Quick links: BEST FOR AFC GAMES Paramount+ $5.99/month Get Deal BEST FOR SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL Peacock Premium $5.99/month Get Deal BEST FOR THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL Amazon Prime Video $8.99/month Get Deal BEST CABLE ALTERNATIVE YouTube TV 10-day free trial, then $64.99/month for 3 months ($72.99/month thereafter) Get Deal BEST FOR INTERNATIONAL VIEWERS DAZN $19.99/month for one year Get Deal
Welcome back, football fans. The 2023-2024 NFL season officially kicks off on Sept. 7 and it's shaping up to be a good one.
Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs hope to defend their title, but there's plenty of competitors up for the challenge. Over in the AFC, Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills and Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals are certainly looking to shake things up. Meanwhile, Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles are seeking redemption after a tough loss in the big game last season. And don't count Aaron Rodgers and his new team, the New York Jets, out. There's plenty of storylines we'll be watching unfold this year as the teams hit the gridiron.
If you recently ditched cable and are wondering how you can still keep up with your favorite teams, we've got you covered. The NFL are notorious gatekeepers of their broadcasts, which is why Reddit is full of so many sketchy pirated feeds on game day, but we've got the lowdown on which streamers you need to make the most of the NFL season — legally.
Keep reading to learn how to watch NFL games in 2023 and 2024. Whether you're trying to catch out-of-market games or Thursday Night Football, we've covered all of the top options below. Fair warning: watching the NFL 2023-2024 season without cable will be extremely complicated.
How to watch NFL games during the 2023-2024 season
Tuning into NFL football games isn't as cut and dry as some other sports — thanks to the NFL. No single network owns the rights to every game, so even if you do have cable, watching your favorite teams can get a bit complicated. Even if you have a local TV antennae, you'll still need to sign up for Prime Video to watch Thursday Night Football.
Before we get into the best streaming services and out-of-market workarounds for NFL games, it's important to know the general schedule.
On Sunday afternoons, AFC teams play on CBS, while NFC teams play on Fox.
Sunday Night Football games will air on NBC (and stream on Peacock)
On Monday evenings, teams play on ABC and ESPN.
Thursday Night Football is now exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.
NFL Sunday Ticket allows you to watch out-of-market games through YouTube and YouTube TV
There are also a select few games airing on NFL Network. We weren't kidding when we said it's complicated. Without cable or local TV, it's even more so.
Fortunately, we've done the hard part for you and broke down the best streaming services for the NFL 2023-2024 season.
How to watch NFL games without cable
If you know someone with cable, you can ask for their login and utilize it to access local networks — ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX — in order to watch games live. Sharing is caring, and this is truly one of the best ways to access games if you've cut the cord. You can also purchase an over-the-air antenna and tune into local games on those same networks.
In addition, you can also utilize streaming apps to watch most regular season games. Here are the best streaming services to watch NFL games in 2023:
Best for AFC games: Paramount+
Opens in a new window Credit: Paramount+ Paramount+ $5.99/month Get DealIf you follow an AFC team and you don't have cable, Paramount+ is about to be your best friend this season. For $5.99/month, you can sign up for the Paramount+ Essential tier and stream games that are broadcasted on CBS in your market on Sunday afternoons.
If you live in or around the same city as your team, you should have no problems accessing their games each week. If you live in a different market, on the other hand, you may have some issues. For example, I live in Tennessee, but I'm a Ravens fan. For week one, I will only have access to the Titans-Saints game, rather than the Ravens-Texans game. There is a potential workaround for the out-of-market issue, however: using a VPN (more on that below, I promise).
In addition to regional AFC Sunday afternoon games, Paramount+ also gives you access to the AFC Wild Card showdown, AFC divisional playoffs, the AFC Championship game, and all NFL-related pregame shows, including The NFL on CBS.
How To Watch Sunday Night Football games: Peacock Premium
Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium $5.99/month Get DealNBC'S streaming service, Peacock, has been the streaming home for many live sports this year — from the Tour de France to Premier League soccer. As far as the NFL goes, Peacock's paid tiers (Premium and Premium Plus) will broadcast Sunday night games on NBC. Peacock's Premium tier costs $5.99/month, while the ad-free Premium Plus tier costs $11.99/month. Unfortunately, live programming does not allow for ad removal, so your best bet is to save money and opt for the cheaper tier.
How To Watch Thursday Night Football games: Amazon Prime Video
Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Prime Video Amazon Prime Video $8.99/month Get DealLike Peacock, Amazon Prime Video is only necessary for NFL games on one night per week: Thursday. Unlike Peacock, Amazon Prime Video is the exclusive home to Thursday Night Football games. If you want to tune in, you'll need a subscription to either Amazon Prime — $14.99/month — or Prime Video on its own, which is just $8.99/month. You'll see some familiar faces and hear some familiar voices on the broadcast; former Sunday Night Football play-by-play announcer Al Michaels joins Kirk Herbstreit in the broadcast booth, while Kaylee Hartung is on the sideline reporting.
