How To Watch NFL Games in 2025

The first NFL game of the 2025-2026 season kicks off Thursday, Sept 4. at Lincoln Financial Field. But what’s the best way to find out whether the Philadelphia Eagles still have what it takes to defeat the Dallas Cowboys?

Watch in real time, of course! Tune in on NBC, the streaming service Peacock, or the NFL+ app.

What’s the best streaming service for other NFL games in 2025?

To catch every NFL game all season, you need both live TV and streaming services. The premier experience is YouTube TV with the NFL Sunday Ticket add-on and separate subscriptions for Amazon Prime Video and Netflix. But you’ll pay out the nose.

If you don’t need every single game, we recommend Paramount+ and Peacock for Sunday afternoon games and Amazon Prime Video for Thursday Night Football. You can watch anything that airs on Fox on Tubi, its free streaming service. ESPN+ lets you watch Monday Night Football.

You can also watch for free on the NFL+, but you’re limited to live local and prime-time games, highlights, and breaking news.

NFL 2025-26 broadcast partners

We’ll learn more about the rest of the NFL schedule on May 14, 2025, but we already know where the games will be aired. Here’s a quick list of the big broadcast partners:

NFL Kickoff game: NBC (Peacock)

Thursday Night Football: Amazon Prime Video 

Sunday afternoon games: split between CBS (Paramount+) and Fox (Tubi) with one alternate broadcast on Nickelodeon

Saturday afternoon games in December: NFL Network

Sunday Night Football: ESPN/ABC (ESPN+)

Monday Night Football doubleheaders: ESPN/ABC (ESPN+)

Doubleheader in week 18: ESPN/ABC (ESPN+)

International games: NFL Network, Paramount+

Black Friday game: Amazon Prime Video

Thanksgiving games: Fox, CBS, and NBC (Tubi, Paramount+, and Peacock)

Christmas Day: Netflix and Amazon Prime Video

If you’re a football fan signing up for a cable TV or live TV streaming service, look for the following channels:

• CBS
• ESPN
• FOX
• NBC
• NFL Network
• NFL RedZone
  
• Nickelodeon

You need a smart TV and a streaming device like a Chromecast, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, or Apple TV, which support the streaming platforms that broadcast live NFL games. Of course, you also need an active subscription to your preferred streamer or a cable TV plan that gives you channels like CBS and ESPN.

If you’re looking forward to the next big game, the last thing you want is a spotty Wi-Fi connection buffering two seconds before a touchdown or lagging behind your neighbor’s stream.

Here are some troubleshooting measures you can take to ensure your Wi-Fi doesn’t make a fumble.

Replace your router

An out-of-date router means slow speeds and occasional restarts. Vamp up your equipment with a router featuring the Wi-Fi 6,Wi-Fi 6E, or Wi-Fi 7 standard. See our best routers guide for recommendations.

Move your router

If your router’s shoved into a back closet or cabinet, the signal is going to have trouble making a connection with your TV. Put the router in a centralized place, such as your living room or wherever you’ll plan to watch your favorite team.

Test your speeds

A speed test is the stethoscope of your Wi-Fi network, letting you know whether you’re getting the bandwidth you’re paying for from your internet provider. Run speed tests regularly (and download our speed test app!) to make sure your Wi-Fi isn’t under the weather by game time.

Download our free, easy-to-use speed test app for quick and reliable results.

Limit other devices

Sorry kids, you don’t need to watch Frozen II for the 15th time if it means the parents might risk missing a game-clinching field goal. When the big game is coming up, politely ask your children or roommates to cool it on excess app and browser usage—or kick everyone off the Wi-Fi using your router’s admin settings.