Unlocking NFL 2026: How to watch games from overseas

The 2026 NFL season begins on Wednesday, September 9, and runs until January 10, 2027. All in all, there’ll be 272 games to look forward to before the playoffs and the match everyone’s waiting for: Super Bowl LXI. Here’s the best part: you can stream all of the action live online from anywhere (without cable too!). Take a look below to find out how.

NFL matches will only be shown on geo-blocked streaming platforms. This means that if you’re traveling abroad, you’ll need a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to regain access to your usual channels.

How to watch NFL games from anywhere with a VPN

VPNs enhance your privacy by encrypting your internet traffic, but they’re also great for accessing your usual region-locked streaming services while traveling. They’re also easy to use. Just follow the steps below, and you’ll be watching games from overseas in no time.

Here’s how to watch the 2026 NFL season from anywhere:

1. Start by registering for a suitable VPN. I recommend NordVPN, but Surfshark and Total VPN are strong alternatives.
2. Next, download the VPN software, making sure to get the right version for your operating system.
3. Decide which of the sources below you’d like to use. Note that most will require you to have a payment method linked to a local address, so this method is for those with a subscription who are traveling abroad.
4. Connect to a server in the appropriate country. For example, you’d use a US server to unblock ESPN or a UK server for Now.
5. Try loading content from the site. You should find that it loads almost instantly. If you’re still getting an error message, clear your cookies and cache, then reload the page and try again.

It’s important you attempt the steps above before the event you want to watch begins. This gives you plenty of time to contact your VPN’s support team should any issues arise without missing the start of the game.

Where to watch NFL games live online

The NFL is huge in the USA but has fans all over the world. This means NFL coverage will be available in many countries worldwide. Take a look at my country-specific guides below to find out where you can watch all the action live.

USA

The good news is that in America, you can watch every NFL fixture live online. The bad news is that games are spread across many different networks. Here’s the breakdown:

• ESPN/ABC – Monday Night Football, plus select Saturday and other games
• Amazon Prime Video – 15 Thursday Night Football games, plus select additional games
• NFL Network – Select exclusive games, including Saturday games in Week 16
• CBS/Paramount+ – AFC Sunday afternoon games
• FOX/FOX One – NFC Sunday afternoon games
• NBC/Peacock – Sunday Night Football, plus select Saturday games
• Netflix – Five select regular-season games in 2026, including the Melbourne game, Thanksgiving Eve, two Christmas Day games and a Week 18 game

However, if you don’t have cable, there are a couple of over-the-top streaming services that will allow you to watch. First, FuboTV carries all of the above channels and costs $84.99 USD per month. YouTube TV is very slightly cheaper, at $82.99 per month, and offers the same content as FuboTV.

The least expensive option, though, is Sling TV: the Orange and Blue plan costs $60.99 per month and lets you live stream ESPN, FOX, NFL Network, and NBC.

It’s worth noting that the channels above will only be providing English-language commentary. Spanish broadcasts are split between Universo, ESPN Deportes, and Telemundo Deportes. The first two of these channels are part of a standalone Spanish TV plan ($34.99/month) or as an add-on ($14.99) if you’re already subscribed to YouTube TV’s base plan. Alternatively, Sling TV has the same channels in its Latino plan which costs $10/month.

The games will be geo-blocked, so you will need a VPN to gain a US IP address and connect to your usual home streaming services while traveling abroad. NordVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it risk-free.

UK

British NFL fans have several options for streaming the 2026 NFL season. The first is Sky Sports, which is showing some 170 live NFL games. If you’re already a Sky subscriber, you can add the required sports channels and watch live on the Sky Go app.

Want to watch the NFL without cable? The easiest way is with NFL Game Pass on DAZN. You’ll pay from £18.99/month in 12 instalments or £179.99 upfront. Just keep in mind that some blackouts apply due to UK broadcast rights.

Additionally, two Sunday evening games will be broadcast each week for free. The first, at 6 PM on 5ACTION, and the second at 9:25 PM on 5. You can stream both of these channels via the 5 streaming service. Better still, all six of the NFL International Games taking place in Europe will be shown live on 5.

You can also watch Sky Sports’ NFL coverage though a Now (Sports plan) subscription which costs £34.99/month. This gives you access to all 12 Sky Sports channels and 170 NFL games.

Brits traveling abroad will need a VPN to gain a UK IP address and resume watching these services when they are overseas.

France

France has several ways to watch the NFL during the 2026 season. M6+ continues to offer a free-to-watch NFL game every Sunday during the regular season, with selected playoff games and the Super Bowl also available through the M6 group.

beIN Sports remains one of the main paid NFL broadcasters in France. Its 2026 coverage includes more than 100 live games during the season, including Thursday Night Football, Sunday Night Football, Monday Night Football, NFL RedZone, and additional Sunday games, as well as the entire playoffs and Super Bowl LXI. Subscriptions start at €15/month.

If you want to watch every NFL game from France, NFL Game Pass on DAZN is the more comprehensive option. It provides every game live and on-demand, as well as NFL RedZone and other NFL programming. A major change for 2026 is that, for the first time, all NFL games on Game Pass are available with French commentary as well as the original English audio.

To access your home streaming services from abroad, you’ll need to use a VPN to gain a French IP address from abroad.

Other locations

The mini-guides above are far from an exhaustive list of NFL sources. If I’ve not mentioned your country, there’s still a good chance you’ll be able to watch live. Just check out the full list of international NFL broadcasters to find official sources in your region.

Remember that if in doubt, you can always try NFL Game Pass on DAZN. This sports streaming platform is available in most countries. However, it’s known to have strict VPN blocking in place, which makes it difficult to stream content while traveling abroad.

Can I stream the NFL with a free VPN?

Although free VPNs may appear to be an easy way to stay safe online, I strongly advise avoiding them. First and foremost, they aren’t suitable for streaming: with more users than premium services yet fewer servers, you can expect intermittent connections and choppy, stuttering video, if it buffers at all. These problems only worsen with live HD video, which requires relatively fast speeds to watch. Also, some free VPNs impose monthly data limits, so it’s highly unlikely you’ll be able to watch as much of the NFL as you’d like.

There’s another issue: free VPNs have a history of misleading their users and can pose serious security and privacy risks. A 2026 study of 281 free Android apps found widespread problems including traffic leaks, unencrypted data, and tracking. To protect yourself and your personal information, I recommend using a reputable VPN that puts the privacy of its users first.

2026/27 NFL schedule

Watching NFL games overseas: FAQs