The NFL Streaming Game Plan: What Do You Actually Need?

Remember the days when you didn’t have to worry about looking at the NFL Week 1 schedule to figure out what streaming services were required to watch all of the games?

Welcome to 2026, where if you’re a diehard NFL fan or are monitoring fantasy football lineups, you almost need to make a shopping list of streaming services. As far as watching the NFL goes, if you’re a cord-cutter, just paying for a Hulu or DIRECTV subscription is no longer enough. These days you might need the combination of NFL Sunday Ticket, Prime Video, and Netflix. 

Here’s a closer look at what subscriptions NFL fans truly need to enjoy the 2026 season.

Where NFL Games Actually Air in 2026

Sports bettors looking to avoid making significant investments in streaming services during the 2026 NFL season have difficult decisions to make.  

The reality is if you want to watch every NFL game during the 2026-27 season, you’ll need five different subscriptions, one of which is your main provider or streaming service so you can get CBS, FOX, ABC/ESPN, NFL Network, and NBC. Of course, if you reside in a legal sports betting state, just head over to the local Caesars or BetMGM retail sportsbook.

If you prefer staying home, here’s a complete rundown of what games and packages each network or streamer offers.

The Three-Tier Streaming Guide

Here are different ways to approach the all-important NFL streaming decisions.

Budget Package

If you reside in the market of your favorite NFL team or are simply looking to watch as many games as possible, ABC/ESPN, CBS, FOX, and NBC come as a package deal through your cable or streaming provider. 

The DIRECTV Choice package is a reasonably priced option (under $80 per month) because it includes Hulu, Disney+, ESPN+, all of your local channels plus NFL Network, so you’ll be covered for most of the international games. Customers can pick packages based on budget and needs. 

While Thursday Night Football isn’t known for having the most riveting games, Prime Video comes at no additional cost for Amazon Prime members. You can pay $13.99 per month or $139 annually. Since the Netflix NFL schedule includes several intriguing games, including the Week 1 Rams vs. 49ers from Melbourne, the standard package with ads runs $8.99 a month. 

Combine the three services together, and it comes out to just under $100 per month or around $500 for the entire NFL regular season. The price could be reduced by picking a cheaper DIRECTV package and eliminating Prime, as long as you're OK with missing 16 regular season games and a Wild Card matchup. 

An NFL+ subscription is a cheaper option. For $40 annually, or $7.99 a month, you get live local and primetime regular season games to stream on your phone or tablet.  

Value Package

The average serious fan is most likely seeking a balance between cost and coverage. It’s more about finding the right combination based on how you watch football. For instance, Jets, Raiders, Titans, Cardinals, and Dolphins fans can skip Prime Video and Netflix completely because those teams made the national TV cut. 

Before making any decisions,  look at your favorite team’s schedule and decide which services are needed. The defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, for example, only have one TNF game, and that’s Week 6 against the Denver Broncos. The rest are on NBC, FOX, CBS or ABC/ESPN. So essentially, you could get a one-month Prime Video subscription for October. The rest will be available via Verizon, Xfinity, or streaming service of choice. 

In this case, Sunday Ticket seems like a complete waste, being that Seattle has six primetime games and another on a late Saturday afternoon. The DIRECTV Choice or Hulu + Live TV option ($89.99 per month) is a great value as you get NFL Network, Disney+, ESPN Select along with all the major NFL networks.  

Comprehensive Package

If you’re one of those NFL bettors who has multiple parlays going every Sunday or a fantasy football owner with three different teams, having the ability to monitor all of the scoring plays becomes a priority. Unless you have four screens going, this scenario presents its challenges.

Out of the three tiers, this is the one where investing in YouTube NFL Sunday Ticket makes sense, as you’ll get all of the Sunday afternoon out-of-market games. It’s a good idea to shop around to see if there are any deals tied into the upcoming NFL season. The current YouTube promotion for new users is $30 a month for eight months or $240 annually.

When you select  “Get Both Now,” it shows the most comprehensive plan” offer is $67.99 a month for the first three months before the price jumps to $82.99 per month. The upside is you’re getting 170 channels, including ABC, ESPN, CBS, FOX, NBC, and NFL Network. 

You would still need Netflix and Prime subscriptions to fill in the gap. Since Peacock only has one exclusive game this season, that can be a one-month deal or even a free trial. If you decide to purchase the premium Netflix and Peacock premium plans, the combo will probably set you back about $130 a month. Purchasing Sunday Ticket means there is no need for NFL+ Premium or RedZone. 

Is an NFL Sunday Ticket Subscription Necessary?

Unless you have relocated overseas, investing in the NFL Sunday Ticket package seems like a bad investment. Why shell out $240 for a year when you can watch most games at no additional expense on FOX, CBS, NBC, or ABC/ESPN? Sunday Ticket only has Sunday afternoon out-of-market games. The L.A. Rams, who are the early Super Bowl favorites with +550 odds, have seven Prime Time games this season.  

5 NFL Streaming Traps To Avoid

As you evaluate what streaming services will best fulfill your NFL viewing needs, it’s important to avoid the following streaming traps:

• NFL Sunday Ticket does not include every game, even on Sundays. 
• Avoid purchasing separate Hulu and Disney+ subscriptions. A Hulu + Live TV subscription gets you both services, and includes local channels, NFL Network, and the ESPN App. 
• The 2026 NFL schedule only includes one Peacock exclusive game. 
• Don’t pay for services year-round that you only need for the NFL season.
• Local TV networks typically pick up the local TNF feed, so a Prime Video subscription may not be required.