NFL Fans Can Catch Wild Card Games Without Cable for Free This Season
The 2025-26 NFL regular season is now over, and with the playoffs in full swing, fans have several options to catch their favorite teams play online without needing a cable subscription.
Six games are scheduled during the NFL Wild Card Playoffs this weekend, with the best teams in the AFC and NFC competing for a spot at Super Bowl LX. These games will be broadcast on five networks: FOX, CBS, ABC, ESPN, and NBC, as well as one streaming service - Prime Video.
Post-season games begin on Saturday, January 10th, at 4:30 p.m ET/1:30 p.m PT. To catch the action online for free, fans can check out a complete NFL playoffs schedule here.
Here's a breakdown of who is playing during the NFL Wild Card Playoffs:
On Saturday, January 10th, the Los Angeles Rams will battle the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, with kickoff starting at 4:30 p.m ET/1:30 p.m PT on FOX.
The second game that night features the Green Bay Packers taking on the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. The matchup will livestream on Prime Video at 8 p.m ET/5 p.m PT.
On Sunday, January 11th, Buffalo Bills face off against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, with kickoff starting at 1 p.m ET/10 a.m PT on CBS.
The San Francisco 49ers will then take on the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The game is scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m ET/1:30 p.m PT on FOX.
Later that evening, the Los Angeles Chargers will face off against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Kickoff starts at 8 p.m ET/5 p.m PT and will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock as part of "Sunday Night Football."
The final game of the NFL Wild Card Playoffs is Monday night's matchup between the Houston Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The game starts at 8:15 p.m ET/5:15 p.m PT on ABC or ESPN.
Fortunately for fans without cable, there are several ways to watch online for free. One option is to use a digital antenna to access in-market games on your TV. Additionally, most NFL games can be livestreamed online through platforms like DirecTV and Hulu + Live TV. Some services even offer free trials that allow you to stream NFL Wild Card Playoffs online without paying a dime.
Here are the best ways to stream the NFL Wild Card Playoffs:
- **DirecTV**: Starting at $84.99 for the first month of series ($94.99/month afterwards), DirecTV's "Choice" package includes live sports and TV from home, with access to FOX, ESPN, ABC, CBS, and NBC.
- **Sling TV**: The Sling Orange + Blue package costs $29.99 for your first month of service ($60.99 per month afterwards). It includes ABC, NBC, FOX, and ESPN (though it doesn't include CBS), with the NFL Network available through an additional Sports Extra package.
- **FuboTV**: Fubo is one of the best options for streaming NFL games. The service features four networks that broadcast post-season games: FOX, ESPN, ABC, and CBS (with NBC included in some markets). It also has additional channels for analysis like NFL Red Zone.
- **Hulu + Live TV**: Starting at $89.99/month, Hulu + Live TV includes access to FOX, ESPN, ABC, CBS, and NBC, along with over 90 other channels. It's a great option for live channel streaming during the playoffs.
- **Amazon Prime Video**: Amazon's Prime Video service is home to several NFL games this season, including the Green Bay Packers-Chicago Bears matchup. You can sign up for a free trial or subscription to access the content.
- **Paramount+**: Paramount+ offers CBS games starting at $7.99/month or $12.99/month afterwards. It also includes access to “Sunday Night Football” and other exclusive NFL content.
- **Peacock**: Peacock has broadcast rights for the Chargers-Patriots game, as well as Sunday night football coverage. The ad-supported plan starts at $10.99/month.
- **NFL+**: For die-hard fans, the NFL+ streaming service is a must-have. It features all games across broadcast and cable networks, including NFL Network, during the regular season, post-season, preseason, and even the Super Bowl, starting at $6.99/month.
The 2025-26 NFL regular season is now over, and with the playoffs in full swing, fans have several options to catch their favorite teams play online without needing a cable subscription.
Six games are scheduled during the NFL Wild Card Playoffs this weekend, with the best teams in the AFC and NFC competing for a spot at Super Bowl LX. These games will be broadcast on five networks: FOX, CBS, ABC, ESPN, and NBC, as well as one streaming service - Prime Video.
Post-season games begin on Saturday, January 10th, at 4:30 p.m ET/1:30 p.m PT. To catch the action online for free, fans can check out a complete NFL playoffs schedule here.
Here's a breakdown of who is playing during the NFL Wild Card Playoffs:
On Saturday, January 10th, the Los Angeles Rams will battle the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, with kickoff starting at 4:30 p.m ET/1:30 p.m PT on FOX.
