How to Stream NFL Live Games

It’s Sunday, and your team kicks off soon. You grab the remote to watch football, but then the search begins. Is it on a local channel, cable, or some streaming app? The system is genuinely confusing by design, but this guide will simplify it.

The NFL sells exclusive rights to show specific games to different companies, like CBS, FOX, and Amazon. This means no single service can show every game. Think of it like your movie streaming apps: a new blockbuster might only be on Netflix, while another is exclusive to Disney+. To watch a specific movie, you need the right subscription. NFL broadcast rights work the same way.

Instead of looking for an all-in-one solution, the key is understanding whether the game you want to watch is considered “in-market” or “out-of-market.” This single distinction changes everything.

The Most Important Question: Is Your Game In-Market or Out-of-Market?

In-market games are the ones your local TV stations (like your area’s CBS or FOX affiliate) have the rights to show. These are almost always the games featuring your designated home team, plus any nationally televised primetime matchups like Sunday Night Football.

For instance, if you live in or around Kansas City, the Chiefs game is your primary in-market game on a Sunday afternoon. Your local station has paid for the exclusive right to broadcast that game to you, making it easy to find on basic TV channels.

Every other game happening at the same time is considered out-of-market. This is why you can’t just flip through channels and watch any team you want; the broadcasts are geographically restricted. Because your local channel has the exclusive rights to the in-market game, all other simultaneous games are effectively “blacked out” in your area on standard channels.

If you’re that same Chiefs fan but you now live in Miami, the Chiefs game is out-of-market for you, while the Dolphins game is in-market. Knowing which category your game falls into is the key to choosing the right service.

Solution 1: How to Watch Your Local and Primetime Games Without Cable

For in-market games, the simplest solution is often a modern HD Antenna. This isn’t your grandparent’s set of rabbit ears. An affordable antenna can pull in free, over-the-air broadcasts from your local CBS, FOX, and NBC stations, giving you perfect HD picture for most Sunday afternoon games and Sunday Night Football at no monthly cost.

For a more comprehensive option, a Live TV Streaming Service is your best bet. Services like YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV replace a traditional cable package, delivered over your internet connection. They typically bundle all the key channels you need in one place:

• Local Channels: CBS, FOX, and NBC for your in-market games.
• National Sports Channels: ESPN and NFL Network for primetime games and analysis.

Beyond the Sunday afternoon slate, three primetime games have their own exclusive homes. Thursday Night Football is streamed nationally on Amazon Prime Video. Sunday Night Football is always on NBC (available via antenna or any service with NBC), and Monday Night Football requires ESPN.

Between an antenna and a live TV streamer, you are completely covered for every local and nationally televised game. But what if you’re that dedicated Chiefs fan living in Miami? That’s an out-of-market problem, and it requires a different solution.

Solution 2: For the Diehard Fan Far From Home—NFL Sunday Ticket Explained

For the Chiefs fan in Miami, there is one definitive answer: NFL Sunday Ticket. This premium service is designed to solve the out-of-market problem. It gives you a live feed of nearly every Sunday afternoon game—the ones airing on CBS and FOX in other cities—so you can reliably watch your favorite team no matter where you live.

Now hosted on YouTube, you can get Sunday Ticket as a standalone subscription or add it to a YouTube TV plan. It comes at a premium price, but there’s a huge perk for those who qualify: a heavily discounted NFL Sunday Ticket student price. This makes it a much more accessible option for college students away from their hometown team.

Sunday Ticket does have blackouts. Since your local CBS or FOX station has exclusive rights to the in-market game, Sunday Ticket will “black out” that specific game on its service in your area. You can watch any other game happening at that time, just not the one playing on your local channels. It’s the ultimate tool for following a distant team, but it won’t get you around local blackout restrictions.

Beyond Full Games: What Are NFL RedZone and NFL+?

If you just want to see all the action from around the league, NFL RedZone is the perfect solution. This special channel is like a live, commercial-free highlight reel, jumping from game to game every Sunday afternoon to show you every team the moment they get close to scoring. It’s ideal for fantasy football managers or anyone who wants the constant excitement of every big play.

Then there’s the NFL’s own service, NFL+. Its live game access comes with one very important rule: you can watch live local and primetime games, but only on a phone or tablet. You cannot stream a live game to your television. This makes it a great on-the-go option, but it isn’t a replacement for a full TV streaming package.

One of the best hidden gems of an NFL+ subscription is the ability to listen to live game audio for every single game. You can pull up the app on any device and listen to the home or away radio broadcast, making it one of the most affordable ways to follow your favorite team if you can’t watch.

Decision Time: Which NFL Streaming Service Should You Get?

The best streaming service for you boils down to one question: Do you need to watch “out-of-market” games, or are you happy with just your local team and primetime matchups? If you’re a fan living away from your favorite team, your choice is simple: YouTube TV with the NFL Sunday Ticket add-on is the only service that lets you watch every single out-of-market Sunday game.

For fans who just need the essentials—their local team plus national games—the choice is between a few excellent live TV streaming services. The YouTube TV vs. Fubo for football debate is a close one:

• YouTube TV: The best all-around choice and the exclusive home of NFL Sunday Ticket.
• Fubo: A great alternative with a sports-first focus, offering NFL RedZone in some plans and select games in 4K.
• Sling TV: A solid budget option if you just want ESPN for Monday Night Football and local channels like FOX/NBC (in select areas).

Getting comprehensive access requires a base live TV subscription (like YouTube TV, ~$73/mo), the NFL Sunday Ticket add-on (~$349/season), and an Amazon Prime subscription for Thursday Night Football. This combination gives you a ticket to every kickoff, but it’s a premium investment.

Your 3-Step Kickoff Checklist

Finding the right NFL game doesn’t have to be chaotic once you know the difference between in-market and out-of-market games. Just follow this simple guide:

1. Identify Your Team: Who are you rooting for?
2. In-Market or Out?: Is it your designated home team, or a team from another region?
3. Choose Your Path: Pick a Live TV Streamer for local and primetime games, or get NFL Sunday Ticket for everything else.

These services work on the smart TVs, phones, and streaming boxes you already own. You’re now equipped with a clear plan and ready for kickoff.