The 2025-2026 NFL season officially kicked off September 4th, with the Philadelphia Eagles picking up a season-opening win against the Dallas Cowboys. During Week 1, fans will see a packed NFL schedule, with the Kansas City Chiefs facing the Los Angeles Chargers on Friday. The weekend also brings exciting divisional battles, including Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Atlanta Falcons and Cincinnati Bengals vs. Cleveland Browns.
United States viewers will be able to watch the NFL season games on traditional cable TV. Matches will be available on CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, and NFL Network, with Monday Night Football on ESPN and Sunday Night Football on NBC.
For NFL fans to whom cable isn’t a budget-friendly solution or who want to watch games on multiple devices, streaming services with NFL broadcasting rights are better alternatives. Combined with a VPN, you can even watch all out-of-market games or stream the matches even in countries where the streaming services are unavailable.
| NFL streaming services: | fuboTV, Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, Peacock, YouTube TV, DirecTV, Amazon Prime Video |
| NFL channels | CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, ESPN+, NFL Network |
| Watch from anywhere: | Use NordVPN to stream out-of-market games from any country |
Keep reading to find out how to watch every NFL game this season without cable – and even how to stream from anywhere in the world using a VPN.
Streaming services to watch NFL games without cable
Multiple streaming services offer channels that you need to watch most NFL games, like CBS, FOX, ESPN, and more, while others are exclusive homes for specific games, like Thursday Night Football.
Most of the NFL streaming platforms are only available in the US. However, if you’re traveling or want to watch out-of-market NFL matches live, you can use a VPN like NordVPN. It changes your IP address, making it look like you’re based in the US or a different state and letting you access platforms without geo-restrictions.
You can find out the list of streaming platforms that broadcast NFL games and their prices below.
fuboTV
fuboTV offers around 300 channels with a sports-heavy NFL lineup, including CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, and NFL Network in most markets. NFL fans can get the Elite with Sports Plus plan that has the local networks, NFL RedZone, and ESPN Unlimited for $74.99/month in the US and claim a free 7-day trial.
Sling TV
With the Sling TV Blue + Orange plan, you can watch NFL games through FOX, NBC, ESPN, and the NFL Network. Its Orange & Blue plan costs $29.99/month and is only available in the US. If you want to watch the matches while traveling abroad or view out-of-market games, you can use a VPN like NordVPN.
Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV is an all-in-one package, as it comes with ESPN, FOX, CBS, NBC, and access to Hulu’s on-demand library plus Disney+ and ESPN+. The streaming platform prices start from $82.99/month, and you can claim a free 3-day trial.
Peacock
Peacock is the best solution for football fans who want to watch NBC’s Sunday Night Football and select playoff games – it’s the exclusive home for these matches. You can get Peacock in the US starting from $10.99/month and stream all games that air on NBC live.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is a more expensive streaming platform, starting from $34.50/month for the NFL Sunday Ticket alone, but it carries all major NFL broadcasters. Fans can stream CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, and NFL Network matches or watch missed live games with the DVR feature.
With YouTube TV, you can also get the NFL Sunday Ticket, which lets you stream all out-of-market Sunday afternoon games that aren’t available on local CBS or FOX feeds. However, when getting the NFL Sunday Ticket combined with YouTube TV, the price turns out even higher, adding $49.99/month for YouTube TV. Luckily, you can also get a free 7-day trial when signing up.
DirecTV
DirecTV enables NFL viewers to watch games on CBS, FOX, NBC, and ESPN. It’s available from $59.99/month in the US and comes with a free 5-day trial. If you’re outside the US, you can only get DirecTV using a VPN, like NordVPN, which has servers in 21 US cities.
Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video is the exclusive streaming platform for Thursday Night Football games that costs $14.99/month and adds a complimentary 30-day free trial. It will also stream the Denver Broncos vs. the Kansas City Chiefs Christmas game.
Although Prime Video is available outside the US, TNF games are only broadcast in the US. If you want to view the matches abroad, you’ll need to use a streaming VPN like NordVPN and connect to a server in the US.
