How to watch Week One of the 2025-2026 NFL season live online for free—and without cable

Which NFL teams are playing this week? And what channels are airing the games?

Sunday, Sept. 7

Monday, Sept. 8

How can I watch NFL games for free—even if I am out of market?

Can I stream 2025-2026 NFL games live online if I don’t have a cable subscription?

Peacock

Disney+

Hulu with Live TV

YouTubeTV

Sling TV

DirecTV Stream

Fubo TV

Can I watch NFL games on Amazon?

Does the NFL offer any viewing packages to watch the games I want?

NFL App

NFL+

NFL Sunday Ticket

What are this year’s new rules?  

Chris Morris is a former contributing

The opening game pomp and circumstance is over. The Chiefs and Taylor Swift welcomed YouTube to the growing collection of streaming services to exclusively air an NFL game. Now it’s time for the league to get back to normal – with a slew of over the air matches to kick off the 2025-2026 season.

Whether you’ll be overwhelmed

There are, once again, new rules along with new players. Here’s how best to catch the remainder of the opening weekend games.

There’s a wide spectrum to choose from today. As always, the home team is listed second.

Miami Dolphins vs. Indianapolis Colts, p.m. ET on CBS

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. New York Jets, p.m. ET on CBS

Carolina Panthers vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, p.m. ET on Fox

Arizona Cardinals vs. New Orleans Saints, p.m. ET on CBS

New York Giants vs. Washington Commanders, p.m. ET on Fox

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Atlanta Falcons, p.m. ET on Fox

Cincinnati Bengals vs. Cleveland Browns, p.m. ET on Fox

Las Vegas Raiders vs. New England Patriots, p.m. ET on CBS

San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks, p.m. ET on Fox

Tennessee Titans vs. Denver Broncos, p.m. ET on Fox

Detroit Lions vs. Green Bay Packers, p.m. ET on CBS

Houston Texans vs. Los Angeles Rams, p.m. ET on CBS

Baltimore Ravens vs. Buffalo Bills, p.m. ET on NBC

Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears, p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN

The best way to watch any sort of network programming for free on a big screen is with a good HD antenna. To ensure you’re getting the most reliable signal, be sure to test the antenna in multiple locations in your home.

Yep—and you’ve got several choices.

NBC’s streaming service will give you access to several games, including all upcoming Sunday night matchups. Expect to pay an $8 or $14 monthly charge. (The service has recently done away with its free trial. An annual plan starts at $80.)

Disney’s bundle of Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ no longer has a free trial, so you’ll have to pay $17 per month for all three combined (or $30 per month for no ads on Hulu and Disney+).

This service is going away soon, but for now, you can sign up for $83 per month (with ads) or $95 per month without ads.

After a free trial, you can expect monthly charges of $83.

Dish Network’s Sling lower-tiered “Orange” plan will run you $46 per month. Adding the more comprehensive “Blue” plan bumps the cost to $61 per month. The seven-day free trial has disappeared, but you can buy a Day Pass, giving you 24-hours of Live TV for $5.

Formerly known as DirecTV Now, AT&T TVNow and AT&T TV, this oft-renamed streaming service will run you $85 per month and up after the free trial option. (The package that includes NFL Network will run you $90 per month.)

Another option whose lifespan is limited, this sports-focused cord-cutting service carries broadcast networks in most markets. There’s a seven-day free trial, followed

Amazon will, for the fourth year in a row, be the home of Thursday Night Football. As always, there are exceptions. It once again won’t air any games on Thanksgiving, but will once again carry a Black Friday game. The first matchup on Amazon this year will be the Washington Commanders facing the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 11. Amazon will also host a Christmas Day game, with the Denver Broncos meeting Kansas City Chiefs, as well as a Wild card playoff game on Jan. 10 or 11.

It does. You have three to choose from.

The NFL App will let you stream games that are being broadcast locally in your market on Sundays. If you want to watch an “out of market” game, you’ve got two choices.

Watch live local and out of market games and (with the premium subscription) replays. You’re looking at a $50 charge per season. ($100 for premium.)

YouTube once again is the home for this channel. Prices this year start at $83 per month for Sunday Ticket and YouTubeTV or $480 for just Sunday Ticket, if you’re a returning user (spanning the entirety of out-of-market games this season). New users can get a standalone Sunday Ticket subscription for $276.

After changing how kickoffs occurred last year, the NFL is making a few more tweaks in 2025-2026. After a touchback, the ball will now be placed on the 35-yard line, instead of the 25-yard line.

Onside kick rules are being adjusted as well. Teams will still have to declare their intention, but they can now make them at any point in the game, instead of just in the fourth quarter.

Overtime will be a bit different. Both teams will get a chance to possess the ball, even if the first team scores. (This, previously, was only the case in the postseason.) Overtime periods, also, will be limited to 10 minutes.