How to watch nfl preseason games

You've finally got a minute to sit down, crack open a cold one, and watch some football. But it's August. Preseason.

And you're staring at your TV, remote in hand, wondering how to watch nfl preseason games without paying for the full cable package you ditched two years ago.

Here's the thing: the NFL broadcast landscape splits across multiple networks and streaming tiers, so there's no single answer. As of 2026, the options range from free over-the-air local broadcasts to the league's own NFL+ app, which runs about $7 a month for every preseason game on every device. Let's break down the decision tree so you land on the right setup for your situation.

The Easiest Way to Watch Preseason Football Right Now

The best way to watch NFL preseason games is NFL+. The league's own app streams every preseason game live, regardless of your TV provider or location. It costs about $7 a month as of 2026.

You can watch on your phone, tablet, or TV app. There are zero blackout restrictions for preseason games.

That's the short answer. The longer answer depends on what you already own and where you live. Keep reading, because you might already have everything you need.

Why Watching Preseason Football Feels So Confusing

Because preseason games get scattered across more channels than a typical regular-season slate. Regular-season football follows a predictable script. Thursday night lives on Amazon Prime.

Sunday afternoons split between Fox and CBS. Sunday night belongs to NBC. Monday night goes to ESPN.

Once you're used to that rhythm, preseason throws a curveball.

The NFL doesn't hand preseason games to one national broadcaster. Instead, the league assigns each game to a local station first. National networks like NFL Network and ESPN only pick up the leftovers.

That means your viewing options change depending on your zip code, your cable package, and even the week of the preseason.

Here's what's actually out there:

• Local over-the-air stations: CBS, Fox, NBC, and ABC affiliates air most home-market preseason games for free.
• NFL Network: The league's cable channel carries a national slate of games, usually ones not claimed by local stations.
• ESPN: Typically lands the Hall of Fame Game and a couple of Thursday night matchups.
• NFL+: The only service that carries every single preseason game, everywhere in the United States.

That patchwork is exactly what frustrates people. You might see a game listed as "NFL Network," but your specific cable package might not include that channel. Meanwhile, your neighbor with an antenna gets the same game on local Fox for free.

The system is fragmented by design, because local broadcast rights are the NFL's oldest and most protected relationship.

And here's the trap that catches plenty of people: NFL Sunday Ticket does absolutely nothing for preseason. Sunday Ticket is built for out-of-market regular-season games. It doesn't carry a single August exhibition.

So if you already shelled out for Sunday Ticket, you're still missing most of the preseason.

What Do You Already Have? (Start Here)

Let's make this simple. Answer these three questions, and the right path becomes obvious.

Question 1: Do you live in the same market as the team you want to watch?

If yes, you likely have free access through a local antenna. If no, you'll need a paid option like NFL+ or a cable bundle with NFL Network.

Question 2: Do you already pay for cable, satellite, or a live TV streaming service?

Services like YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, FuboTV, and Sling TV all carry local broadcast stations. That means in-market preseason games are probably already in your lineup.

Question 3: Are you willing to spend $7 for a one-month subscription?

If yes, NFL+ covers everything with zero hassle. If no, you're limited to the free antenna route or whatever your current TV package includes.

Here's how those answers map to a decision:

The good news is that every path here is legitimate, legal, and reasonably reliable. You just need to pick the branch that matches your current setup. The next two sections walk through the two strongest options in detail.

Option 1: The Free Route, Local Antenna Broadcasts

If you live in your team's home market, stop paying for anything. A basic TV antenna pulls your local CBS, Fox, NBC, and ABC affiliates out of thin air. Those stations broadcast most home-team preseason games, and they do it for free.

What You Need

The equipment list is short. You need an antenna, a TV with a built-in digital tuner, and a window or wall near the broadcast towers. That's it.

Every television sold in the United States since 2007 includes a digital tuner, so there's nothing extra to buy on that front.

As for the antenna itself, the cheap flat indoor models work fine if you live within roughly 20 to 30 miles of the transmission towers. A $20 paper-thin antenna from Amazon picks up a surprising amount of channels. If you're further out, a larger amplified model or an attic mount helps.

But start cheap. You can always upgrade.

How to Check Your Signal

Before you spend a dime, check what's actually available at your address. The FCC provides a DTV reception maps tool that shows exactly which broadcast channels you'll receive based on your street address. It's the same tool TV installers use, and it's completely free.

Here's the thing about antenna signals: they're digital, which means they're either there or they're not. There's no grainy in-between. If you get a signal, the picture is actually cleaner than cable because it's uncompressed.

A crisp 1080i signal over the air beats your cable box's compressed feed, honestly.

The Limits of This Route

The antenna only works for in-market games. If you're a Packers fan living in Chicago, you're not getting Wisconsin stations through the air. The FCC maps will show you Chicago channels, not Green Bay's.