Best cable alternative: YouTube TV
Opens in a new window Credit: YouTube TV YouTube TV Free 10-day trial, then $64.99/month for your first 3 months ($72.99/month thereafter) Get DealFor a more well-rounded NFL schedule at your fingertips, a cable alternative will give you access to local broadcasts from CBS, NBC, ABC, ESPN, and FOX. Our personal favorite is YouTube TV, which Mashable shopping reporter Leah Stodart called "arguably the best premium live TV streaming service out there." You'll get a solid selection of over 100 live channels, plus the option to add even more, a decent trial period of 10 days, and a discounted introductory offer. Following your 10-day trial period, you'll pay just $64.99/month for your first three months ($72.99/month thereafter). You also have the ability to cancel whenever you please.
For out-of-market games, you can even add NFL Sunday Ticket on to your subscription — but it'll cost you an extra $299/year (reg. $349/year). That's about $25 extra per month. And if you want to add NFL Sunday Ticket and RedZone, it'll cost an additional $399/year (reg. $389). That's about $33 more per month.
Yes, it's pricey, but so are paid subscriptions for all the streaming apps you'll need to watch NFL games in 2023.
Best for watching on the go: NFL+
Opens in a new window Credit: NFL+ NFL+ $6.99/month Get DealAs of last season, the NFL released its own paid streaming service dubbed NFL+ (shocker). The service basically replaces the old NFL Game Pass and the NFL Mobile app, allowing subscribers to watch live in-market Sunday afternoon games and primetime games on Sunday, Monday, and Thursday nights. There's just a couple caveats — they can only be viewed on a smartphone or tablet, and you can only watch the home team on Sunday afternoons.
If you're a Washington fan living in the DC area, you can catch Commanders games while riding the metro, at a coffee shop, on your couch, or in the back of an Uber on your phone. But if you're a Washington fan living in Atlanta, you'll be stuck watching Falcons games instead — unless, of course, the Commanders are playing the Falcons or are playing a primetime nationally-televised game. A VPN might help you get around this block, but there's no guarantee.
So, is NFL+ worth it? Not really. When it first rolled out, the NFL streaming service had a lot of promise, but it provided an extremely frustrating experience and had some major limitations. Until the NFL improves the user experience, we can't recommend this streaming service just yet. Yes, NFL+ has its perks, but it definitely has a lot more room for improvement. It costs just $6.99/month or $39.99/year (the annual subscription is currently 20% off for a limited time).
Best for international viewers: DAZN + NFL Game Pass International
Opens in a new window Credit: DAZN DAZN + NFL Game Pass International $19.99/month (with annual subscription) Get DealAs of the 2023 NFL season, NFL Game Pass International has officially moved to DAZN. Users who used to spoof their location to get NFL Game Pass International are not too happy about it. If you're watching NFL games from abroad, this is definitely your best bet — subscribing to DAZN includes every regular season NFL game live and on demand, as well as every playoff matchup, all for just $19.99/month (on the annual subscription).
Accessing this comprehensive streamer can be confusing to those in the U.S., however. Some folks on Reddit claim they were able to sign up for DAZN in the U.S. but then switch their location to Canada to watch games. However, DAZN has been known to crack down on VPN use. Some VPNs may work, while others may present an error when you attempt to sign up. There's no guarantees it will work, but it's worth a shot to poke around on Reddit to find out more information from other users.
Honorable mentions
Like YouTube TV, the following honorable mention live TV streaming services serve as cable replacements. All except Sling TV offer all local network channels (for in-network NFL games) for a similar price as YouTube TV. Sling offers significantly less channels overall, but also has a much lower price point to make up for it. You won't get access to CBS through Sling, so if you follow an AFC team, it's likely not worth it.
FuboTV — free seven-day trial, then $74.99/month
Hulu + Live TV — $69.99/month
DirecTV Stream Entertainment Package— $74.99/month
Sling TV Orange + Blue — $27.50/month for your first month, then $55/month
How to watch out-of-market NFL games in 2023
Despite the numerous streaming options for the NFL, there are still barriers for fans wanting to watch out-of-market games, i.e., sports junkies and fantasy football players who want to watch every game. Many of the streamers above restrict your viewing options to locally broadcasted games only. In other words, you can only watch the game that would normally air in your city on over-the-air network television. So, if you're a Buffalo Bills fan living in Charlotte, NC, the NFL wants to ruin your life.
If you strictly want out-of-market games, the NFL Sunday Ticket package is your best bet, but it costs an arm and a leg. And as of 2023, YouTube TV is now the exclusive provider of NFL Sunday Ticket.
New and existing YouTube TV subscribers can add on NFL Sunday Ticket for $299/year (reg. $349). For customers who don't want to sign up for YouTube TV, you can access NFL Sunday Ticket via YouTube as a standalone service for $399/year (reg. $449). You can also add on additional services like NFL RedZone. Those $50 discounts are only available until Sept. 19, so if you want to subscribe to NFL Sunday Ticket, we'd suggest locking it down before the discount disappears.
We highly recommend signing up for the version of NFL Sunday Ticket that comes with YouTube TV (as opposed to the standalone version accessed via the YouTube app). Because NFL Sunday Ticket will not include the locally broadcast games on CBS and Fox (again, it's complicated), YouTube TV is the only way to easily switch between every game in one app.