The second game that night features the Green Bay Packers taking on the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. The matchup will livestream on Prime Video at 8 p.m ET/5 p.m PT.
On Sunday, January 11th, Buffalo Bills face off against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, with kickoff starting at 1 p.m ET/10 a.m PT on CBS.
The San Francisco 49ers will then take on the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The game is scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m ET/1:30 p.m PT on FOX.
Later that evening, the Los Angeles Chargers will face off against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Kickoff starts at 8 p.m ET/5 p.m PT and will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock as part of "Sunday Night Football."
The final game of the NFL Wild Card Playoffs is Monday night's matchup between the Houston Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The game starts at 8:15 p.m ET/5:15 p.m PT on ABC or ESPN.
Fortunately for fans without cable, there are several ways to watch online for free. One option is to use a digital antenna to access in-market games on your TV. Additionally, most NFL games can be livestreamed online through platforms like DirecTV and Hulu + Live TV. Some services even offer free trials that allow you to stream NFL Wild Card Playoffs online without paying a dime.
Here are the best ways to stream the NFL Wild Card Playoffs:
- **DirecTV**: Starting at $84.99 for the first month of series ($94.99/month afterwards), DirecTV's "Choice" package includes live sports and TV from home, with access to FOX, ESPN, ABC, CBS, and NBC.
- **Sling TV**: The Sling Orange + Blue package costs $29.99 for your first month of service ($60.99 per month afterwards). It includes ABC, NBC, FOX, and ESPN (though it doesn't include CBS), with the NFL Network available through an additional Sports Extra package.
- **FuboTV**: Fubo is one of the best options for streaming NFL games. The service features four networks that broadcast post-season games: FOX, ESPN, ABC, and CBS (with NBC included in some markets). It also has additional channels for analysis like NFL Red Zone.
- **Hulu + Live TV**: Starting at $89.99/month, Hulu + Live TV includes access to FOX, ESPN, ABC, CBS, and NBC, along with over 90 other channels. It's a great option for live channel streaming during the playoffs.
- **Amazon Prime Video**: Amazon's Prime Video service is home to several NFL games this season, including the Green Bay Packers-Chicago Bears matchup. You can sign up for a free trial or subscription to access the content.
- **Paramount+**: Paramount+ offers CBS games starting at $7.99/month or $12.99/month afterwards. It also includes access to “Sunday Night Football” and other exclusive NFL content.
- **Peacock**: Peacock has broadcast rights for the Chargers-Patriots game, as well as Sunday night football coverage. The ad-supported plan starts at $10.99/month.
- **NFL+**: For die-hard fans, the NFL+ streaming service is a must-have. It features all games across broadcast and cable networks, including NFL Network, during the regular season, post-season, preseason, and even the Super Bowl, starting at $6.99/month.
. I think it's awesome that some services like DirecTV and Hulu + Live TV offer free trials for new customers - it's a great way to try out their streaming services before committing to a paid plan 
. Also, with Prime Video having the Green Bay Packers-Chicago Bears game livestreamed, more people can catch the action online without spending extra money 
. The best part is that we have so many affordable options available, from Sling TV and FuboTV to Paramount+ and Peacock - there's something for every fan on a budget 
!
finally some good news for us cord cutters! I've been saying this for a while now - streaming services are getting better and better. With all these options available, it's not a hassle to catch our favorite teams play online anymore. 
Some of these deals are pretty sweet too, like the Sling TV package that includes ABC, NBC, FOX, and ESPN... that's some solid value if you ask me! 
its awesome that u can watch all the games without cable now 
. Streaming services like DirecTV, Sling TV, FuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, Amazon Prime Video, Paramount+, and Peacock are offering affordable options for fans without cable 
. Can't wait for Saturday's game between the Rams and Panthers! 
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Still can't believe we're forced to pay for these sports events online... like who needs a free trial, right? 
And don't even get me started on Sling TV - $60/month for something that doesn't include CBS?! That's just highway robbery 
. FuboTV seems like a decent option at first, but then you gotta shell out extra cash for the Sports Extra package... what a joke! 
Can you believe it? Wild Card Games for FREE without a cable subscription? I mean, what's next? Free NFL games on YouTube? 
Just kidding, kind of... seriously though, folks, this is awesome news! It's like the NFL is saying, "Hey, we know you can't afford to watch our games because of how expensive it is to get cable." So, we're gonna let you watch for FREE! 
DirecTV and Hulu + Live TV are solid options if you're looking for more channels, but FuboTV is the way to go if you want the full NFL package