What channel are the football games on

NFL action in 2022 will air across multiple networks and services, including marquee NFL broadcasters like Amazon Prime Video, CBS, ESPN, FOX, NBC, and NFL Network.

Because the NFL regular season includes 272 games across 18 weeks, you’ll need access to in-market and out-of-market viewing options to receive the most game coverage. Below is a list of every major NFL channel and service for watching live games.

• Amazon Prime Video
• CBS
• ESPN
• ESPN+
• FOX
• NBC
• NFL Network
• NFL SUNDAY TICKET

Additional NFL simulcasts and alternate broadcasts air on channels like ABC, ESPN2, and Nickelodeon. You can also catch extra NFL coverage on NFL RedZone. The channel broadcasts only on Sunday afternoons during the regular season, but it provides live coverage of every Sunday afternoon game regardless of regional blackouts.

It’s never too early to plan your next NFL watch party. Head over to our NFL Schedule This Week to view every upcoming NFL matchup, including kickoff times and channel listings.

We’ve also outlined the most significant NFL events to keep an eye on in the table below.

Paramount+ (Live CBS games in Premium plan)

Spanish-language channels:

FOX Deportes (Select FOX games)

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Most NFL matchups take place on Sunday afternoons on either CBS or FOX. Typically, games with an AFC road team are broadcast on CBS, while NFC road team games air on FOX.

Because many NFL games happen at once on Sunday afternoons, you’ll be able to see only the ones selected for your location. Several factors determine the in-market games for your area. But usually, you’ll get every game featuring your local team and any games with playoff implications for your local team.

CBS and FOX are easily accessible through most TV providers. But if you live within range of your local CBS and FOX affiliates, you can catch every in-market NFL game with an over-the-air (OTA) antenna.

A good antenna usually costs between $20 and $60. The best part is that it’s a one-time payment that will give you access to many live sports for years to come. We like the Mohu Leaf 50 ($59.99 on Amazon)† because of its 60-mile range and 4K capabilities, but there are many antenna options to consider.

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Includes out of the market, regular season games only. Select international games excluded. Blackout restrictions and other conditions apply.

NFL SUNDAY TICKET is the go-to TV plan for anyone who supports a non-local team or wants the most live NFL games. The out-of-market sports package is exclusively available to DIRECTV subscribers and comes included with the ​​satellite TV provider’s CHOICE™ package ($69.99 a month)* and above.

Because it’s paired with DIRECTV, you’ll get every game that airs on CBS, ESPN, FOX, NBC, and NFL Network. That’s almost every game of the season, all in one place. (You’ll miss only the 15 Thursday Night Football games on Amazon Prime Video and one international game on ESPN+.)

While NFL SUNDAY TICKET with DIRECTV is ideal for any football superfan, its cost and commitment are daunting. The biggest drawback is that you must enter a two-year contract with DIRECTV where the price increases after the first year. Add the likelihood that NFL SUNDAY TICKET is moving to Apple TV+ for the 2023 NFL season,1 and you’ve got a flag on the play.

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Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth are back for Sunday Night Football, airing on NBC and streaming on Peacock. Melissa Stark joins the two commentators, replacing Michele Tafoya as the sideline reporter.

The 2022 NFL season contains 18 Sunday Night Football games, plus a Thanksgiving night matchup on Thursday, November 24. NBC will also kick the season off with a Thursday night game on September 8.

You can watch Sunday Night Football on NBC through most TV providers. But you can also pick up the channel with an OTA antenna if you live near an NBC affiliate.

Another cheap option for watching Sunday Night Football is Peacock. The streaming service’s premium plans start at $4.99 a month and give you complete access to every Sunday Night Football game and NBC playoff game.

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ESPN will present 19 Monday Night Football games during the 2022 NFL season, with an additional game airing solely on ABC. Key matchups include the Denver Broncos vs. the Seattle Seahawks in week 1 and the Los Angeles Rams vs. the Green Bay Packers in week 15.

This season will look and sound a little different on Monday Night Football as Joe Buck and Troy Aikman join the broadcast booth from FOX. But don’t worry, you can still catch Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli on ESPN2 and ESPN+. The Manning brothers will host ten alternate telecasts (or Manningcasts) during the 2022 campaign, and you can expect many fun guests to stop by.