Netflix
Netflix users can only enjoy two NFL Christmas games on the streaming platform, including the Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Commanders and the Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings matches.
Netflix subscription prices start from $7.99/month, but the Christmas games will only be broadcast in the US markets. If you’re located outside the US or will travel abroad during the holiday season, you can change your Netflix region with a VPN.
How to watch the NFL 2025-2026 season from anywhere
While live NFL games are only available in the US, international football fans are looking for ways to watch the matches from home. Plus, viewers can’t support their local teams due to NFL blackouts that encourage fans to watch in-market games.
NFL fans from anywhere in the world can enjoy all games, including out-of-market matches, using a VPN. It changes your virtual location, letting you access streaming platforms from anywhere.
All you have to do to watch the NFL games from anywhere is to download a reputable VPN like NordVPN and connect to a server in the US state where the games aren't restricted. You'll then be able to access the streaming platform of your choice, like fuboTV or YouTube TV, and watch the matches from home.
2025 NFL season schedule: Week 1
The 2025-2026 NFL regular season kicked off on Thursday, September 4, 2025, and Week 1 will run through Monday, September 8, 2025. You can check the full NFL Week 1 schedule below:
September 4, 2025 (Thursday):
- Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles – 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC)
September 5, 2025 (Friday):
- Kansas City Chiefs vs Los Angeles Chargers (Sao Paulo) – 9:00 p.m. BRT (YouTube)
September 7, 2025 (Sunday):
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons – 1 p.m. ET (FOX)
- Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns – 1 p.m. ET (FOX)
- Miami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts – 1 p.m. ET (CBS)
- Carolina Panthers at Jacksonville Jaguars – 1 p.m. ET (FOX)
- Las Vegas Raiders at New England Patriots – 1 p.m. ET (CBS)
- Arizona Cardinals at New Orleans Saints – 12 p.m. CT (CBS)
- Pittsburgh Steelers at New York Jets – 1 p.m. ET (CBS)
- New York Giants at Washington Commanders – 1 p.m. ET (FOX)
- Tennessee Titans at Denver Broncos – 2:05 p.m. MT (FOX)
- San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks – 1:05 p.m. PT (FOX)
- Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers – 3:25 p.m. CT (CBS)
- Houston Texans at Los Angeles Rams – 1:25 p.m. PT (CBS)
- Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills – 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC)
September 8, 2025 (Monday):
- Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears – 7:15 p.m. CT (ABC / ESPN)
To check the full schedule with prime-time games, international matchups, and bye weeks, review the official NFL website.
How to watch the 2025–26 NFL season with cable
If you already have cable, then watching the 2025-2026 NFL season is straightforward. You’ll be able to access most games on networks like CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, and NFL Network. Here are the types of games you can expect to watch on different networks:
- Sunday afternoon games – depending on the playing teams, games are broadcast on CBS and FOX.
- Sunday Night Football – airs exclusively on NBC.
- Monday Night Football – available on ESPN.
- Thursday Night Football – can be accessed through the NFL Network (sometimes on FOX or NBC).
- Thanksgiving games – CBS, FOX, or NBC depending on the schedule.
Most cable networks also allow watching every in-market game and preseason contests, or even allow recording for streaming live games later. Yet, the games you get to stream depend on which state you’re located in.
Where to Buy NFL Tickets Online
If you’re planning to see live NFL games during this 2025-2026 season, you can easily purchase tickets online through official team websites. Here are the multiple
- NFL Ticket Network (Ticketmaster) – Ticketmaster is the official ticketing partner of the NFL, which allows fans to buy tickets securely.
- Team websites – you can visit your favorite team’s website and purchase single-game tickets, season packages, or even premium seating.
- Third-party platforms – you can buy tickets from trusted ticketing platforms, like SeatGeek or Sports Illustrated Tickets. However, the prices may be higher due to resellers.
Fans who are looking to buy tickets online should always stay aware of the site or platform they’re buying from. Stick with the official or verified sellers to avoid getting scammed. If you want to stay alert about high-demand game tickets or promotional offers, sign up to your team’s newsletter.