I still want to watch sports live on TV, even though Netflix and Hulu on-demand work great for most of my streaming needs. As a sports fan, cord-cutting used to be challenging, but now there’s good news: live TV streaming services have made it possible to watch all my favorite sports without a cable subscription by choosing from several online providers.
In a hurry? Check out these popular streaming services where you can stream sports without cable on dozens of sports channels online.
- Fubo: My top choice for sports streaming with 150+ well-selected channels. It comes with a free trial.
- DIRECTV STREAM: Another great full cable replacement service featuring a 5-day free trial.
- Sling TV: A low-cost and highly customizable streaming service. Save 50% on Sling TV now!
Table Of Contents
Top Sports Streaming Services
Here are the best sports streaming services based on our assessment of what channels are available to stream your favorite sports live.
You can also scroll down to the sports streaming guide and find out what channels you need.
| Best For | Price | |
 | Football, Basketball, Baseball, Hockey, Soccer, Golf, Tennis, College sports, Olympics, Motorsports | $79.99 |
 | Football, Basketball, Hockey, Golf, College Sports | $86.99 |
 | Football, Hockey, Golf, Tennis, Olympics, Motorsports | $82.99 |
 | Basketball, Baseball, Hockey, Olympics, Combat Sport | $45.99 |
 | Football, Golf, Tennis, Olympics, Motorsports | $82.99 |
Ways to Get Sports Without Cable
There are two main ways to watch live sport without cable. You can either stream sports online or use an over-the-air (OTA) antenna to access local channels.
Streaming Sports Online
If you choose to go with the option to stream sports online, you’ll be hunting for the following types of channels:
- Local Channels
- Regional Sports Networks (RSNs)
- National Channels
Local Channels
The main local channels that broadcast major sports events are NBC, CBS, ABC, and FOX. Such channels have local affiliates, meaning each locality has a different version of the local channel with slightly varying programs.
When it comes to sports, local channels may show different games, based on where you tune in. Local channels like NBC have separate sports channels. For instance, NBC Sports is a set of regional networks (see below), while CBS Sports Network is an entirely separate national TV channel.
- ABC: At one time, ABC was the iconic sports channel (“The thrill of victory! The agony of defeat!”). But in 2006, ABC Sports became ESPN on ABC, providing local channel viewers access to part of the cable channel’s coverage, including NFL, NBA on ABC, NHL (including the Stanley Cup playoffs and finals), international soccer, college football, and more.
- NBC: Sports programs are shown on NBC during weekend afternoons. The majority of sports is broadcast by NBC Sports’ regional channels, though you can watch sports like golf, NASCAR, and the summer and winter Olympic Games via antenna. Note that OTA sister channel Telemundo also airs sports.
- CBS: During football season CBS normally airs two games every Sunday. They also air basketball. March Madness is broadcast by CBS, as well as the occasional college basketball bout. CBS Sports, the network’s national sports channel covers far more live sports.
- Fox: Aside from the better-known FOX Sports channels (FS1, FS2), Fox’s local channels broadcast sports like soccer, volleyball, bowling, and exclusive shows like the NASCAR Race Hub.
Note that the big four local networks limit their sports coverage primarily to
What’s important is that you can stream these network affiliates and other local channels online to watch sports. Services like DIRECTV STREAM, Hulu + Live TV, and Fubo offer all four, and more.
Regional Sports Networks
Like local channels, RSNs also present live content to specific localities. For example, FanDuel Sports has over a dozen separate channels. One such, FanDuel Sports Florida, serves the regions of Florida, southern Alabama, and southern Georgia. The other FanDuel Sports channels work this same way and serve one or more local regions.
You can stream select RSNs with the large streaming providers online, without cable. DIRECTV STREAM and Fubo are the best streaming service for RSNs — providing access to over 35 location-specific channels with many additional subchannels. (DIRECTV STREAM is only missing NBC Sports Philadelphia and Fubo is missing the two Spectrum SportsNet channels in Los Angeles.)
National Channels
These include some of your favorite sports channels like FS1 and ESPN. National sports channels are available nationwide and are the easiest to stream online.
A subset of these are league-specific channels. For example, baseball fans can watch live games and exclusive content on the MLB Network. There are many more league-specific channels like SEC Network and NBA TV.
There are also out-of-market packages like NFL Sunday Ticket and MLB.TV, which you can get as add-ons from live TV streaming services.
How to Stream Your Favorite Sports
You can also find additional resources on the sports, their major leagues, and competitions.
Football
- Channels Needed: CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN, NFL Network, NFL RedZone
- Best Streaming Services: Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, DIRECTV STREAM, YouTube TV
 |  |  |  | |
| NBC | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Fox | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| CBS | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| NFL Network | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| NFL RedZone | 💲 | 💲 | 💲 | 💲 |
| ESPN | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Try Fubo | Try Hulu | Try DIRECTV | Try YouTube |
CBS and Fox air most Sunday NFL games. NBC has exclusive rights to air Sunday Night Football. ESPN is necessary if you want to watch Monday Night Football live (ABC sometimes airs it as well). Amazon Prime Video is a must for Thursday Night Football.
NFL RedZone is only important if you value highlights — they show every touchdown of the week on Sundays. And NFL Network is pretty much just preseason games these days.
Fubo is my top choice for football streaming.