Also, not every preseason game airs on a local station. The league sometimes assigns games exclusively to NFL Network, especially the second and third weeks. Your antenna won't catch those.

For those games, you'd need a cable login or a streaming service that carries NFL Network.

Who This Works Best For

• Fans living in the same metropolitan area as their team
• People who want to watch on a big TV without any subscription
• Anyone trying to watch preseason with zero monthly cost

Option 2: NFL+, The Cord-Cutter's Best Friend

NFL+ is the league's own streaming service, and it's the closest thing to a sure thing for preseason football. It launched in 2022 to replace NFL Game Pass in the United States, and it's quietly become the best value in football for August.

What You Get

The standard tier costs $6.99 per month, or $49.99 per year. For that price, you get:

• Every NFL preseason game, live, on any device
• All local and primetime regular-season games live on phone and tablet
• NFL Network included in the app
• 24-hour replays of every regular-season game

The premium tier bumps up to $14.99 per month and adds NFL RedZone, full game replays at any time, condensed games, and the NFL Films archive. For preseason specifically, the standard tier is all you need.

The Really Important Part: No Blackouts

Here's what makes NFL+ different from everything else. Preseason games on NFL+ have zero blackout restrictions. Whether a game is airing on your local Fox station, NFL Network, or somewhere else entirely, you can watch it through the app.

That's a huge deal for fans who live outside their team's home market.

Which Devices Work

Preseason games stream on any screen. You can watch on your phone, tablet, or directly through the NFL+ app on Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Google TV. Casting from your phone to a Chromecast also works.

The mobile-only restriction for regular-season games does not apply to preseason. The league knows preseason fans just want to watch football without jumping through hoops, so they keep it simple.

Where to Find It

You can sign up directly through NFL.com or inside the NFL app on your device. There's also a seven-day free trial that covers the first week of preseason games if you time it right.

The Catch (There's Always One)

NFL+ won't help you with out-of-market regular-season games. That's still Sunday Ticket territory, and Sunday Ticket runs about $79 per month for the season. For preseason only, though, NFL+ is the cleanest, cheapest, most complete answer.

Who This Works Best For

• Out-of-market fans with no local broadcast access
• Cord-cutters who want every game without any guesswork
• Busy people who want to watch on their phone during a commute

If the antenna route is the budget play, NFL+ is the convenience play. One month, seven bucks, every preseason game in the country.

Option 3: Live TV Streaming Services, Full Channel Lineup

If you want the full TV experience without a cable contract, live TV streaming services are the middle ground. They carry the local channels you'd get with an antenna, plus the national networks like ESPN and NFL Network. You pay more than NFL+, but you also get a complete channel lineup for regular-season football, news, and everything else.

What Each Service Carries

Not all streaming services are created equal. Here's the breakdown you need:

Sling Blue is notable because it's the cheapest way to get NFL Network. It's priced at around $45 per month as of 2026. The catch is that local channels depend on your market.

Some Sling Blue subscribers get Fox or NBC locally, some don't. You need to check coverage before you commit.

How to Check What You'll Get

Every service has a channel lineup page on its website. Type in your zip code, and it'll show you exactly which local channels you'll receive. This matters more than you think.

Someone in New York City will get every local affiliate. Someone in a rural part of Montana might get almost none. Always verify before subscribing.

The Free Trial Hopping Trick

Every major streaming service offers a free trial, usually five to seven days. Preseason football runs about three weeks. You can theoretically use a free trial, watch the games you need, then cancel before you get billed.

That's completely legal and totally within the terms of service. Just set a reminder on your phone so you don't forget to cancel.

Want to watch the entire preseason on a single free trial? Sign up for YouTube TV right before the final week of August. That's when the dress rehearsal games happen, the ones with starters playing real snaps.

Watch those, cancel after a week, and you've seen the most meaningful preseason action for exactly zero dollars.

Who This Works Best For

• People who already plan to subscribe for the regular season
• Households that watch multiple sports, not just football
• Anyone who wants a DVR to record games and watch later

The obvious downside is price. Fifteen times the cost of NFL+, for a channel lineup you might not fully use. But if you already have one of these services for the rest of the year, preseason games are just a bonus, not the reason to sign up.

Option 4: Cable, Sports Bars, and the Just Go Out Route

Sometimes the old-school route wins. Traditional cable and satellite packages already include the local channels, ESPN, and NFL Network. If you have cable, you probably have everything you need.

Just flip to the right channel and watch.

The "Cable" Reality Check

Cable packages vary wildly when it comes to NFL Network. Some mid-tier bundles include it, some don't. Check your channel lineup on your provider's website.

If you're paying for "basic" or "economy" cable, there's a good chance NFL Network is not in your package. In that case, the best solution is to watch on the local over-the-air station instead.

