The cord-cutter setup for the NFL
A single live-TV streaming plan covers most of the the NFL schedule. Fubo carries CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, ABC, NFL Network, NFL RedZone in most markets — confirm your local channels by ZIP at signup.
What Fubo includes
- CBS
- FOX
- NBC
- ESPN
- ABC
- NFL Network
- NFL RedZone
Not on Fubo: NFL Sunday Ticket (YouTube TV exclusive). We only link services we can actually get you — these need a separate subscription.
Watch the NFL on FuboFubo carries CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, ABC, NFL Network, NFL RedZone in most markets. Local channel availability depends on your ZIP, which Fubo confirms at signup. Free trial, cancel anytime.
What it actually takes to watch the 2026 NFL season
Most guides list the networks and stop there. The useful question is how much of the season any one setup actually gets you, so here is the 2026 schedule counted out.
| Games in the regular season | 272 |
|---|---|
| Decided by your local market | 187 (69%) — your CBS and FOX affiliates choose these |
| National windows | 61 — everyone sees the same broadcast |
| Still unassigned | 24 — flexed later in the season |
69% of the season is a local-market question, not a national one. That is the part a channel list cannot answer for you: two fans on the same streaming plan in different cities get different games on the same Sunday afternoon. It is also why an antenna is the cheapest single upgrade for most people — those CBS and FOX windows are free over the air.
It depends enormously on which team you follow
National windows are not spread evenly. The median team has 4 nationally televised games. The Packers have 7, the most of any team. And 5 teams have none at all — Cardinals, Raiders, Dolphins, Jets and Titans — meaning every one of their games is either a local-market broadcast or an unassigned window.
If you follow one of those teams and you live outside its market, no combination of national channels reaches them. That is the case NFL Sunday Ticket exists for, and it is worth knowing before you buy a bundle expecting it to cover you.
The services you would actually need
Counting the 2026 schedule team by team: every team needs a bundle or an antenna for its local windows, 26 of the 32 have at least one game on Prime Video, and 6 have a game on Netflix. No team's full schedule needs more than 3 services in total — but no single service covers a whole season either, which is the honest answer most “cut the cord” guides avoid giving.
How to Watch the NFL Without Cable — FAQ
Can I watch the NFL without cable?
Yes. Fubo carries CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, ABC, NFL Network, NFL RedZone in most markets, which together cover the bulk of the NFL broadcasts. Fubo carries the local CBS/FOX/NBC/ABC broadcast windows plus ESPN (Monday Night Football) and NFL Network in most markets. ABC, like the other broadcast networks, is carried as your local affiliate, so availability is market-dependent and Fubo confirms it by ZIP at signup. Thursday Night Football is on Amazon Prime Video (separate sub); NFL Sunday Ticket is a YouTube TV exclusive (not on Fubo).
What does Fubo include for the NFL?
Fubo carries CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, ABC, NFL Network, NFL RedZone in most markets. Not on Fubo: NFL Sunday Ticket (YouTube TV exclusive). Local channel availability depends on your ZIP code, which Fubo confirms at signup.