Finding exactly where to watch NFL football has become a genuine chore. It used to be simple—you turned on the TV, flicked to CBS or FOX, and maybe stayed up late for Monday Night Football. Now? It feels like you need a PhD in streaming services and a spreadsheet to track which app owns which game on which day of the week.
If you're feeling frustrated, you aren't alone. Between the "exclusives" on Peacock and the fact that Amazon Prime basically owns Thursday nights now, the landscape is fractured. It's expensive. It’s messy. But honestly, if you know how the rights are carved up, you can actually save some cash and stop missing kickoffs because you're busy downloading a new app at 1:00 PM on a Sunday.
The Basic Broadcast Reality
Let's start with the stuff that hasn't changed much. Most people still get their fill through the "Big Four" networks. CBS and FOX still handle the bulk of the Sunday afternoon games. If you're looking for the AFC, you’re usually looking at CBS. The NFC generally lives on FOX. It’s been this way forever, and for local games, a cheap digital antenna is still the best hack in the book. Seriously. You spend $20 once and you get those local broadcasts in 4K-ish quality for free. Forever.
But then there's the national window. NBC owns Sunday Night Football. It’s the "prestige" slot. If you have an antenna or a basic cable package, you’re good. If you're a cord-cutter, you're looking at Peacock, which has become a non-negotiable part of the NFL ecosystem.
The Streaming Shift: Amazon, Peacock, and Netflix
This is where it gets annoying. The NFL has realized that tech companies have deeper pockets than traditional networks.
Thursday Night Football is the biggest hurdle for a lot of fans. It’s on Amazon Prime Video. Period. You can't get it on cable unless you live in the local markets of the two teams playing. I’ve talked to so many people who sit down with a beer on Thursday night only to realize they can't find the game on their channel guide. It’s a Prime exclusive, and that seems to be the permanent home for the foreseeable future.
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Then we have the "Special Editions."
Peacock started buying up exclusive rights to specific games, including high-stakes playoff matchups. It caused a massive stir a couple of seasons ago, but the numbers don't lie—millions of people signed up. Now, even Netflix is getting in on the action with Christmas Day games.
- Amazon Prime: Thursday nights.
- Peacock: Sunday Night Football (simulcast) plus some exclusive regular-season and playoff games.
- Netflix: The new home for holiday specials.
- ESPN+: Often carries a simulcast of Monday Night Football or an occasional exclusive international game from London or Germany.
What Happened to Sunday Ticket?
For the longest time, DirecTV was the king of the hill because they had NFL Sunday Ticket. If you lived in New York but loved the Dolphins, you had to have a satellite dish. That’s dead now.
YouTube TV took over Sunday Ticket, and it changed the game for out-of-market fans. It’s pricey—usually landing somewhere between $350 and $450 a season depending on when you buy it—but the "Multiview" feature is actually kind of incredible. You can watch four games at once. It’s sensory overload, but for a fantasy football junkie, it’s basically heaven. You don't even need a full YouTube TV monthly subscription to buy Sunday Ticket; you can buy it as a standalone "Primetime Channel" on YouTube.
The International and Mobile Wildcard: NFL+
If you're okay with watching on a phone or tablet, NFL+ is the budget option. It’s sort of the league’s own internal "oops, we need a streaming app" solution.
Here’s the catch with NFL+: You can watch live local and primetime games, but only on mobile devices. You can't cast it to your TV. It’s great if you’re stuck at a wedding or working a Sunday shift, but it sucks if you want the big-screen experience. The "Premium" tier does give you full game replays right after the whistle blows, though, which is great for the "film grinds" who like to see every snap from the All-22 angle.
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The Monday Night Confusion
ESPN still owns Monday Night Football, but they’ve started splitting the broadcast. Sometimes it’s on the main ESPN channel. Sometimes it’s on ABC. Often, it’s on both. And then there's the "ManningCast" on ESPN2. If you haven't watched Eli and Peyton Manning make fun of each other while a game happens in the background, you’re missing out on the most human version of sports broadcasting. It’s less "professional" and more like sitting on a couch with two guys who happen to have four Super Bowl rings.
VPNs and the "International" Hack
We have to talk about the "gray area." Some fans use VPNs to subscribe to the international version of NFL Game Pass (now hosted on DAZN). In Europe or Asia, they get every single game—no blackouts, no "local only" restrictions—for a flat fee that is often cheaper than US options.
Is it a violation of Terms of Service? Usually. Does it work? Yes. But DAZN has been cracking down on VPN IP addresses lately, so it’s a bit of a cat-and-mouse game. If you go this route, you’re basically betting that your VPN stays one step ahead of the streaming service’s blockers.
Cost Breakdown: What You’re Actually Paying
If you wanted to see every single game your team plays in 2026, and you live outside their home market, the math is brutal.
- YouTube TV (with Sunday Ticket): ~$110/month + the Ticket cost.
- Amazon Prime: ~$15/month.
- Peacock: ~$8/month.
- Netflix: ~$15/month (for those specific holiday games).
- ESPN+: ~$11/month.
You're looking at a "football tax" of nearly $150 a month just to ensure you never see a "blackout" screen. It’s a lot. Most people are better off picking one primary service and heading to a sports bar for the outliers.
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Is Cable Still Worth It?
Oddly enough, for the casual fan, cable or a "Live TV" streamer like Fubo or Hulu + Live TV is still the most stable way to find where to watch NFL football. These services bundle your locals (CBS, FOX, NBC) with ESPN and NFL Network.
NFL Network is the one that gets forgotten. They still host some exclusive international games early on Sunday mornings. If you wake up at 9:30 AM ET and wonder why there's a game happening in London, it's probably on NFL Network. If your streaming package doesn't include it, you're out of luck unless you have the NFL+ app.
The "Sports Bar" Strategy
Sometimes the best way to watch isn't at home. If you only care about three or four big games a year that fall outside your current subscriptions, just go to a Buffalo Wild Wings or a local dive. The price of a couple of burgers and a beer is way less than a season-long subscription to a service you’ll only use twice. Plus, the atmosphere is better. Nothing beats a room full of people groaning in unison when a kicker misses a 30-yarder.
Actionable Steps for the Season
Instead of panicking five minutes before kickoff, do this:
- Check your local listings: Buy a $20 digital antenna today. It handles 80% of your Sunday needs for free.
- Audit your subs: You probably already have Amazon Prime for shipping. Remember that's your Thursday home.
- The "cancel" trick: If you only need Peacock for one specific exclusive game, sign up, watch the game, and cancel immediately. They usually offer a "black friday" deal or a student discount that brings the price down to almost nothing.
- Coordinate with friends: If you have a group, see who has which service. One person gets Sunday Ticket, another hosts for Monday Night Football. It makes the "streaming wars" much more affordable.
- Check the schedule early: Use the official NFL app to see the "Broadcast" tag on the game. It will tell you exactly which logo—CBS, FOX, Amazon—you need to be looking for.
The NFL isn't going back to a single-channel world. The money is too good for them. But by being a little bit tactical with your subscriptions and using an antenna for the basics, you can see every touchdown without getting fleeced.