How to watch San Diego Padres vs. Chicago Cubs Wild Card Series Game 1
The Padres and Cubs will meet again, one year after Chicago won their memorable Wild Card matchup in 2025.
A rematch of one of last October’s most memorable playoff series will get underway on Tuesday, Sept. 29, as the San Diego Padres host the Chicago Cubs in Game 1 of their best-of-three National League Wild Card Series at Petco Park. San Diego finished 91-71 to earn home-field advantage, while Chicago went 89-73 and reached the postseason in consecutive seasons for just the fourth time in franchise history. These teams were separated by only one run across three games in last year’s Wild Card Series, so there is every reason to expect another tense October matchup. First pitch is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET, and you can watch with one of Peacock’s two Premium subscription options. Universo will provide the Spanish-language broadcast.
How to watch San Diego Padres vs. Chicago Cubs
- When: Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026 at 10 p.m. ET
- TV: Peacock, Universo
- Stream: Watch with one of Peacock’s two Premium subscription options.
- From anywhere: Watch with a subscription to a VPN.
Everything you need to know to stream Padres vs. Cubs
What is the Padres vs. Cubs Wild Card Series schedule?
| Date | Time (ET) | Matchup | Outlet(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday, Sept. 29 | 10 p.m. | Cubs at Padres | Peacock, NBC Sports Network |
| Wednesday, Sept. 30 | 10 p.m. | Cubs at Padres | Peacock, NBC Sports Network |
| Thursday, Oct. 1 | 10 p.m. | Cubs at Padres^ | Peacock, NBC Sports Network |
^=if necessary
Why we recommend Peacock to watch Padres vs. Cubs
Quite simply, the Padres vs. Cubs game is a Peacock exclusive, so the only way to watch the game is with a subscription to one of Peacock’s two Premium tiers. Peacock Premium runs $11 per month, while Premium Plus comes with additional features for $17 monthly.
Can you watch Padres vs. Cubs for free?
Unfortunately, Peacock is not currently offering a free trial, so in order to watch the game, you will need to pay at least $11 and sign up for a full month. Fortunately, the NBCUniversal streaming service has a ton of sports coverage in addition to its on-demand library of iconic shows and movies.
It is the streaming home for all of NBC’s Notre Dame and Big Ten college football and college basketball, the NFL’s “Sunday Night Football,” the NBA on NBC, MLB “Sunday Night Baseball,: the English Premier League, both the winter and summer Olympics, and much more.
However, there are options if you want to go the live TV streaming route. We’ve got more details on that below.
Peacock
Peacock is a subscription video streaming service from NBCUniversal that includes original shows, blockbuster movies, and classic television series. Peacock is home to “Yellowstone,” “The Office,” and original hits like “Poker Face” and “Bel-Air.” You can also watch live sports and NBC programming, including the NFL, MLB, WWE, the Olympics, the Premier League, NASCAR, the French Open, college football and basketball, and the PGA Tour. Premium Plus subscribers can stream their local NBC feed in all 210 markets.
Watch a preview of Padres vs. Cubs
What streamers will cover Padres vs. Cubs?
Here’s where things get a bit confusing. This game is considered a Peacock exclusive, but in reality, it’s not. In November 2025, NBCUniversal decided to resurrect its formerly defunct cable channel, the NBC Sports Network. While there is other content on the channel, its primary purpose is to provide cable, satellite, and live TV streaming customers a way to watch sporting events on Peacock without having to sign up for the service.
Currently, only YouTube TV and Fubo carry the channel, but both do offer varying levels of free trials. So, if you just want to watch this game for free, you do have options.
| DIRECTV | Fubo | Hulu | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Free Trial | Free 3-Day Trial | Save with Sling | Free Trial | |||||
| $20.99 | $9.99 | $28.99 | $19.99 | $29.99 | $45.99 | $45.99 | $64.99 | ||
| NBC Sports Network | - | + $59 | - | - | - | - | - | ✓ | |
How to watch Padres vs. Cubs with a VPN
If you’ll be away from home and can’t watch the game as you normally would, you can still catch all of the action, no matter where you are in the world with a VPN. A VPN can be used on your phone, tablet, or computer and make you appear to be back home — even when you’re not — making sure you feel at home no matter where you are. A VPN is a safe and secure way to stay protected online while streaming your favorite sports, movies, and shows on the go. Keep in mind that you will still need to be subscribed to Peacock in order to stream the game with a VPN.
ExpressVPN is one of the best providers around, at one of the best prices. Currently, you can get a month of service for as little as $5. ExpressVPN is the most-trusted VPN on the market and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. ExpressVPN has servers in 105 countries, best-in-class encryption, 24-hour live support, and the best speeds available.
While ExpressVPN is our recommendation for the best VPN to use while you are traveling, there are a number of other high-quality options available depending on what you are looking for.
- Most Secure: NordVPN | Starting at $3.09 per month
- Best Budget Option: Surfshark | Starting at $2.50 per month
- Best Free Option: Proton VPN | Free plan available
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