With the current trend of cord-cutters on the rise, football enthusiasts are now in search of how to catch their NFL teams without the cable. The great news is that there are far more ways today to watch NFL games and not be beholden to a cable provider. In this ultimate guide to Games in 2024, we will discuss different streaming services and possibilities in detail, including the Top Methods to Watch Out-of-Market NFL Games Without Cable in 2024.
The Changing Landscape of NFL Broadcasting
The NFL has adapted to the changing media landscape by partnering with various streaming platforms and networks. This season, you can watch out-of-market NFL games spread across multiple channels and services, including:
- CBS and Fox for Sunday afternoon games
- NBC for “Sunday Night Football”
- ESPN for “Monday Night Football”
- Amazon Prime Video for “Thursday Night Football”
- Paramount+ for CBS games
- Peacock for NBC games
- NFL Network for select games
- NFL+ for mobile viewing
This diverse distribution ensures that fans have multiple ways to access games, but it also means that you may need to subscribe to multiple services to catch all the action.
Key Dates and Events for the 2024 NFL Season
Before diving into the streaming options, let’s highlight some important dates for the 2024 NFL season:
- Regular season kickoff: September 8, 2024
- Thanksgiving Day games: November 28, 2024 (CBS, Fox, and NBC)
- Black Friday game: November 29, 2024 (Amazon Prime Video)
- Christmas Day games: December 25, 2024 (Netflix)
- Super Bowl LIX: February 9, 2025 (Fox)
Streaming Options for NFL Fans
Let’s explore the various streaming services that offer NFL coverage, along with their features and what games you can expect to watch.
1. Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video has brought a new dimension to NFL broadcasting with the takeover of “Thursday Night Football”. This streaming giant provides sharp video streaming, cleanliness of interfaces on multiple devices, and compatibility with other Amazon services. Thursday Night Football is one of the engagements through which Prime Video has introduced the NFL to other consumers, who can choose from movies, TV shows, and exclusive content.
Services:
- Exclusive rights to “Thursday Night Football” games
- One exclusive NFL “Wild Card” playoff game
- Access to other Prime Video content
Games Available:
- 15 regular-season “Thursday Night Football” games
- Black Friday game (Las Vegas Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs in 2024)
- One exclusive playoff game
2. DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream is the streaming-based alternative to the traditional satellite TV service DirecTV and has all that a football fan would need. It blends the security of an existing television service provider with the simplicity of today’s streaming services. DirecTV Stream lets you watch your favourite NFL content with ease after ditching cable with many channels and sports offered.
Services:
- Access to all four major broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC)
- ESPN, NFL Network, and NFL RedZone
Games Available:
- Sunday afternoon games on CBS and Fox
- “Sunday Night Football” on NBC
- “Monday Night Football” on ESPN
- Access to NFL Network content
3. ESPN+
ESPN+ is a direct-to-consumer subscription service which is an extension of the organization that focuses on sports broadcasting and provides a limited amount of NFL content. It coexists as a separate service for the most avid spectators of sports events, where only games, comments, and broadcasts are offered. Although they do not broadcast NFL games in full, ESPN+ enriches watching with exclusive content and occasional matches making it an appealing extra for fans.
Services:
- Select “Monday Night Football” games
- One divisional and one wild card playoff game
Games Available:
- Select “Monday Night Football” games
- One exclusive international game (Chargers vs. Cardinals in 2024)
- Playoff coverage
4. Fubo
Fubo is a streaming service that is geared towards sports enthusiasts, especially those who follow multiple leagues and competitions, especially the NFL. It presents a strong package of comprehensive channel lists with the mainstream and speciality sports networks. Fubo TV, although it lacks the big channels that other platforms offer, is easy to navigate, has a reliable streaming quality and comes equipped with a cloud DVR, which makes it ideal for those who want to watch sports, with a focus on the NFL games.