The Sports Bar Route

If you don't have any TV service and you don't feel like paying for a month of streaming, there's another option entirely. Go to a sports bar. Buffalo Wild Wings, Hooters, your neighborhood dive, wherever you like on game day.

They all carry NFL Network and local channels as part of their commercial subscriptions.

You'll spend money on wings and drinks either way. But you'll get a table, a big screen, and a crowd to react with when your backup quarterback throws a 70-yard bomb to the fourth-string receiver. That's a pretty good experience for the cost of lunch.

The one thing to check before you go is whether the bar actually shows preseason. Some small spots cut back during August because demand drops. Call ahead and ask.

It saves you a wasted trip.

Who This Works Best For

• Cord-cutters who don't want another subscription
• Social viewers who enjoy watching games with other fans
• People traveling away from home without their usual setup

There's also something to be said for the lower stakes of preseason. A random Wednesday game against the Bears in Week 2 isn't exactly must-see solo viewing. Pairing it with a cold beer and a basket of wings makes it feel like an event rather than a chore.

Cord-Cutters vs. Pay-TV Subscribers, A Quick Comparison Table

Now that you've seen all four options, here's the full side-by-side. Use this as your cheat sheet when deciding.

As you can see, NFL+ wins on price and coverage. The antenna wins on pure free access. Cable and streaming win when you want the regular-season setup as well.

There's a reason the league pushed NFL+ so hard: it's the only option that cuts through all the confusion.

How to Watch Out-of-Market Preseason Games

If you're an out-of-market fan, your options narrow quickly. You don't get the local station broadcast. Your cable package likely doesn't include the opponent's local affiliate.

So what do you do?

NFL+ Is the Real Answer

The NFL+ app carries every preseason game, no matter where you live. That's the entire value proposition for out-of-market fans. No cable, no blackouts, no zip-code roulette.

Just seven bucks and you get the whole slate of August football.

The VPN Temptation (And Why It's a Trap)

You might read that using a VPN to spoof your location can trick streaming services into thinking you're somewhere else. That works for some things, but not reliably for NFL preseason. The league's streaming feeds check your billing zip code, not just your IP address.

VPNs can also trigger fraud flags on your account, which means you could lose access entirely. It's not worth the headache.

What About International Fans?

If you're outside the United States, your options differ. The preseason games used to be on NFL Game Pass internationally, but the league has rolled those international rights into their regional broadcast deals. The cleanest solution is DAZN, which holds the NFL Game Pass international rights in most markets.

You can check availability in your country through the DAZN website. For American readers, NFL+ remains the correct choice.

Who This Works Best For

• Fans living in a different state than their team
• Military members stationed overseas
• Snowbirds spending August in another state

The bottom line here is straightforward. Out-of-market equals NFL+. That's the answer, full stop.

What Does It Actually Cost? A Pricing Breakdown

Let's talk money. Every option has a different price tag, and some have hidden costs you need to account for.

The Antenna Reality Check

An antenna seems free, but you're paying for hardware. The cheap models start around $20 on Amazon. Better amplified models run $40 to $60.

If you need to mount it in the attic or hire someone to set up a rooftop antenna, you're looking at $100 to $200 in labor.

That's still a one-time cost, and it pays for itself after a few months of free local TV. If you watch any broadcast network at all, the antenna is a money saver long-term.

The NFL+ Math

NFL+ costs $6.99 for the standard tier. One month of that covers the entire preseason. Two months if you want a buffer before the regular season.

At worst, you're looking at $14 to cover the whole experience. That's less than a single ticket to a preseason game.

If you're a regular-season watcher too, the annual plan is $49.99. That covers every preseason game, all regular-season games on your phone, and the full NFL Network library. It's the highest-value sports subscription in the game.

Streaming Service Costs

• YouTube TV: ~$72.99/month
• Hulu + Live TV: ~$75.99/month
• FuboTV: ~$79.99/month
• Sling Blue: ~$45/month

These are the real prices as of 2026. Every one of them charges tax on top, so add a few dollars. If you sign up for one month just for preseason and cancel, you're still paying $45 to $80 for what NFL+ delivers at $7.

The Real Cost Comparison

The clear value winner is NFL+. The antenna is only cheaper if you count it as a long-term investment. Even then, it doesn't cover out-of-market games.

For the purest catch-all solution, the math doesn't get any better than seven bucks.

Mistakes to Avoid When Watching Preseason Football

Plenty of people stumble into these cardinal sins every August. Avoid them, and you'll have a smoother experience.

Mistake 1: Assuming Sunday Ticket Covers Preseason

Sunday Ticket is for out-of-market regular-season games. It doesn't carry preseason at all. Check your account before you spend money on it expecting August action.

Mistake 2: Buying an Expensive Streaming Service Without Checking Local Availability

Channel availability varies by zip code, especially on Sling. Use the lineup check tool on the provider's website before you enter your credit card. One quick zip code lookup can save you a headache.

