Your first chance to catch your team in action and hastily decide if you'll have better things to do come February, the NFL Preseason is the strangest period of the campaign, one that produces endless questions and precious few answers. But six months on from the Seahawks lifting the Vince Lombardi Trophy, we'll take it with both hands.
You can watch NFL preseason 2026 from anywhere with a VPN and potentially for FREE.
The 2026 NFL preseason runs from Thursday, August 6 to Saturday, August 29. Full schedule below.
• FREE STREAMS — DAZN (U.K., Australia)
• Watch anywhere — Try NordVPN 100% risk free
10 teams — that's nearly a third of the league — replaced their head coaches in the offseason, with the new crop comprising Super Bowl winners John Harbaugh (Giants) and Mike McCarthy (Steelers), familiar faces Robert Saleh (Titans) and Kevin Stefanski (Falcons), college heavyweights Jeff Hafley (Dolphins) and Todd Monken (Browns), and rookies Joe Brady (Bills), Mike LaFleur (Cardinals), Jesse Minter (Ravens) and Klint Kubiak (Raiders).
Kubiak has made waves straight out of the gate by revealing that No.1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza will have to wait his turn behind Kirk Cousins, who's coming off a poor stint with the Falcons. Harbaugh, meanwhile, has been dealt a blow with star wide receiver Malik Nabers's comeback from an ACL tear suffering a major setback.
There's plenty of intrigue around Patrick Mahomes and Tank Dell too, with the superstar Chiefs quarterback having sustained a torn ACL in Week 15, and the promising Texans receiver having suffered a gruesome knee injury in December 2024.
Check out all of the TV and streaming details below to find out how to watch NFL preseason from anywhere, including free options.
Watch NFL preseason 2026 live streams for FREE
You can watch all 49 NFL preseason 2026 games free-of-charge on DAZN in the U.K. and Australia. Just register an account.
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 unblock that free NFL preseason coverage. We’ll show you how below.
Watch NFL preseason 2026 from anywhere
Away from home and blocked from watching NFL preseason 2026?
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. Our favorite is NordVPN. It's the best on the market:
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you want to watch your free DAZN stream of the games, you can choose 'United Kingdom' from the list.
3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to DAZN and watch NFL preseason 2026 live.
How to watch NFL preseason 2026 in the U.S.
In the U.S., NFL preseason 2026 coverage is split between a multitude of channels and streaming services, including NFL Network, ESPN, NBC, FOX, CBS, ESPN Unlimited, Peacock, Fox One, Paramount+ and Prime Video.
If you've already cut the cord and don't have a cable package, you can get all of those channels through an OTT cable TV alternative.
As alluded to, Sling will give you the most bang for your buck. Sling Blue includes NFL Network, plus local network affiliates from FOX, NBC and ABC (availability varies by market). Sling Orange carries ESPN.
Both plans start at $46/month, but you can combine them for $66/month. You'll get 50% off your first month if you subscribe to Blue or Orange & Blue.
Click through for more options ▼
Several games are exclusive to ESPN Unlimited, which carries ESPN Select and all ESPN channels, and costs $29.99/month or $299.99/year.
NBC simulcasts its games on Peacock. You'll need at least a Premium plan to watch live sports, starting at $10.99/month or $109.99/year.
CBS simulcasts its coverage on Paramount+, which starts at $8.99/month.
However, you can get 30 days of Peacock or Paramount Plus for $1 by signing up to Walmart Plus.
FOX simulcasts its coverage on Fox One, which costs $19.99/month after a 3-day FREE trial.
Prime Video costs $14.99/month or $139/year after a 30-day FREE trial.
Fubo, YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV will let you tune in too.
How to watch NFL preseason 2026 in Canada
All 49 NFL preseason 2026 games are being shown on DAZN in Canada. Prices start at CA$24.99/month.
Nine of the games are also available to watch on TSN channels. A TSN Plus subscription grants access to everything TSN has to offer for just CA$8/month or CA$80/year.
If you're outside Canada but have a subscription, you can watch the NFL preseason with the aid of a VPN, such as NordVPN.
How to watch NFL preseason 2026 in the U.K.
In the U.K., all 49 NFL preseason 2026 games are free-to-air on DAZN. All you need is an account.
If you're on holiday outside the U.K., you can still follow your usual NFL preseason live streams by using one of the best VPN services, such as NordVPN.
How to watch NFL preseason 2026 in Australia
All 49 NFL preseason 2026 games are free-to-air on DAZN in Australia. All you need is an account.
