How to watch NFL 2026: FREE live streams, broadcast details and Week 5 games

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba celebrating with fans
(Image credit: Norm Hall via Getty Images)

Four games into the NFL 2026 season, only three teams — the Chiefs, Vikings and 49ers — have a perfect record. San Francisco's meeting with the reigning champion Seahawks (3-1) is the pick of the Week 5 action, while Minnesota are up against the 1-3 Saints. KC, along with the Panthers, are on a bye.

You can watch NFL 2026 from anywhere with a VPN and potentially for FREE.

NFL 2026 live streams: TV schedule, dates

The 2026 NFL season runs from September 9, 2026 to February 14, 2027.
• Australia — 7Plus (FREE select games)
• U.K. — 5 (FREE select games)
• New Zealand — TVNZ Plus (FREE select games)
• Watch anywhere — Try IPVanish — 83% Off

In the primetime slots this week are a Thursday Night Football clash between the 0-4 Buccaneers and 2-2 Cowboys, a Sunday Night Football encounter between the 3-1 Ravens and 2-2 Falcons, and a Monday Night Football affair between the 3-1 Bills and 2-2 Rams.

The NFL is also heading to London again, with the 2-2 Eagles and 3-1 Jaguars set to do battle at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, whose full-time occupants, incidentally, are yet to taste victory in the Premier League this season.

At the other end of the spectrum, five teams — the Dolphins, Titans, Texans, Chargers and Buccaneers — remain winless, and two of them are meeting this weekend. Houston vs Tennessee might not be the game of Week 5, but it sure could make for fun viewing.

Check out all of the TV and streaming details below to find out how to watch NFL 2026 from anywhere, including free options.

Watch NFL on Sling

Watch NFL on Sling

NFL games are shown across multiple networks, and Sling's Orange + Blue plan ($60.99/month) includes almost every channel you need, including FOX, NBC, ESPN, ESPN2, ABC and NFL Network.

Watch NFL live streams for FREE

You can watch select NFL games for free in Australia, the U.K., New Zealand and Ireland. Find more details below:

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Country

Free streaming service

NFL coverage

🇦🇺 Australia

7Plus

TNF + 2 Sunday games

🇬🇧 U.K.

5

2 Sunday games

🇳🇿 New Zealand

TVNZ+

3 games weekly

🇮🇪 Ireland

Virgin Media Play

1 Sunday game

Away from home? You may not be able to watch the action like you normally would due to regional restrictions. Fortunately, there’s an easy solution — you can use a VPN to unlock free NFL coverage. We’ll show you how below.

Watch NFL 2026 from anywhere

Away from home and blocked from watching the 2026 NFL season?

You can still tune in live thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software allows your devices to appear as if they're back in your home country regardless of where in the world you are. Ideal for fans away on vacation or on business. One of our favorites is IPVanish:

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IPVanish is beginning to rank among the top VPN providers and it is a great option to unblock your NFL streaming service.

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Get IPVanish and watch your NFL live streams from anywhere.

Using a VPN is incredibly simple.

1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, IPVanish is one of our favorites.

2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're in the U.S. and want to view an Aussie service, you'd select Australia from the list.

3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to 7Plus or another streaming service and watch NFL 2026 live.

How to watch NFL 2026 live streams in the U.S.

The upper third of the US flag

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

This season, NFL games are being televised on CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, ESPN2, ABC and NFL Network, and live streamed on Prime Video, Paramount Plus, Fox One, Peacock, ESPN Unlimited and Netflix.

Best ways to watch NFL without cable

The most cost-efficient way of tuning in is via one of the best cable TV alternatives.

Watch NFL via streaming services

How to watch NFL 2026 live streams in the U.K.

The upper third of the British flag

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Two NFL games are free-to-air in the U.K. each Sunday, courtesy of Channel 5, 5Action and the 5 streaming service. Select International games and the Super Bowl are also shown on the free platform.

Another option is NFL Game Pass on DAZN, which live streams every fixture (apart from London games), plus RedZone. A subscription starts at £18.99/month if you commit to a year, or £89 if you pay upfront.

Sky Sports airs at least five live games per week including every TNF, SNF and MNF, and NFL RedZone. Sports packages start from £22/month if you're an existing Sky customer — to sign up anew, check out Sky's TV deals and packages.

