How to Watch the NFL
Sunday windows, national games and the streaming setup that covers your local team without paying for channels you never open.
Updated this week
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Channels
Local broadcast affiliates
Most Sunday afternoon games air on local broadcast stations and are free with an antenna in market.
National Sunday windows
Late-afternoon national games rotate between the two primary Sunday broadcast partners.
Sunday night
The weekly primetime showcase game on broadcast television.
Monday and Thursday nights
Weeknight games are split between broadcast, cable and streaming-exclusive slots.
Streaming options
Pick by what you watch on and where you live. The highlighted option is our analysis-based pick for most fans.
| Service | Typical price | Works on | Location fit | Notes | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live TV bundleBest pick | $60 to $85 per month | Smart TVs, streaming sticks, phones, tablets, browsers | Local channel lineups vary by market; confirm your affiliates by zip code before subscribing | Covers local affiliates, national windows and weeknight games in one subscription. The simplest full-coverage option. | Watch live sports on Fubo |
| Amazon Prime Video | Check current pricing at Amazon | Smart TVs, Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, phones, tablets, browsers, consoles | Works nationwide; no regional restrictions on TNF | Required for Thursday Night Football, which is exclusive to Prime Video. | Watch Thursday Night Football on Prime Video |
| Antenna | One-time $30 to $60 | Any TV with a tuner; no internet required | Reception depends on your distance from local broadcast towers | Picks up local Sunday games, Sunday night and playoff games on broadcast for free. | |
| League or network apps | Varies | Phones, tablets, select smart TVs | Out-of-market focus; in-market games may be restricted | Useful for out-of-market or mobile viewing, but lineups and device rules vary by plan. |
Live TV bundleBest pick
- Typical price
- $60 to $85 per month
- Works on
- Smart TVs, streaming sticks, phones, tablets, browsers
- Location fit
- Local channel lineups vary by market; confirm your affiliates by zip code before subscribing
- Notes
- Covers local affiliates, national windows and weeknight games in one subscription. The simplest full-coverage option.
Amazon Prime Video
- Typical price
- Check current pricing at Amazon
- Works on
- Smart TVs, Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, phones, tablets, browsers, consoles
- Location fit
- Works nationwide; no regional restrictions on TNF
- Notes
- Required for Thursday Night Football, which is exclusive to Prime Video.
Antenna
- Typical price
- One-time $30 to $60
- Works on
- Any TV with a tuner; no internet required
- Location fit
- Reception depends on your distance from local broadcast towers
- Notes
- Picks up local Sunday games, Sunday night and playoff games on broadcast for free.
League or network apps
- Typical price
- Varies
- Works on
- Phones, tablets, select smart TVs
- Location fit
- Out-of-market focus; in-market games may be restricted
- Notes
- Useful for out-of-market or mobile viewing, but lineups and device rules vary by plan.
Thursday Night Football on Prime Video
Every Thursday Night Football game streams exclusively on Amazon Prime Video, included with a Prime membership. If you only care about the NFL's Thursday slate, this is the single cheapest point of entry.
Teams covered
- All 32 NFL teams
Common questions
- Can I watch NFL games without cable?
- Yes. A live TV streaming bundle with local channel coverage handles nearly everything. An antenna covers in-market Sunday games and broadcast primetime games for free.
- Why is my game blacked out or unavailable?
- NFL distribution is regional. Sunday afternoon games are tied to your local market, so out-of-market games require specific packages or bundles.
- Are any games streaming exclusive?
- Some weeknight and late-season games are exclusive to streaming platforms. Check the week's schedule before assuming your bundle carries every game.