Not in Australia right now? You can simply use a VPN like NordVPN to watch all the action on your account as if you were back home.
NFL preseason 2026 schedule
Click to see more ▼
NFL HALL OF FAME GAME
Thursday, August 6
8 p.m. — Carolina Panthers vs Arizona Cardinals | NBC, Peacock
WEEK 1
Thursday, August 13
7 p.m. — Detroit Lions vs Cincinnati Bengals
7 p.m. — Green Bay Packers vs Pittsburgh Steelers | NFL Network
7:30 p.m. — Indianapolis Colts vs New England Patriots
8 p.m. — Arizona Cardinals vs Las Vegas Raiders | ESPN Unlimited
8 p.m. — Los Angeles Chargers vs Houston Texas
9 p.m. — Tennessee Titans vs San Francisco 49ers | NFL Network
Friday, August 14
7 p.m. — Denver Broncos vs Atlanta Falcons
7 p.m. — Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New York Jets | NFL Network
7 p.m. — Miami Dolphins vs Washington Commanders
Saturday, August 15
1 p.m. — Carolina Panthers vs Buffalo Bills
1 p.m. — Cleveland Browns vs Chicago Bears | NFL Network
1 p.m. — Minnesota Vikings vs New York Giants | ESPN Unlimited
4 p.m. — Los Angeles Rams vs Kansas City Chiefs | NFL Network
4 p.m. — Jacksonville Jaguars vs New Orleans Saints | ESPN Unlimited
7 p.m. — Philadelphia Eagles vs Baltimore Ravens | ESPN Unlimited
8 p.m. — Dallas Cowboys vs Seattle Seahawks | NFL Network
WEEK 2
Thursday, August 20
8 p.m. — Las Vegas Raiders vs Houston Texans | ESPN, ESPN, Unlimited
10 p.m. — San Francisco 49ers vs Los Angeles Chargers | NFL Network
Friday, August 21
7 p.m. — New York Jets vs Pittsburgh Steelers | NFL Network
7:30 p.m. — Carolina Panthers vs Jacksonville Jaguars | ESPN Unlimited
9 p.m. — Green Bay Packers vs Denver Broncos | NFL Network
Saturday, August 22
12 p.m. — Washington Commanders vs Detroit Lions
1 p.m. — Buffalo Bills vs Cleveland Browns | NFL Network
1 p.m. — Atlanta Falcons vs Indianapolis Colts
1 p.m. — Baltimore Ravens vs Minnesota Vikings | ESPN Unlimited
4 p.m. — New Orleans Saints vs Los Angeles Rams | ESPN Unlimited
4 p.m. — New York Giants vs Miami Dolphins | NFL Network
7 p.m. — Chicago Bears vs Cincinnati Bengals
7 p.m. — Philadelphia Eagles vs New England Patriots | NFL Network
7:30 p.m. — Kansas City Chiefs vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers | ESPN Unlimited
10 p.m. — Dallas Cowboys vs Arizona Cardinals | NFL Network
Sunday, August 23
8 p.m. — Seattle Seahawks vs Tennessee Titans | FOX, Fox One
WEEK 3
Thursday, August 27
7 p.m. — Pittsburgh Steelers vs Buffalo Bills | NFL Network
8 p.m. — New England Patriots vs Cleveland Browns | Prime Video
8 p.m. — San Francisco 49ers vs Las Vegas Raiders | ESPN Unlimited
10 p.m. — Los Angeles Rams vs Los Angeles Chargers | NFL Network
Friday, August 28
6 p.m. — Washington Commanders vs Baltimore Ravens | NFL Network
7 p.m. — Atlanta Falcons vs Miami Dolphins |
7 p.m. — Houston Texans vs Carolina Panthers |
7:30 p.m. — New York Giants vs New York Jets |
7:30 p.m. — Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Jacksonville Jaguars |
8 p.m. — New Orleans Saints vs Dallas Cowboys | ESPN Unlimited
8 p.m. — Seattle Seahawks vs Kansas City Chiefs | ESPN Unlimited
8 p.m. — Cincinnati Bengals vs Philadelphia Eagles | CBS, Paramount+
9 p.m. — Minnesota Vikings vs Denver Broncos | NFL Network
Saturday, August 29
1 p.m. — Detroit Lions vs Indianapolis Colts | NFL Network
6 p.m. — Chicago Bears vs Tennessee Titans | NFL Network
(All times ET)
More from Tom's Guide
- How to watch 'Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Seattle Seahawks'
- The best VPN service
- How to watch MLB 2026 for free
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.
