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… DIRECTV Hulu Live TV Fubo YouTube TV ESPN Select Paramount Plus Peacock NFL Football

Every legal way to watch NFL Football for free in 2026

Every legal way to watch NFL Football for free in 2026

You can watch NFL for free during the season as long as you know where to look!

Adam Zeis
Adam Zeis is the Managing Editor of The Streamable, where he oversees all site content and leads a dynamic team of freelancers. With over 15 years of experience in tech media, Adam has developed a deep expertise in streaming entertainment, technology, and content creation. His passion for the streaming landscape began when he cut the cord in 2010. Since then, he has dedicated his career to exploring and sharing insights on the ever-evolving digital entertainment space.
Read full bio ›
Adam Zeis
•
As a cord-cutter since 2010, he’s spent over 15 years covering tech and streaming for sites like TechRadar, Tom’s Guide, and CrackBerry. He also has a soft spot for '80s movies.
As a cord-cutter since 2010, he’s spent over 15 years covering tech and streaming for sites like TechRadar, Tom’s Guide, and CrackBerry. He also has a soft spot for '80s movies.

The NFL season is upon us, and that means more weekends spent lounging on the couch with your family, friends, and favorite snacks. It could also mean wasting precious game time searching for where to watch your team — especially if you’re on a tight budget. Fret not, though, because we’ve rounded up the best ways to watch free NFL games during the season so you can spend less time looking and more time saving!

Watch NFL football with a free trial of a TV streaming service

Most live TV services offer a free trial. The length of the trial varies, depending on the service. Here’s an overview of the services that carry the most NFL games.

Feature DIRECTV Hulu Live TV Sling TV Fubo YouTube TV
Free Trial 5 Days 3 Days No 5 Days 21 Days
Base Price $20.99 $89.99 $19.99 $63.99 $82.99
Base Channels 277 126 58 214 123
Max Channels 296 155 144 241 172
Local Channels Yes Yes In select markets Yes Yes
Sports Channels Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Regional Sports Networks 40 5 0 41 6
DVR Unlimited Unlimited 50 Hours (upgradable) Unlimited Unlimited
On-Demand Services No Hulu, Disney+, ESPN+ No No No
Free channels No No Yes Yes No

DIRECTV: 5 Free Days

DIRECTV is perhaps the best live TV streamer, and it has a 5-day free trial. The service includes an unlimited DVR, 20 simultaneous streams, and a huge channel lineup. Even on the most basic level, you’ll get 31 of the top 35 cable channels channels. If you max out your options, you can get as many as 296 channels.

Football Channels: ABC, CBS, ESPN, ESPN2, Fox, NBC, NFL Network, and NFL RedZone


Hulu Live TV: 3 Free Days

Another top option for football is Hulu Live TV. You can try it free for 3 days.

In addition to 32 of the top 35 cable channels, you’ll also get the great on-demand libraries of Hulu, Disney+, and the live sports of ESPN+. That’s a fantastic value for 3 free days.

Football Channels: ABC, CBS, ESPN, Fox, NBC, NFL Network, and NFL RedZone


Fubo: 5 Free Days

Fubo offers you a full week to try out its channels. Subscribers get 18 of the top 35 cable channels and immediate access to the hard-to-find Bally Sports networks.

As a bonus, you get the ability to watch four games at once with multiview on Apple TV. It’s a great choice to stream everything you need on Sundays and beyond.

Football Channels: ABC, CBS, ESPN, Fox, NBC, NFL Network, and NFL RedZone


YouTube TV: 3 Weeks Free

YouTube TV is a live TV service that does everything well, including NFL football coverage all season long. It has great plans and add-ons, plus you’ll get multiview included so you can watch up 4 games at once.

Football Channels: ABC, CBS, ESPN, Fox, NBC, NFL Network, and NFL RedZone


Low-Cost College Football Options

After the free trials dry up, you still have options to save money. If you play your cards right, you don’t have to pay a lot to watch NFL games.

Sling TV

Sling is the king of saving money with live TV. Because you can scale your channel packages up or down, it offers more flexibility than any other TV option. Right now, you can get Sling’s top combination of sports channels for $50/month if you’re willing to sign up for a 4-month agreement. That makes it the cheapest way to see NFL RedZone while bundled with other channels.

It’s important to note that the availability of NBC, FOX, and ABC will depend on where you live. Be sure to confirm your desired channels are offered in your area.

Also important: Sling does not offer CBS on any package. Sling subscribers should consider Paramount+ to get their CBS football fix.

Football Channels: ABC, ESPN, Fox, NBC, NFL Network, and NFL RedZone

Peacock

This streamer will give you games that air on NBC, which is great if you have Sling TV in an area where NBC may not be available. Peacock is inexpensive to start, and you’ll also get lots of great movies, sitcoms, and kids’ content.

Prime Video

With Prime Video’s generous free trial, you get 30 days to watch Thursday Night Football.

Adam Zeis
Adam Zeis is the Managing Editor of The Streamable, where he oversees all site content and leads a dynamic team of freelancers. With over 15 years of experience in tech media, Adam has developed a deep expertise in streaming entertainment, technology, and content creation. His passion for the streaming landscape began when he cut the cord in 2010. Since then, he has dedicated his career to exploring and sharing insights on the ever-evolving digital entertainment space.
Read full bio ›
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DIRECTV Cash Back

Let us know your e-mail address to send your $50 Amazon Gift Card when you sign up for DIRECTV STREAM.

You will receive it ~2 weeks after you complete your first month of service.

Offer Terms

  • Only valid for new DIRECTV STREAM subscribers.
  • Only valid once per household.
  • You must pay and maintain service for at least one month to be eligible.
  • Purchase must be completed on the DIRECTV STREAM website.
  • You’ll receive gift card 4-6 weeks after purchase (~2 weeks after your first month).
  • Cannot be combined with any other promotion and won’t be eligible if you try to use a coupon code or cash back from another site.

Sling TV Cash Back

Let us know your e-mail address to send your $25 Uber Eats Gift Card when you sign up for Sling TV.

You will receive it ~2 weeks after you complete your first month of service.

Offer Terms

  • Only valid for new Sling TV subscribers to Sling Orange, Blue, or Sling Orange + Blue.
  • Only valid once per household.
  • You must pay and maintain service for at least one month to be eligible.
  • You must click from The Streamable and complete your purchase on the Sling TV website.
  • You’ll receive gift card 4-6 weeks after purchase (~2 weeks after your first month).
  • Cannot be combined with any other promotion and won’t be eligible if you try to use a coupon code or cash back from another site.

Hulu Live TV Cash Back

Let us know your e-mail address to send your $35 Amazon Gift Card when you sign up for Hulu Live TV.

You will receive it ~2 weeks after you complete your first month of service.

Offer Terms

  • Only valid for new Hulu Live TV subscribers.
  • Only valid once per household.
  • You must pay and maintain service for at least one month to be eligible.
  • You must click from The Streamable and complete your purchase on the Hulu Live TV website.
  • You’ll receive gift card 4-6 weeks after purchase (~2 weeks after your first month).
  • Cannot be combined with any other promotion and won’t be eligible if you try to use a coupon code or cash back from another site.