Football is back. Say what you want about the NFL preseason, but with 64 games over the next four weeks, you’re certainly not going to be bored.
That is, as long as you have a way to watch the games.
We’ve got you covered on that front. If you don’t have cable or can’t get to a TV, here’s a rundown of all the ways you can watch a live stream of NFL preseason contests, for both in-market games and out-of-market games:
For Games That are Televised in Your Market
For teams that are in your market, games will be televised locally in your area on one of the following channels: ABC, CBS, CW, Fox or NBC. There will also be some nationally televised games on NFL Network, ESPN, CBS, Fox and NBC, which are considered in-market games for everyone. You can find a list of TV coverage by city right here.
If you sign up for one of the following cable-free, live-TV streaming services, you’ll be able to watch a live stream of one, some, or all of those channels, depending on the service:
(Note that local channels are available live in select markets)
Preseason NFL channels included: ABC, CBS, CW, Fox, NBC, ESPN
“Hulu with Live TV” (which, yes, does also come with Hulu’s extensive on-demand library of TV shows) not only includes all of the local channels, but it has them available live in a large selection of markets around the country. You can sign up for “Hulu with Live TV” right here, and you can then watch a live stream of games that are on any of the above channels on your computer via the Hulu website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Hulu app.
If you can’t watch a game live, “Hulu with Live TV” also comes with 50 hours of Cloud DVR storage (with the ability to upgrade to “Enhanced Cloud DVR,” which gives you 200 hours of DVR space and the ability to fast forward through commercials).
Preseason NFL channels included: CBS, CW, Fox, NBC, NFL Network
A streaming service that is largely tailored towards sports fans, FuboTV includes CBS, CW, Fox, NBC and NFL Network. The last one is important, as NFL Network will air every preseason game (15 live and the rest via replay). You can sign up for a free 7-day trial right here, and you can then watch a live stream of games on those channels on your computer via the FuboTV website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the FuboTV app.
If you can’t watch a game live, FuboTV also comes with 30 hours of Cloud DVR (with the ability to upgrade to 500 hours), as well as a “72-Hour Lookback” feature, which allows you to watch games and shows up to three days after they air even if you forgot to record them. Combine those features with the NFL Network airing every game, and you’ll be able to watch as much NFL preseason action as you’d like.
Preseason NFL channels included: CBS
This is a great option if your local team is playing their preseason games on CBS (Rams, Patriots, Cowboys and 49ers, for example), and that’s all you want to watch.
If you have Amazon Prime or want to start a free 30-day trial of Amazon Prime, you can watch all CBS content (both live and on-demand) via the CBS Amazon Channel, which also comes with a 7-day free trial.
Once you’re signed up for both Amazon Prime and the CBS channel, you can then watch a live stream of your local CBS channel on your computer via the Amazon website, or you can watch on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Amazon Video app.
Preseason NFL channels included: Fox, NBC, NFL Network
Fox, NBC and NFL Network are all included in the “Sling Blue” channel package. You can sign up for a free 7-day trial, and you can then watch a live stream of games on those channels on your computer via the Sling website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Sling TV app.
If you can’t watch live, you can get 50 hours of cloud DVR storage as an additional add-on.
For Games Televised Out of Your Market
You can watch every out-of-market preseason NFL game live online via NFL Game Pass, which costs $99.99 for the season (or four installments of $29.99). Once signed up, you can watch games on your computer via the Game Pass website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the NFL app.
For games that are nationally televised and games that are in your market, you can’t watch live via NFL Game Pass, but you can watch a replay.
Week 1 NFL Preseason Schedule
| Game | Date | Start Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Browns at Giants | Thur, Aug 9 | 7 p.m. |
| Panthers at Bills | Thur, Aug 9 | 7 p.m. |
| Bears at Bengals | Thur, Aug 9 | 7 p.m. |
| Steelers at Eagles | Thur, Aug 9 | 7 p.m. |
| Saints at Jaguars | Thur, Aug 9 | 7 p.m. |
| Bucs at Dolphins | Thur, Aug 9 | 7 p.m. |
| Rams at Ravens | Thur, Aug 9 | 7:30 p.m. |
| Redskins at Patriots | Thur, Aug 9 | 7:30 p.m. |
| Titans at Packers | Thur, Aug 9 | 8 p.m. |
| Texans at Chiefs | Thur, Aug 9 | 8:30 p.m. |
| Cowboys at 49ers | Thur, Aug 9 | 10 p.m. |
| Colts at Seahawks | Thur, Aug 9 | 10 p.m. |
| Falcons at Jets | Fri, Aug 10 | 7:30 p.m. |
| Lions at Raiders | Fri, Aug 10 | 10:30 p.m. |
| Vikings at Broncos | Sat, Aug 11 | 9 p.m. |
| Chargers at Cardinals | Sat, Aug 11 | 10 p.m. |
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How to Watch NFL Preseason Games Online Without Cable [2018]