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Every Way to Watch and Stream the NFL in 2019
(last updated 10/7/2019)
You’ve waited patiently for seven long months, but it’s finally here: the NFL football regular season. With training camp behind us, there are 17 weeks of action, excitement, and anxiety ahead.
After two seasons of declining numbers, the NFL enjoyed a 5% increase in viewership during the 2018 season. As the league works to grow their audience and reach a new generation of football fans, subscription-free and web-based streaming options, as well as alternate TV providers like fuboTV and Sling, are playing an increasingly important role.
In 2019 there are more ways than ever to watch NFL games live, so here’s our ultimate guide for how to watch the NFL on all your devices.
How to Stream NFL Games for Free (Without Cable)
Just last year, the league dropped a requirement forcing viewers login with a cable or satellite provider in order to stream games on mobile devices and tablets. That’s right: you can watch NFL games on your phone for free, without a cable or TV subscription.
The NFL App and the Yahoo Sports App
Best For:
Free live streaming for national primetime and in-market local games on mobile devices and tablets.
Cost:
Free (no TV provider login required)
Available Platforms:
These apps work on any mobile device or tablet running Android or iOS, but screencasting is not permitted. You won’t be able to output the live stream to larger displays using HDMI, Chromecast, Airplay or similar technologies.
What you can watch:
- Monday Night Football
- Thursday Night Football
- Sunday Night Football
- In-market Sunday regional games (early and late)
Download:
How to Watch Monday Night Football
MNF matchups will air Monday nights on ESPN at 8:15 p.m. ET. A TV subscription that includes ESPN is required to watch unless you use the free method.
- Live on ESPN through your set top box.
- On ESPN using your TV provider’s mobile streaming app or website.
- Anywhere the ESPN app is available, including smartphones, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon fireTV, Chromecast, game consoles and smart TVs.
How to Watch Monday Night Football for Free
- FREE: Stream MNF on any mobile device using one of the free apps (mobile-only, no screencasting).
How to Watch Thursday Night Football
TNF matchups will air on Thursday nights at 8:20 p.m. ET on the NFL Network, FOX and Amazon Prime Video. A TV subscription that includes either FOX or the NFL Network is required to watch unless you use a free method.
- Live on FOX through your set top box.
- Live on the NFL Network through your set top box
- On FOX or the NFL Network using your TV provider’s mobile streaming app or website.
- Anywhere the FOX NOW app is available, including smartphones, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon fireTV, Chromecast, game consoles and smart TVs.
- The NFL Network app
- Anywhere the NFL App is available with a valid subscription to the NFL Network, including smartphones, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon fireTV, Chromecast, game consoles and smart TVs.
How to Watch Thursday Night Football For Free
- FREE: Stream TNF on any mobile device using one of the free apps (mobile-only, no screencasting).
- FREE (Antenna Required): FOX can be viewed over-the-air with nothing more than an antenna that connects to your TV.
- FREE with Amazon Prime: On Amazon Prime Video on your computer, or using the Prime Video app on mobile devices, smart TVs and other streaming devices.
- FREE with Amazon Prime: Watch live on Twitch on any device.
Note: Thursday Night Football games will air exclusively on the NFL Network on the following dates: September 12, September 19, October 13 and November 3. If you don’t subscribe to the NFL Network, you can watch on a mobile device using one of the free apps.
How to Watch Early and Late Sunday Afternoon NFL Games
FOX and CBS will carry regional NFL matchups every Sunday afternoon with early games starting at 1:00 p.m. ET and late games starting at either 4:05 p.m. ET or 4:25 p.m. ET.
Find out which games will air on your local channel.
- Live on CBS or FOX through your TV provider’s set top box
- Using your TV provider’s mobile streaming app or website.
- Anywhere the CBS and FOX NOW apps are available, including smartphones, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon fireTV, Chromecast, game consoles and smart TVs.
Free Options:
- FREE: Stream Sunday afternoon games on any mobile device using one of the free apps (mobile-only, no screencasting). The app requires your location to determine which regional matchups are available to you.