Services:
- Access to CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN, and NFL Network
- Option to add NFL RedZone
Games Available:
- Sunday afternoon games on CBS and Fox
- “Sunday Night Football” on NBC
- “Monday Night Football” on ESPN
- NFL Network content
5. Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV is an amalgamation of Hulu and Live TV, that brings approximately 75+ channels and a vast library of on-demand content with strong NFL Leagues. This service works directly in between cable and streaming services, offering access to major networks, sports channels and an almost limitless amount of content on-demand. It is user-friendly and is available across various devices and operating systems which makes it ideal for NFL fans looking for one place to stream their events.
Services:
- Access to ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN, and NFL Network
- Option to add NFL RedZone
Games Available:
- Sunday afternoon games on CBS and Fox
- “Sunday Night Football” on NBC
- “Monday Night Football” on ESPN
- NFL Network content
6. Netflix
Cable TV or satellite offered the first taste of on-demand streaming and Netflix has now just entered the live sports domain as they purchased exclusive rights to the NFL Christmas Day games. This expansion aims at Netflix at the world of live sporting event broadcast for the very first time. The addition of NFL to Netflix complements its primary business of streaming movies and TV shows, and may well entice sports fans to its site.
Services:
- Exclusive Christmas Day NFL games
Games Available:
- Two Christmas Day games in 2024:
- Kansas City Chiefs at Pittsburgh Steelers (1 p.m. ET)
- Baltimore Ravens at Houston Texans (4:30 p.m. ET)
7. NFL+
NFL+ is the exclusive streaming service launched by the NFL for users and avid fans of the league. The new app combines the functionality of the previous NFL Game Pass as well as the NFL Mobile app with options for mobile live game streaming and NFL content. NFL+ is designed for those who watch NFL content on the go and fans who want more NFL content and content related to games in particular, such as replays, NFL Films content, and live NFL game audio.
Services:
- Live in-market games on mobile devices
- Prime time games on mobile devices
- Access to NFL Films library
- NFL Network and NFL RedZone (Premium tier)
Games Available:
- Live local and prime-time games (mobile only)
- Four exclusive international games
- Three “Saturday Showdown” games
8. Paramount+
This platform was earlier called CBS All Access but now it goes by the name Paramount+. This means the watcher gets access to all the NFL CBS broadcasts and tons of other shows and movies from the ViacomCBS library. For fans of the NFL, it represents a cheap means of watching CBS games without having to subscribe to cable television. The service also features exclusive programming, movies, and other sports programs making the platform a perfect choice for getting the NFL package along with regular entertainment.
Services:
- Live streaming of local CBS games
- NFL-related pregame shows
Games Available:
- All CBS NFL broadcasts, including:
- Sunday afternoon AFC games
- AFC playoff games
- AFC Championship game
9. Peacock
Peacock NBCUniversal service contains both live sports, NFL coverage in particular, and the vast catalogue of TV shows and films. It offers access to games aired on NBC’s NFL including the much-hyped “Sunday Night Football”. Peacock has different plans as well where viewers can select ad-supported and ad-free plans and get the best NFL experience within their range.
Services:
- Live streaming of NBC games
- One exclusive regular-season game
- One exclusive playoff game
Games Available:
- All NBC “Sunday Night Football” games
- One exclusive regular-season game (Eagles vs. Packers in São Paulo, Brazil for 2024)
- One exclusive playoff game
10. Sling TV
Sling TV is the pioneer of live TV streaming and it provides a more flexible and cheaper method of watching live TV known as skinny bundles. This structure allows the subscriber to select between a set number of packages and then additional options for viewing the NFL. Like many streaming services, Sling TV does not provide as much coverage of the NFL as some of its competitors do but it is more flexible and cheaper than many services that deliver NFL coverage.
Services:
- Access to ABC, NBC, Fox, NFL Network, and ESPN (varies by package)
- Option to add NFL RedZone
Games Available:
- Varies based on package, but can include:
- “Sunday Night Football” on NBC
- “Monday Night Football” on ESPN
- Select games on Fox and ABC
11. YouTube TV
YouTube TV has quickly established itself as a competitor in the live TV streaming market, delivering a whole package focusing on the NFL. It takes the traditional YouTube UI and pairs it with 60+ channels, unlimited storage space on the cloud DVR, and the new addition of NFL Sunday Ticket, available only through YouTube TV. This makes YouTube TV among the best streaming services for NFL fans since you can watch local games, prime-time games and out-of-market games in one place.