Opens in a new window Credit: NFL NFL Sunday Ticket $399/year (save $50) Get DealCan I use a VPN service to watch out-of-market NFL games?
It's also worth knowing your way around a VPN as a potential way to bypass regional restrictions. Using a VPN and choosing a server in a different region may allow you to unlock the local games for that region. Say you want to watch a Chicago Bears game, but you live in Seattle. You'd simply turn on your VPN, switch the server location to Chicago or a neighboring city, and access a FOX stream (via YouTube TV, Sling, Hulu + Live TV, etc.). You could try something similar for an AFC team via Paramount+ as well. There's no guarantee this trick will work, as some streamers have begun cracking down on VPN use, but it's certainly worth a shot if you're willing to put in the effort.
It's important to note that not all VPNs are created equal. You'll want to weigh your options before signing up for any old VPN. Important things to look out for are reliability, speed, price, variety of servers, and ease of use. Below are some of our top picks to get you started on your journey to finding the right VPN.
What is the best VPN for streaming NFL games?
Best overall: ExpressVPN
Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1 year + 3 months) $6.67/month (save $6.28/month) Get DealWe're big fans of ExpressVPN for its reliability, available support, and intuitive design. When Mashable contributor Branford Shaw tested it firsthand, he found that it didn't slow things down too much, which is a bonus when live streaming games. Plus, it offers VPN servers across 94 countries, which is excellent for when you're trying to unlock broadcasts abroad.
As for NFL broadcasts, it includes servers in the following cities: Albuquerque, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Lincoln Park, Los Angeles, Miami, New Jersey, New York, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Santa Monica, Seattle, Tampa, and Washington DC. It's certainly not the most affordable option on the list, but it's currently running a deal for $6.67/month for 15 months — that's $6.28/month in savings.
Read our full review of ExpressVPN.
Most affordable: CyberGhost VPN
Opens in a new window Credit: CyberGhost VPN CyberGhost VPN (2 years + 2 months) $2.19/month (save $10.80/month) Get DealA more affordable option we recommend is CyberGhost VPN. It offers specialized streaming servers, free access to ID Guard and Privacy Guard, and over 9,000 servers in 91 countries. Of course, the ones that matter to you when streaming NFL games are the ones based in the U.S. With CyberGhost VPN, you only have 11 U.S. cities to choose from, so make sure your region is included before pulling the trigger on this option. The U.S.-based servers include Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, DC. New customers can save over 80% on a 26-month plan and pay just $2.19/month. There's also a money-back guarantee within 45 days.
Read our full review of CyberGhost VPN.
Best premium pick: NordVPN
Opens in a new window Credit: NordVPN NordVPN Standard (2 years + 3 months) $3.19/month (save $9.90/month) Get DealThis well-known VPN is a more premium choice with fancy features like split tunneling, built-in malware protection, and multi-hop connections. In other words, it's for "users who don't need their hands held," as Mashable shopping reporter Haley Henschel noted. If you're new to VPNs, it may not be the best option for you. NordVPN offers over 5,000 servers in 60 countries, including 15 cities in the U.S.: Atlanta, Buffalo, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Manassas, Miami, New York, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, and St. Louis. At $3.19/month for 27 months, it's also pretty affordable.
Read our full review of NordVPN.
Honorable mention: Private Internet Access
Opens in a new window Credit: Private Internet Access Private Internet Access (2 years + 2 months) $2.19/month (save $9.80/month) Get DealWhile Private Internet Access (PIA) is nothing special as far as VPNs go, it's worth a mention for its massive number of servers based in the U.S. Mashable contributor Charles Poladian found it to be pretty basic, but still effective with open-source apps, built-in ad blocking, and unlimited simultaneous connections. There's servers based in all 50 states, making it much more likely for you to find a server in a city close to you for NFL streaming. Plus, it's only $2.19/month for 26 months of coverage (82% off the regular rate).
In conclusion: How to watch every NFL game in 2023
We warned you at the jump: If you want to learn how to watch all NFL games in the 2023-2024 season, you'll have to do some homework. The NFL makes it extremely complicated (there's that word again) to watch out-of-market games, and even cable TV subscribers will need additional streaming services.
To summarize, cable TV is your best bet for watching the majority of in-market NFL games as well as Sunday and Monday Night Football games. However, you'll need Prime Video to watch Thursday Night football. For NFL fans without cable, NFL Sunday Ticket (and not NFL+) is your best bet to watch locally broadcast and out-of-market NFL games on Sundays, but it doesn't come cheap. A VPN service may help you hack your way into watching games in other broadcast areas, but there is no guarantee it will work for all games throughout the season.
You can thank the NFL for making it so incredibly complicated. Even after reading our guide on how to watch NFL games in 2023, you may still need a spreadsheet to keep track of everything. Perhaps you're beginning to see why the league is so unpopular among many sports fans. Plus, thanks to years-long deals with broadcast partners like Prime Video, CBS, and Fox, don't expect any changes in the near future.
