- NFL 2026 season: Wednesday, September 9 to Sunday, February 14
- Find Full Week 1 Schedule Here
- Free Streams:5(UK) /7plus(Aus) /TVNZ+(NZ) /VM Play(Ire) /Twitch(US)
- Use IPVanish to watch from anywhere – 83% off
Watch NFL 2026 live streams as as the 32 franchises of the AFC and NFC fight it out for a chance to play at Super Bowl LXI on February 14. Below we have all the info on how to watch NFL football from anywhere in the world with details on worldwide TV channels, broadcasters and free streams.
After head coach Mike Macdonald and inspirational QB Sam Darnold swept them to the franchise’s second Vince Lombardi Trophy, the Seattle Seahawks will now be looking to assert themselves as a dynastic team. Despite failing to win a preseason game, they come into the 2026 campaign with all their major stars fit and firing. While Drake Maye and co of the new England Patriots will hope their encouraging summer preparation will catapult them to go one better than Super Bowl losers last time out.
Outside of last year’s two finalists, the Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills and Patrick Mahomes-led Kansas City Chiefs look like the strongest sides in the AFC, while the LA Rams (with fresh out of retirement Aaron Donald), Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions are all expected to go deep in the playoffs come January. The Las Vegas Raiders will just be hoping and praying that their Heisman Trophy-winning no. 1 draft pick Fernando Mendoza will change their fortunes.
It all begins again with Week 1 and a very familiar looking matchup… a repeat of February’s Super Bowl LX between the Seahawks and Patriots at Lumen Field on Wednesday! The season goes international early this year, with the historic Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia hosting 49ers vs Rams as the country’s first ever regular season game. Back in the States, Bills vs Texans, Cowboys vs Giants and Broncos vs Chiefs all standout as much-watch games this week.
Here’s where to watch NFL 2026 live streams online from anywhere – starting with FREE options.
Can I watch NFL in 2026 for free?
Yes! In some countries around the world you can watch the NFL for FREE.
5 in the UK, for example, will show two matchups per gameweek (both on Sunday), which can be streamed live on the 5 websiteand app.
Similarly, Australia’s free-to-air Seven Network and 7plus streaming service will broadcast games from Thursdays and Sundays, playoffs and Super Bowl LXI. That’s in addition to the much-anticipated San Francisco 49ers vs Los Angeles Rams game at the MCG on Friday, September 11.
And in New Zealand, three matches per week will show on its free-to-air TVNZ 1 and Duke channels and online TVNZ+ platform, plus all playoff matches and Super Bowl LXI live and for free. They’ll also show the first game of the season and that big game across the Tasman Sea in Melbourne.
In Ireland, Virgin Media will broadcast at least 22 games this season on TV and its Virgin Media Play platform. That has been confirmed to include 18 Sunday games, three playoff games and the Super Bowl.
That’s not to forget the US, where all Thursday Night Football games (except in Week 1 and Thanksgiving) will be streamed on the popular Twitch platform.
Remember that, if you’re traveling away from home, you can use a VPN to watch free NFL 2026 streams from overseason your usual streaming service. More details below.
NFL 2026 Week 1 schedule
Wednesday, September 9
Patriots vs Seahawks: 8.20pm ET | Stream FREE on 7plus & TVNZ+
Thursday, September 10 – International Game, Melbourne, Australia
49ers vs Rams: 8.35pm ET | Stream FREE on 7plus & TVNZ+
Sunday, September 13
Bears vs Panthers: 1pm ET
Buccaneers vs Bengals: 1pm ET | Stream FREE on TVNZ+
Saints vs Lions: 1pm ET
Bills vs Texans: 1pm ET
Ravens vs Colts: 1pm ET | Stream FREE on 5
Browns vs Jaguars: 1pm ET
Falcons vs Steelers: 1pm ET
Jets vs Titans: 1pm ET
Cardinals vs Chargers: 4.25pm ET | Stream FREE on TVNZ+
Dolphins vs Raiders: 4.25pm ET
Packers vs Vikings: 4.25pm ET | Stream FREE on 5 & TVNZ+
Commanders vs Eagles: 4.25pm ET
Cowboys vs Giants: 8.20pm ET
Monday, September 14
Broncos vs Chiefs: 8.15pm ET
Use a VPN to watch any NFL 2026 stream
A VPN is a handy piece of software that can make your device appear as if it’s back in your home country, so you can unlock your usual streaming services. One of our favourites is IPVanish – it does everything and comes with a 83% discount now.
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Using a VPN is incredibly simple:
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we’ve said, IPVanish is one of our favorites.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app.For instance, if you’re visiting the US and want to view your usual Aussie service, you’d select an Australia server from the list.
