Getty Wade Phillips is set to make his XFL debut Saturday.
The Houston Roughnecks kick off their 2023 XFL season hosting the Orlando Guardians at TEDCU Stadium on Saturday night.
The game (8:30 p.m. ET start time) will be televised on ESPN and FX, but if you don’t have cable, you can watch a live stream on FuboTV or DirecTV Stream, which both come with a free trial.
Those are the two best live stream options if you’re cutting cable, but there are also some other alternatives, so here’s a full guide on the different ways to watch Orlando vs Houston streaming live online:
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FuboTV
You can watch a live stream of ESPN, FX and 100-plus other live TV channels on FuboTV, which comes with a free seven-day trial:
Once signed up for FuboTV, you can watch Orlando vs Houston live on the FuboTV app or FuboTV website.
Compatible devices for the FuboTV app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You can also watch the game live on the ESPN app or ESPN.com. You’ll need to sign in to a cable provider to watch this way, but you can use your Fubo credentials to do that.
DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream has four different channel packages: “Entertainment,” “Choice,” “Ultimate” and “Premier.” ESPN and FX are included in every one, and you can pick any package and any add-on you want with your free five-day trial:
Once signed up for DirecTV Stream, you can watch Orlando vs Houston live on the DirecTV Stream app or DirecTV Stream website.
Compatible devices for the DirecTV Stream app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Samsung TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You can also watch the game live on the ESPN app or ESPN.com. You’ll need to sign in to a cable provider to watch this way, but you can use your DirecTV Stream credentials to do that.
Sling TV
You can watch a live stream of ESPN and 40-plus other live TV channels via Sling TV’s “Sling Orange” bundle. This option doesn’t include a free trial, but it’s the cheapest long-term streaming service with the ESPN channels, and you can get your first month for half off:
Once signed up for Sling TV, you can watch Orlando vs Houston live on the Sling TV app or Sling TV website.
Compatible devices for the Sling TV app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), airTV Mini, Oculus, Portal, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You can also watch the game live on the ESPN app or ESPN.com. You’ll need to sign in to a cable provider to watch this way, but you can use your Sling credentials to do that.
Hulu With Live TV
You can watch a live stream of ESPN, FX and 65+ other TV channels via Hulu With Live TV, which now also includes access to both ESPN+ and Disney+ at no added cost:
Once signed up for Hulu With Live TV, you can watch Orlando vs Houston live on the Hulu app or Hulu website.
Compatible devices for the Hulu app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, PlayStation 4 or 5, Nintendo Switch, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You can also watch the game live on the ESPN app or ESPN.com. You’ll need to sign in to a cable provider to watch this way, but you can use your Hulu credentials to do that.
Vidgo
You can watch a live stream of ESPN, FX and 65+ other TV channels on Vidgo, which does not come with a free trial:
Once signed up for Vidgo, you can watch Orlando vs Houston live on the Vidgo app or Vidgo website.
Compatible devices for the Vidgo app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV, or Firestick, Apple TV, Chromecast, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad, or Android tablet.
You can also watch the game live on the ESPN app or ESPN.com. You’ll need to sign in to a cable provider to watch this way, but you can use your Vidgo credentials to do that.
Guardians vs Roughnecks Preview
The third iteration of the XFL kicks off this weekend under the guidance of a new ownership group led by Dany Garcia, wrestler and actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and RedBird Capital Partners. The league last attempted a comeback in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic cut the season short after just five games. Now, led by The Rock, the XFL is giving it another go.
Houston is led by former NFL coach Wade Phillips, who has served as head coach of the Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, and Dallas Cowboys over his career. The Guardians are coached by former New England Patriots cornerback Terrell Buckley, who is in his first year as Orlando’s coach.
Former Western Michigan standout Kaleb Eleby will start at quarterback for the Roughnecks, while the Guardians are set to play multiple quarterbacks, with ex-Broncos QB Paxton Lynch and former Florida State signal-caller Deondre Francois likely getting the most snaps.
Former Louisville standout Eli Rogers and Dontez Byrd, who had a brief stint with the Atlanta Falcons, headline the wide receiving corps for Orlando.
On the other side, former USC receiver Deontay Burnett is at the top of the team’s depth chart heading into this game, while ex-Washington State star Max Borghi will be the Roughnecks’ feature back.
“The way I’ve always coached – and I’ve been at this for a little while now — it’s about the players and not a scheme or a script you may have in your head coming in,” Phillips said, per the XFL’s official website. “See what you have and tailor to their strengths. You know, if you got a great player and he then doesn’t do well in your scheme, that means you’ve got a bad scheme. I’ve been with Aaron Donald and JJ Watt and Reggie White and it’s simple… you’ve got to let those guys play and you’ve got to put them in a situation where they do what they do well. We’ve always melded our defense to the players’ strengths, and then offensively we’re doing the same thing. I’ve got a coaching staff that understands and agrees, top to bottom.”
For both sides, the league will give its players and coaches the opportunity to get the attention of NFL coaches and scouts.
“This is a league of opportunity, not just for players, but for coaches,” Buckley told the league’s official website. “I’m forever grateful for this chance, and this team has a chance to get noticed. In this league, special teams will be huge and we will be good there. Hopefully great there. We will also be first class. No swearing, no fighting in practice. No naughty words in the music we play at practice. We will know the rules cold. We won’t get caught napping. We will be ready.”