- FREE (Antenna Required): NBC can be viewed over-the-air with nothing more than an antenna that connects to your TV.
How to Watch Sunday Night Football
SNF matchups will air on Sunday evenings on NBC at 8:20 p.m. ET. A TV subscription that includes NBC is required to watch unless you use a free method.
- Live on NBC through your set top box.
- On NBC using your TV provider’s mobile streaming app or website.
- Using the NBC Sports app on your smartphone, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon fireTV, Chromecast, game console or smart TV.
How to Watch Sunday Night Football For Free
- FREE: Stream SNF on any mobile device using one of the free apps (mobile-only, no screencasting).
- FREE (Antenna Required): NBC can be viewed over-the-air with nothing more than an antenna that connects to your TV.
How to Watch Out-of-Market Sunday Afternoon NFL Games
1. NFL Game Pass
Best For:
Full replays of every NFL game at a reasonable price (no live broadcasts or streams)
Cost:
$99.99/year with seven-day free trial.
Available Platforms:
With an active NFL Game Pass subscription, you can watch full game replays anywhere the NFL app is available, including smartphones, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon fireTV, Chromecast, game consoles and smart TVs.
What You Can Watch:
An NFL Game Pass subscription will give you access to on demand replays of every NFL game during the preseason, regular season and playoffs. Games become available for replay at the conclusion of the live broadcast, with the exception of Sunday afternoon football games which are available after the conclusion of the 4 p.m. game broadcasts. While it does not offer access to live games, this is the most cost-effective way to watch full replays of out-of-market broadcasts.
2. NFL RedZone
Best For:
Commercial-free, live viewing of all scoring moments from every Sunday NFL game in the league.
Cost:
- TV Subscription: $9 – $15/month add-on, depending on provider (all devices and screen sizes)
- Stand-Alone Subscription: $34.99/season (mobile-only, no screencasting)
Available Platforms:
- TV Subscription: If you purchase through your TV provider (including services like Sling and fuboTV), you can access NFL RedZone right through your set-top box or connected device, or by using the NFL app on any mobile device, smart TV or streaming platform.
- Mobile Subscription: If you purchase a stand-alone subscription from a mobile app store, you will only be able to access NFL RedZone through the NFL app on mobile devices, and you won’t be able to watch on larger screens like tablets or TVs.
What You Can Watch:
NFL RedZone allows you to watch the scoring action of every Sunday afternoon game in the league, even if they’re out-of-market. RedZone is one broadcast that switches between different matchups, sometimes using split-screen to show multiple games at once. Games where the offensive team is within 20 yards of the end zone are prioritized, and every effort is made to air all touchdowns live. Coverage starts just before the 1 p.m. ET games each Sunday and lasts until 8 p.m. ET.
3. NFL Sunday Ticket
Best For:
NFL fans willing to pay a premium to watch full broadcasts of their favorite out-of-market teams.
Availability:
NFL Sunday Ticket is only available to purchase if you meet one of the following criteria:
- You are or will be an active DirectTV subscriber.
- You live outside of DirectTV’s coverage area (check your eligibility).
- You live in a multi-unit property like a condo or dormitory where DirectTV service is not available.
Cost:
$293.94/season with seven-day free trial or $100/season for verified students.
Available Platforms:
With an active Sunday Ticket subscription, you can watch NFL games across all platforms and on screens big and small using the NFL Sunday Ticket app. If you’re a DirectTV customer, you can also access Sunday Ticket through your set-top box.
What You Can Watch:
Full broadcasts of every out-of-market NFL game live, every Sunday, with the exception of games that are airing on your local CBS or FOX affiliate. Streaming is limited to one device at a time, but you also have the option to watch up to four games of your choice on one screen.
How to Find NFL Broadcast Coverage Maps for Regional Games
You can find out which regional games will be airing on local CBS and FOX stations where you live by checking the maps posted each week on 506 Sports. Click on a given week to see the coverage map.