ESPN is available through every major TV provider, with Sling TV’s Orange plan being the cheapest way to get the channel. But you don’t need a TV plan to watch every Monday Night Football game because four games will simulcast on ABC, which you can access with an OTA antenna.

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The 2022 NFL International Series features five games played across various venues in the UK, Germany, and Mexico. NFL Network will carry three matchups, while ESPN and ESPN+ will air the other two games.

Most TV providers carry ESPN and NFL Network, while ESPN+ costs $9.99 a month on its own. Hulu + Live TV is the only TV service that gets you every international NFL game in one plan because its plans include ESPN+ at no extra cost.

We’ve listed every international game in the table below, highlighting each game’s viewing details. If you live in the market of a team participating in an ESPN or ESPN+ game, you can watch the game on your team’s local TV station.

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For US-based viewers, NFL+ (formerly NFL Game Pass) is an inexpensive way to watch NFL games. The hitch is that live regular season and playoff games are viewable on only phones and tablets. But you can watch every NFL game on a wider range of devices through NFL+ Premium ($9.99 a month) if you wait until after the game ends.

Nothing compares to live sports on a big-screen TV. But saving money and watching games on your own time isn’t so bad. Plus, there are no commercials when you watch archived games on NFL+, and you can use its spoiler-free feature to help keep final scores a secret.

The 2022 NFL preseason began on August 4 with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game airing on NBC and Peacock. Most NFL teams will play three preseason games during August. These games air primarily on local channels, but ESPN and NFL Network also carry select preseason games.

NFL+ is also a great option for live NFL preseason action—offering live out-of-market game access throughout August.

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You can watch free NFL games by connecting an over-the-air (OTA) antenna to your TV. If you’re near a local ABC, CBS, FOX, or NBC station, you’ll have free access to many NFL games—including playoff fixtures and the Super Bowl. The FCC’s Reception Map Tool is a great place to verify which channels are available in your area.

Of course, an antenna isn’t free. But an easy one-time purchase will ensure you have NFL coverage for many seasons. We recommend the Mohu Leaf 50 ($56.00 on Amazon)† because of its wide range and picture quality.

Unfortunately, if an antenna doesn’t work for your location, there’s no easy way to watch live NFL games for free online. But you can always try signing up for a free trial to a live TV streaming service. Our Best Streaming Services for Sports page closely examines streaming providers dedicated to sports.

NFL games are scattered across a wide range of channels and services—including Amazon Prime Video, CBS, ESPN, FOX, NBC, and NFL Network. But not everyone needs the most extensive TV plan to tune in this season. After all, a simple over-the-air (OTA) antenna can get you many marquee matchups that air on local channels.

For hard-core NFL fans, we recommend DIRECTV with NFL SUNDAY TICKET. It offers every NFL game except the ones on Prime Video and ESPN+. DIRECTV CHOICE ($69.99 a month)* or above subscribers receive NFL SUNDAY TICKET for free during the 2022 season.

But with DIRECTV, you must sign up for a two-year contract where the price increases after the first year. That’s a bummer, considering NFL SUNDAY TICKET is likely moving to Apple TV+ next season.1

Hulu + Live TV is the way to go if you prefer to stream. You won’t get out-of-market games or Prime Video matchups, but the live TV streaming service comes with every major NFL channel and no contracts or bulky equipment requirements.

Sling TV is also a great cost-savings option for streaming, but you’ll need to rely on an antenna to get complete local coverage. Luckily, Sling TV offers a free HD antenna when you prepay for two months of service. If you go an extra yard and prepay for three months, you can also get an AirTV DVR device to record locally televised games. We highlight both offers and more on our Sling TV Deals page.

Our sports experts watched the past several NFL seasons and spent over 20 hours researching the upcoming season to determine the best ways to watch NFL games. We examined every broadcasting option and compared the most popular TV providers head to head. We based our provider recommendations on pricing, NFL game quantity, and ease of use.

Check out our How We Rank page to learn more about our methods.

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*For 12 months plus taxes and fees w/24 mo agmt. AutoPay & Paperless bill req’d. Regional Sports Fee up to $11.99/mo is extra & tax applies. Prices higher in 2nd year.

†Amazon.com price as of 08/18/22 5:00 p.m. CT. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. CableTV.com utilizes paid Amazon links.

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