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How to watch the NFL without cable (2026)
Every legal way to watch NFL games without cable in 2026, from free antenna broadcasts to Paramount+, Peacock, Prime Video, ESPN and Sunday Ticket, with current prices.
Every NFL game this season airs on one of a handful of networks or apps. Here's where each kind of game lives and what it costs to stream without a cable package.
Where NFL games air in 2026
| Games | Network | Without cable |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday afternoon (regional) | CBS, FOX | Free antenna; Paramount+ ($8.99/mo) for CBS; FOX One ($19.99/mo) for FOX; out-of-market games: Sunday Ticket ($240.00/season) |
| Sunday Night Football | NBC | Free antenna or Peacock ($12.99/mo) |
| Monday Night Football | ESPN / ABC | ESPN Unlimited ($31.99/mo); ABC simulcasts free with an antenna |
| Thursday Night Football | Prime Video | Prime Video ($8.99/mo) or Amazon Prime |
| Christmas games | Netflix | Netflix Standard with ads ($8.99/mo) |
| NFL Network exclusives | NFL Network | Included in ESPN Unlimited |
What it costs for the rest of the season
We ran our calculator for all 32 teams. For a fan living in their team's market, the median cost to watch every remaining game is $24.98 with an antenna, or $117.92 streaming only. Out-of-market fans pay a median of $264.99, mostly Sunday Ticket.
Find your team's exact number: pick your team.
All services and prices
- TV antenna (free OTA) (One-time purchase): $0/mo (unverified). Free local CBS/FOX/NBC/ABC over the air. Antenna is a one-time purchase (not priced here); reception depends on your location (check the FCC DTV map).
- Paramount+ (Essential): $8.99/mo. Streams the NFL on CBS games your local CBS station airs. Premium is $13.99/mo. Note: Essential does NOT stream live CBS college football; that needs Premium (listed separately).
- FOX One (Monthly): $19.99/mo. Streams the FOX NFL games available in your market. College football: FOX, FS1, FS2 and Big Ten Network.
- Peacock (Premium): $12.99/mo. Streams NBC's Sunday Night Football. Premium Plus ($19.99/mo) adds your 24/7 local NBC station. College football: NBC's Big Ten and Notre Dame games plus Peacock-exclusive games.
- Prime Video (Standalone Prime Video): $8.99/mo. Thursday Night Football. Also included with Amazon Prime ($14.99/mo or $139/yr). Amazon's page blocks automated fetches; price read from the official help page text via search index.
- Netflix (Standard with ads): $8.99/mo. Netflix's NFL games (e.g., Christmas Day).
- ESPN (ESPN Unlimited): $31.99/mo. Monday Night Football (ESPN and ESPN on ABC) plus NFL Network, per ESPN. ESPN Select ($13.99) does not include them. College football: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, ACC Network, ESPN+ (incl. SEC Network+ and ACCNX), ESPN on ABC, and CW Sports games, per ESPN's plan page.
- YouTube TV (Sports Plan): $64.99/mo. Local CBS/FOX/NBC/ABC plus ESPN networks. Main plan $82.99/mo. The same page's promo fine print lists Sports Plan at $54.99; we use the $64.99 regular price. College football: the Sports Plan lineup (ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU, SEC Network, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, FS1, FS2, CBS Sports Network, TNT, truTV, TBS, USA) is from the full channel list YouTube gave Deadline (Feb 2026); YouTube's own page shows only a sample. ESPN+-only games are not counted.
- Fubo (Sports + News): $64.99/mo (unverified). UNVERIFIED: Fubo's own pages still showed $55.99 (cached) while 2026 news reports a $64.99 price after the July 2026 increase; we use $64.99. Local channel availability varies by ZIP. College football channels are reported by third parties but not confirmed on Fubo's own pages (blocked), so we don't use Fubo in the college football calculator. Reports say Fubo does not carry TNT/truTV.
- NFL Sunday Ticket (Standalone on YouTube (new users)): $240.00/season. Out-of-market Sunday-afternoon games. Full-season list price: $240 new users; returning users $480 standalone or $378 with a YouTube TV plan. Any mid-season discount is not reflected.
- NFL+ (NFL+ (base)): $6.99/mo (unverified). Live local and primetime games on phones/tablets only. Price not confirmed on the official page (fetch blocked). Netflix and NFL Network games conservatively not counted.
FAQ
Can I watch NFL games for free without cable?
Yes, for games on your local CBS, FOX, NBC and ABC stations. An over-the-air antenna picks them up free; reception depends on your location. Prime Video, ESPN-only, NFL Network and Netflix games require a subscription.
What is the cheapest live TV service for the NFL?
Of the live TV services we track, YouTube TV Sports Plan is $64.99/mo and Fubo Sports + News is $64.99/mo (unverified). For most fans, an antenna plus a few single apps is far cheaper.
How much does it cost to watch the NFL without cable for the rest of the season?
The median for an in-market fan is $24.98 with an antenna or $117.92 streaming only, based on each team's remaining schedule and current list prices.
More guides
- Cheapest way to watch every NFL game
- NFL Sunday Ticket price & is it worth it
- How to watch Thursday Night Football
- How to watch Sunday Night Football
- How to watch Monday Night Football
- NFL on Netflix: Christmas games
- Thanksgiving NFL games: how to watch
Schedule data: ESPN, refreshed hourly. Prices: our verified price table (list prices, checked 2026-10-15).
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