET. Then it hits you. You actually have no idea where the game is playing. Is it just on ESPN? Is ABC doing that simulcast thing again? Does my ESPN+ subscription actually count for this specific matchup?
Knowing what channels are monday night football on has become surprisingly complicated lately. It used to be simple. You turned on ABC, saw the iconic helmet intro, and you were set. But the NFL's media rights are a moving target. In 2026, the league has leaned even harder into a "choose your own adventure" style of broadcasting that can leave you scrolling through channel guides while missing the opening kickoff.
The Short Answer: Where to Find MNF Right Now
If you want the quickest answer possible, most Monday night games are anchored on ESPN. That is the mothership. However, the Disney-owned "super-cast" strategy means you’ll often find the same game on ABC and ESPN+.
But wait. There's a catch.
Not every single game is on ABC. The NFL and Disney have a specific "flex" and "select" schedule. Some weeks, ABC gets its own exclusive game while ESPN carries a different one—basically a Monday night doubleheader. If you’re looking for the game tonight, the first place you should check is the standard ESPN cable channel. If you don't have cable, your next best bet is the ESPN+ app, which has been streaming nearly every Monday night broadcast recently.
The ManningCast Factor
We can't talk about channels without mentioning the Manning brothers. If you want to watch Peyton and Eli basically roast each other while occasionally mentioning the game, that happens on ESPN2. It’s officially called Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli. It doesn't run every week, though. They usually do about 10 or 11 games a season. If they’re on, it’s a blast, but it’s definitely not a "serious" broadcast.
Breaking Down the 2025-2026 Broadcast Rotation
The way the NFL handles what channels are monday night football on depends heavily on which week of the season we’re in. It's not a static "one channel fits all" situation anymore.
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Basically, the TV landscape looks like this:
- ESPN (The Primary Home): This is where Joe Buck and Troy Aikman live. Every standard MNF game is here.
- ABC (The "Big" Network): Because the NFL wants high ratings, they've been putting more games on ABC. During the 2024 and 2025 seasons, we saw a massive increase in ABC simulcasts. If a game is "big"—think Cowboys, Eagles, or Chiefs—it’s almost certainly on ABC too.
- ESPN+ (The Streaming Hub): If you've cut the cord, this is your lifeline. Most games now stream live here. You don’t necessarily need a cable login if you pay for the standalone ESPN+ service, but check the fine print for your specific market.
- ESPN Deportes: The spot for the Spanish-language broadcast.
Honestly, the "doubleheader" weeks are the ones that trip people up. Sometimes you’ll have an early game starting at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN and a second game kicking off at 8:15 p.m. ET on ABC. If you aren't paying attention, you'll think the game hasn't started yet when it's actually just on a different network.
Can You Watch Monday Night Football for Free?
"Free" is a relative term in the world of sports. But yeah, you can technically get MNF without a monthly subscription if you have a digital antenna.
Since many of these games are simulcast on ABC, an over-the-air (OTA) antenna is a godsend. You plug it into the back of your TV, scan for channels, and boom—high-def football for the cost of a $20 piece of hardware.
The downside? You only get the games that Disney decides to put on ABC. If it’s an ESPN-exclusive night, your antenna is just going to show you The Bachelorette or whatever else is on the local affiliate.
Streaming Without Cable
If you’re a cord-cutter, you've probably realized that "what channels are monday night football on" usually translates to "which app do I need to open?"
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YouTube TV is currently the heavy hitter here. It carries ESPN, ESPN2, and your local ABC station. Hulu + Live TV is another solid choice because it actually bundles ESPN+ into the price, so you get the streaming-exclusive games too. Fubo is great for sports fans, but it’s gotten pretty pricey lately.
Sling TV is the "budget" option, but be careful. The "Sling Orange" package has ESPN, but it often lacks local ABC channels in many markets. You might save twenty bucks, but you could end up staring at a black screen during a playoff-clinching game.
Why the Channels Keep Changing
You might be wondering why the NFL makes this so hard. Why can't it just stay on one channel?
It's all about the money.
The current media rights deal is worth billions. Disney (which owns ESPN and ABC) wants to drive people to their streaming service, ESPN+, while also keeping the cable providers happy. By spreading the games across ABC and ESPN, they maximize the number of eyes on the screen. Higher ratings mean they can charge more for those 30-second commercials selling you trucks and insurance.
Also, the "Flex" scheduling is a huge factor. Starting in 2023, the NFL gained the power to move better games into the Monday night slot later in the season. If a scheduled game looks like it’s going to be a blowout between two losing teams, the league can swap it for a more competitive matchup. When they flex a game, the channel assignments can shift too.
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Common Misconceptions About MNF Channels
I see people get confused about this on social media every single week. Let's clear up a few things.
First, Amazon Prime is for Thursday, not Monday. I know, everything is streaming now, but Amazon only has the Thursday Night Football package. Don't go looking for the Monday game there; you won't find it.
Second, NFL+ is mobile-only for live games. If you subscribe to the NFL's own app, you can watch Monday Night Football, but only on your phone or tablet. You can't "cast" it to your TV. It’s a weird restriction, but that’s how the contracts are written. If you want it on the big screen, you need one of the other services mentioned above.
Third, The "Local Rule" still applies. If your local team is playing on Monday night and the game is technically "exclusive" to ESPN, the NFL still requires it to be shown on a local broadcast station in the home markets of the two teams. So, if you live in Miami and the Dolphins are playing on ESPN, a local channel (usually the ABC or NBC affiliate) will also carry the game for free.
Actionable Steps for Game Day
To make sure you don't miss a play, do these three things every Monday afternoon:
- Check the ESPN App: Open the app on your phone. It will clearly display which channels are carrying the game (e.g., "ABC, ESPN, ESPN+").
- Verify your ESPN+ Login: If you're relying on the stream, make sure you aren't logged out. There is nothing worse than trying to remember a password while the kickoff is happening.
- Scan your Antenna: If you're using an OTA antenna for ABC, do a quick signal check. Weather or even moving a piece of furniture can sometimes mess with your reception of local channels.
The landscape of what channels are monday night football on will likely keep shifting as we head toward the 2026-2027 season, but for now, the ESPN/ABC/ESPN+ trio remains your primary path to the gridiron. Always have a backup plan—like a friend with a cable login—just in case your preferred app decides to update right at 8:15 p.m.