Mistake 3: Forgetting to Cancel Your Free Trial

The streaming services count on this. They give you a week free, you forget, and suddenly you're paying $73 a month for a service you wanted for one game. Set a calendar reminder immediately after signing up.

Mistake 4: Using Illegal Streaming Sites

Illegal streams are riddled with malware, pop-up ads, and buffering failures. They also have a habit of dropping out on game-winning drives. You're not the target audience for a quality product.

You're the product. Spend the $7, skip the infection.

Mistake 5: Watching Game 1 If You're Busy

The first preseason game is the true definition of a scrimmage. Starters play a series or two. Rookies look lost.

The final score means nothing. If you're short on time, skip Week 1 and save yourself for the dress rehearsal in Week 3.

Smart Watching Tips From an NFL Fan Who's Done This

Now that you know the setup, here's how to maximize the experience. The preseason is short, and you only need to watch a couple of meaningful games.

Tip 1: Focus on Game 3

The third preseason game is the dress rehearsal. Starters play into the second half. Game plans get basic but real.

This is the one game you shouldn't miss, because it tells you what the regular season will actually look like.

Tip 2: Skip Game 1 Unless You Love Chaos

Game 1 is for roster bubble players and undrafted free agents. You'll see lots of hitting and sloppy tackling. It's not representative of the team you'll see in September.

Watch the highlights instead.

Tip 3: Watch Rookies Over Veterans

Your starting quarterback's preseason stats don't matter. The third-round cornerback getting roasted by a second-string receiver does. Use the exhibition games to scout the young guys, the ones who'll become starters in two years.

Tip 4: Set a Reminder for Roster Cutdowns

The week after the last preseason game, teams trim rosters from 80 to 53 players. That's when you'll find out which unknown running back cracked the rotation. Follow your team's official Twitter account for the fastest updates.

Tip 5: Use the NFL App for RedZone Offseason Flavors

The NFL+ premium tier includes NFL RedZone in the offseason. It's not the same as the fall version, but it's still a fun way to monitor the whole league. Standard tier gets you NFL Network, which airs preseason recaps all day in August.

Final Recommendation: Which Option Should You Pick?

Let's wrap this into a clear, actionable verdict. There are exactly three scenarios.

Scenario 1: Live in your team's market and want to spend nothing.

Grab a $20 antenna. Check the FCC reception map first. On game day, turn to the local affiliate broadcasting the game.

That's it. Free football is yours.

Scenario 2: Live out-of-market, or want to see every game without checking schedules.

Sign up for NFL+. One month at $6.99. You get every preseason game, no blackouts, and NFL Network to boot.

This is the best all-around answer for modern cord-cutters.

Scenario 3: Already have a live TV streaming service or cable package.

You're done. Just check your channel lineup to make sure you get NFL Network or the local station airing the game. You might need to watch through the provider's app instead of cable if you're on streaming.

No extra cost.

One more tip: whatever you choose, set a calendar reminder in late August. If you're on a free trial, cancel it. If you want to re-evaluate for the regular season, do your research then.

For the preseason, keep it simple. Pick one option, watch your team, and enjoy the slow return of football.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is NFL preseason on NFL+?

Yes. NFL+ carries every NFL preseason game live, no matter where you live in the United States. The standard tier costs $6.99 per month as of 2026.

There are no blackout restrictions for preseason games, which makes it the most reliable option for out-of-market fans.

Can I watch preseason games with a TV antenna?

Yes, if you live in the team's home market. Local CBS, Fox, NBC, and ABC affiliates broadcast most home-market preseason games over the air. The feed is free and high quality.

The only catch is that some games are assigned exclusively to NFL Network and won't show up on over-the-air channels.

Does NFL Sunday Ticket include preseason games?

No. NFL Sunday Ticket is built for out-of-market regular-season games. It doesn't carry any preseason matchups.

If you want preseason games, your best bets are NFL+, a local antenna, or a streaming service that includes NFL Network.

What is the cheapest way to watch NFL preseason?

The cheapest way costs zero dollars. A TV antenna pulls in local broadcast channels at no monthly cost. If you don't live in your team's market, the cheapest comprehensive option is NFL+ at $6.99 for a single month.

Can I watch NFL preseason games on my phone?

Yes. NFL+ is designed for mobile viewing and streams every preseason game on your phone. You can also watch through the NFL app.

If you prefer a bigger screen, cast from your phone to a TV or use the NFL+ app on Apple TV, Roku, or Amazon Fire TV.

Do preseason games get blacked out?

Not on NFL+. The league's own streaming service has zero blackout restrictions for preseason games. Local network broadcasts are not subject to blackout rules either, since preseason airs on the home market's affiliate station.

Out-of-market fans don't need to worry about blackouts if they use NFL+.