3. Sit back and enjoy the action.Head to your usual local streaming service and watch NFL.
How to watch NFL 2026 live streams in the US
As ever, coverage of the 2026 NFL season is shared between a dizzying array of TV channels and streaming services. They include:
- Amazon Prime Video/Twitch: Thursday night, Black Friday
- CBS/Paramount+:Sunday afternoon, Thanksgiving
- Fox/Fox One:Sunday afternoon, Thanksgiving
- NBC/Peacock:Sunday night, Thanksgiving
- ESPN/ABC/ESPN Unlimited: Monday night, SUPER BOWL LXI
- NFL Network: International games
- Netflix:Season kickoff game, Christmas
And then there’s NFL+ that, from $6.99 per month, let’s you watch live local and primetime games on mobile during the regular season and postseason, together with those NFL Network exclusives.
If you’re a cord cutter and wondering how you’ll get access to the big TV networks, covering all your bases may not be quite as tricky as it looks.
Sling TV, for example, is an OTT service that gives access to a good proportion of games. Its Sling Blue package ($46 per month) offers local NBC and Fox channels in selected markets as well as NFL Network and access to the Fox One platform, while Sling Orange ($5 per day, $46 per month) carries ESPN (and ABC simulcasts). Go for an Orange + Blue plan for $61 per month, then, and you’ll get access to a large number of NFL games, including both primetime and local broadcasts.
For a tailored sports experience, the Fubo Sports + News plan, which includes CBS, Fox, ESPN, ESPN Unlimited, ABC and NFL Network – nearly all the TV channels you need to tune into the NFL this season. Prices start at $64.99 a month but new users get a FREE Fubo trial.
Similarly, YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV are other comprehensive OTT options, both of which you can try before you buy thanks to their free trials.
How to watch NFL 2026 live streams in the UK
As mentioned above, Channel 5 and 5Action on TV and its 5 streaming platform is showing two games every Sunday, together with the Super Bowl, NFL London, Paris, Madrid and Munich games, and Super Bowl LXI absolutely free.
The most comprehensive NFL coverage in the UK comes courtesy of NFL Game Pass on DAZN, which shows every minute of almost every regular season and every playoff game, plus the Super Bowl. DAZN’s Season Pro pass costs £179.99, or spread it out over 12 monthly payments of £18.99. Note that the two games shown by 5 will land on DAZN 24 hours later.
And the omnipresent Sky Sports will show more than half of all NFL games live throughout the season across its various channels – including Sunday double-headers, primetime matchups, Thanksgiving game, Playoffs and Super Bowl.
How to watch NFL 2026 live streams in Rest of World
NFL Game Pass is the National Football League’s dedicated streaming service, which allows die-hard football fans to watch every single game, including the playoffs and Super Bowl.
It’s availablem country to country, and get progressively cheaper throughout the season
Most countries also show games on TV and online domestically, too. For example, the following official broadcasters:
Africa
The NFL broadcast rights for Africa are held by ESPN, which provides coverage to sub-Saharan countries:
Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Americas
CTV is the free-to-air home of the NFL in Canada showing a “full slate of weekly Sunday afternoon games” during the regular season, leading up to the NFL playoffs and Super Bowl. TSN will show Monday Night Football, Sunday Night Football, and Thursday Night Football. CTV is now streamed through the Crave website and app, requiring your TV provider details to watch live streams.
ESPN has the broadcast rights to the 2026 NFL season across Latin America.
While ESPN is the main NFL broadcaster in Brazil (meaning streams also available on Disney+), selected games are also shown on SporTV and the ge TV YouTube channel.
The 2026 NFL rights are split between ESPN, Fox Sports, TV Sky Sports and TelevisaUnivision in Mexico.
Europe
DAZN holds the exclusive broadcast rights to stream the NFL in many countries across Europe:
Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal and Switzerland.
Many countries, including some of those listed above, also have some NFL 2026 coverage on traditional TV networks:
Free-to-air M6 will show one 2026 NFL game every Sunday in France, plus a selection of playoffs games and the Super Bowl.
While DAZN is the main NFL rights-holder in Germany, select games will also be shown on RTL.
As explained above, Virgin Media and VM Play will show a selection of games every wee absolutely free. Sky Sports has more comprehensive coverage,
Star Sports has the rights to the NFL in India.
NTV G+ has the rights to show all NFL live streams in Japan, alongside DAZN/Game Pass.
Oceania
Channels on Australia’s free-to-air Seven Network will show at least two NFL games per week, both on TV and onlinee shown on ESPN and
TVNZ will show at least two NFL games for free each week, plus playoffs and the Super Bowl. Additional games will be available to watch on ESPN.
When does the 2026 NFL season start?
The 2026 regular season starts on Thursday, September 9, 2026 with New England Patriots at Seattle Seahawks. It runs until Sunday, January 10, 2027.
It will be followed by the NFL playoffs, which starts on Saturday, January 16.
Can I watch NFL 2026 on my mobile?
The vast majority of broadcasters mentioned in this article have streaming services that you can access through mobile apps or
You can also stay up-to-date with the latest NFL news and plays on the official social media channels on X/Twitter (@NFL), Instagram (@NFL), TikTok (@NFL) and YouTube (@NFL).
When is Super Bowl LXI?
The 2027 Super Bowl – aka Super Bowl LXI or Super Bowl 61 – will take place at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California on Sunday, February 14.
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