Services:
- Access to all major broadcast networks, ESPN, and NFL Network
- The exclusive home of NFL Sunday Ticket
- Option to add NFL RedZone
Games Available:
- Sunday afternoon games on CBS and Fox
- “Sunday Night Football” on NBC
- “Monday Night Football” on ESPN
- All out-of-market games with NFL Sunday Ticket add-on
Comparison Table of NFL Streaming Services
| Service | Local Games | Prime Time Games | NFL Network | RedZone | Exclusive Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Prime Video | No | Thursday Night | No | No | Yes (TNF) |
| DirecTV Stream | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| ESPN+ | No | Select MNF | No | No | Yes (1 Int'l) |
| Fubo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Add-on | No |
| Hulu + Live TV | Yes | Yes | Yes | Add-on | No |
| Netflix | No | No | No | No | Yes (Christmas) |
| NFL+ | Yes (mobile) | Yes (mobile) | Premium | Premium | Yes (Int'l) |
| Paramount+ | CBS only | No | No | No | No |
| Peacock | NBC only | SNF | No | No | Yes (1 Reg, 1 Playoff) |
| Sling TV | Partial | Partial | Yes | Add-on | No |
| YouTube TV | Yes | Yes | Yes | Add-on | No* |
*YouTube TV offers NFL Sunday Ticket as a premium add-on for out-of-market games.
Additional Ways to Enhance Your NFL Viewing Experience
Over-the-Air Antenna
For people who like to watch local games only, an over-the-air antenna can be quite useful for you, and you do not need to spend a lot of money. This also enables you to tune into CBS, Fox, or NBC and get your local team’s games and national coverage for free.
Mobile Apps for Authentication
If you have a cable or satellite subscription, you can try to watch through the individual network apps that include CBS Sports, Fox Sports, NBC Sports, ESPN App and so on, using your TV provider credentials.
4K and HDR Broadcasts
While 4K NFL broadcasts are still limited, some providers are beginning to offer enhanced viewing experiences:
- Fox has been reported to air some of its Sunday games in 4K HDR.
- Amazon Prime Video brings HDR to “Thursday Night Football”.
- Since technology is rapidly evolving, more games can be obtained in better formats shortly.
How to Choose the Best Streaming Platform
When deciding which streaming service(s) to subscribe to for NFL coverage, consider the following factors:
- Local Team Coverage: Make sure the service provides your local CBS and Fox affiliates for the games that are played on Sunday afternoon.
- Prime Time Preferences: For football lovers who love night games, especially on weekends, those services with NBC, ESPN, and Amazon Prime Video should be chosen.
- Additional Sports Content: Some of these services provide coverage of other sports which might be an influencing factor.
- Budget: Think about how many services you will have to integrate and what is the sum of subscriptions costs in this case.
Device Compatibility: Make sure the service is compatible with your desired streaming devices (smart TV, mobile devices, streaming sticks, etc.).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a way to stream all NFL games using just one streaming platform?
Regrettably, none of the streaming services provides viewers with an opportunity to watch all the NFL games. In most cases, you will require a package or even several add-ons to have the full package of coverage.
Yes, for those who do not have a satellite subscription is NFL Sunday Ticket available now?
Yes, the NFL Sunday Ticket is now only offered through YouTube TV, as a bundled package with a YouTube TV subscription or as a standalone product.
It is possible to watch NFL games for free.
Unlike the other streaming options, you get to watch some of the games for free, provided you have an over-the-air antenna to get local channels.
What are the current options for streaming the NFL games online from outside the United States?
Yes, NFL Game Pass International has all the games that fans interested in other leagues outside America need. In the United States, some of the international games are on NFL Network or online only.
In what way can one view NFL events on their portable device?
The NFL Plus app enables mobile devices to watch live local and prime-time match events. Other streaming services also provide a mobile app for streaming your favourite shows on the go.