If you don't want to shell out for a full Sky subscription, consider a Now Sports Membership instead. This gives you flexible 24-hour access for £14.99 or £34.99/month.

If you're on holiday outside the U.K., you can still follow your usual NFL live streams by using one of the best VPN services, such as IPVanish.

How to watch NFL 2026 live streams in Canada

The upper third of the Canadian Flag

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

In Canada, select NFL games are shown on TSN, CTV and French-language RDS each week.

If you don't have cable, a TSN Plus subscription grants access to everything TSN has to offer. Prices start at CA$24.99/month or CA$249.99/year.

Every NFL game is shown on DAZN, which starts at CA$24.99/month.

If you're outside Canada but have a subscription, you can watch NFL with the aid of a VPN, such as IPVanish.

How to watch NFL 2026 live streams in Australia

Australia flag

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

At least three NFL games are free-to-air in Australia each week, courtesy of 7Mate and the 7Plus streaming service. The network shows every postseason game too.

Near-comprehensive NFL coverage is available via NFL Game Pass on DAZN. It live streams all fixtures (except the Melbourne game), plus RedZone. A subscription starts at AU$34.99/month if you commit to a year, or AU$149 if you pay upfront.

At least five live games per week, including every TNF, SNF and MNF, are shown on ESPN via Foxtel.

Don't have Foxtel and don't want to subscribe? ESPN's NFL coverage is available to stream on Kayo Sports, with its affordable, commitment-free plans starting from just AU$30/month, and hosting plenty of NFL, cricket, AFL, rugby, F1 and more.

Anybody who hasn't used the service before can choose between a 7-day FREE trial and 1 month for AU$1.

Alternatively, all NFL games shown on ESPN are available to live stream via Disney Plus too. A subscription starts at AU$9.99/month or AU$179.99/year.

Not in Australia right now? You can simply use a VPN like IPVanish to watch all the action on your account as if you were back home.

NFL Week 5 schedule 2026

Thursday, October 8
8:15 p.m. — Buccaneers vs Cowboys (Prime Video) | FREE on 7Plus (AUS)

Sunday, October 11
9:30 a.m. — Eagles vs Jaguars (NFL Network, ESPN Unlimited) | FREE on 5 (U.K.) & Virgin Media Play (IRE)
1 p.m. — Browns vs Jets (CBS, Paramount+)
1 p.m. — Texans vs Titans (CBS, Paramount+)
1 p.m. — Colts vs Steelers (CBS, Paramount+)
1 p.m. — Raiders vs Patriots (CBS, Paramount+) | FREE on 5 (U.K.), 7Plus (AUS) & TVNZ+ (N.Z.)
1 p.m. — Bengals vs Dolphins (FOX, Fox One)
1 p.m. — Vikings vs Saints (FOX, Fox One)
1 p.m. — Giants vs Commanders (FOX, Fox One) | FREE on TVNZ+ (N.Z.)
4:05 p.m. — Broncos vs Chargers (CBS, Paramount+) | FREE on TVNZ+ (N.Z.)
4:25 p.m. — Bears vs Packers (FOX, Fox One)
4:25 p.m. — Lions vs Cardinals (FOX, Fox One) | FREE on 7Plus (AUS)
4:25 p.m. — 49ers vs Seahawks (FOX, Fox One) | FREE on 5 (U.K.) & Virgin Media Play (IRE)
8:20 p.m. — Ravens vs Falcons (NBC, Peacock)

Monday, October 12
8:15 p.m. — Bills vs Rams (ESPN, ABC, ESPN Unlimited)

(All times ET)

Who's showing Super Bowl LXI?

Super Bowl LXI (aka Super Bowl 61), will take place at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California on Sunday, February 14, 2027.

The game will be televised on both ESPN and ABC.

More from Tom's Guide

Disclaimer

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Aatif Sulleyman

Aatif is a freelance journalist and copywriter based in the UK. He’s written about technology, sport and politics for a wide range of publications including TechRadar, What Hi-Fi?, The Independent, Trusted Reviews, and Newsweek. These days, he focuses mainly on streaming at Future, an arrangement that combines two of his greatest passions: live TV and penny-pinching. When he's not attending a top-flight English soccer match, you can find him perfecting his table tennis skills.

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