See also:
- Ways to Watch Football Online Without Cable
- How to watch the Super Bowl
- Watch the NFL Playoffs without cable
Basketball
- Channels Needed: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, TNT, NBA TV, and RSNs: FanDuel Sports, NBC Sports, SportsNet, Altitude, Spectrum, MSG, YES
- Best Streaming Services: Fubo, Sling TV, DIRECTV STREAM
 |  |  | |
| RSNs | ✔️ | ❌ | 💲 |
| ESPN | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| ESPN2 | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| TNT | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| NBA TV | 💲 | 💲 | 💲 |
| Try Fubo | Try Sling | Try DIRECTV |
If your favorite NBA team is also the local team, you will want to check out Fubo or DIRECTV STREAM. The RSNs they provide are the only way to watch most games.
Sling TV is a great low-cost choice for basketball fans — but you will be limited to national broadcasts.
See also:
- How to Watch NBA Without Cable
- How to Stream the NBA Playoffs Finals Online
- Where to Watch Your Favorite NBA Team Play Online
Baseball
- Channels Needed: ESPN, Fox, Fox Sports 1 (FS1), MLB Network, TBS, and RSNs: FanDuel Sports, NBC Sports, AT&T SportsNet, MASN, NESN, Marquee, Spectrum, SportsNet New York, YES, ROOT
- Best Streaming Services: Fubo, Sling TV, DIRECTV STREAM
 |  |  | |
| RSNs | ✔️ | ❌ | 💲 |
| ESPN | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Fox | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| FS1 | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| MLB Network | 💲 | 💲 | 💲 |
| TBS | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Try Fubo | Try Sling | Try DIRECTV |
Local MLB fans will want Fubo or DIRECTV STREAM to watch most games, which are only shown on the RSNs. Sling TV provides all the national channels for fans.
Another option is MLB.TV, which provides you access to all the games not involving your local team. It is available as an add-on with both Fubo and Sling TV.
See also:
- How to Watch Baseball Without Cable
- How to Watch the MLB Playoffs Online
- Where to Stream the World Series Without Cable
Cricket
- Channels Needed: Willow TV
- Best Streaming Services: Sling TV, ESPN+
For US-based fans, watching cricket is pretty simple given that it isn’t widely televised here. Most events appear on Willow TV and its subchannel Willow Xtra. But ESPN+ also provides decent cricket coverage.
See also:
- Cricket Without Cable
- Men’s T20 World Cup
- Women’s T20 World Cup
- Men’s ODI World Cup
- Women’s ODI World Cup
- General Cricket Guide
- Test Cricket
- ODI Men’s World Cup
- ODI Women’s World Cup
- T20 Men’s World Cup
- T20 Women’s World Cup
Horse Racing
- Channels Needed: NBC, FanDuel TV
- Best Streaming Services: DIRECTV STREAM, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV
The biggest horse races appear on NBC. But for the day-to-day sport, FanDuel is essential.
See also:
Hockey
- Channels Needed: NHL Network, ESPN, TNT, and RSNs: FanDuel Sports, NBC Sports, SportsNet, NESN, Altitude, MSG
- Best Streaming Services: Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, DIRECTV STREAM
 |  |  | |
| RSNs | ✔️ | ❌ | 💲 |
| NHL Network | 💲 | ❌ | 💲 |
| ESPN | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| TNT | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Try Fubo | Try Hulu | Try DIRECTV |
Fubo and DIRECTV STREAM are hands down the top choices for local cord-cutters to watch NHL games. Hulu is great if your favorite team is out-of-market since it includes ESPN+, the NHL’s out-of-market service.
See also:
- Guide to Watch Hockey Online Without Cable
- How to Watch Out-of-Market NHL Games
- How to Watch the NHL Playoffs
- The Stanley Cup Final: Your Practical Guide to Watching the Puck Drop
Soccer
- Channels Needed: NBC, USA, TNT, BeIN Sports, Fox Sports 1 (FS1), FS2, TUDN, and RSNs: FanDuel Sports, NBC Sports, Spectrum, YES, ROOT
- Best Streaming Services (Cable Replacement): Fubo, DIRECTV STREAM, Hulu + Live TV
- Additional Stream Services Needed: ESPN+, Fanatiz, Paramount+, Peacock
 |  |  | |
| NBC | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| USA | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| beIN Sports | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ |
| FS1 | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| FS2 | ✔️ | 💲 | ✔️ |
| TUDN | ✔️ | 💲 | ❌ |
| Try Fubo | Try DIRECTV | Try Hulu |
Fubo offers all of the main soccer channels, and they all come with the base plan for $79.99/month.
Fanatiz is a great stand-alone way to watch beIN Sports if you don’t want to spring for Fubo. beIN Sports, by itself, has Copa Libertadores, Copa Sudamericana, Ligue1, Africa Cup of Nations, CAF, and the Turkish Süper Lig.
The biggest recent change is MLS is now on Apple TV. You don’t need Apple’s streaming service (Apple TV+), though Apple TV+ subscribers do get a discount (and some of the best original programming on TV).
Networks have increasingly been moving their international soccer to their streaming services. Here’s a quick rundown of some of the more popular leagues:
- AFC: Paramount+
- Bundesliga: ESPN+
- English Premiere League: Peacock
- FA Cup: ESPN+
- La Liga: ESPN+
- NWSL: Paramount+
- Olympic Soccer: Peacock
- Serie A: Paramount+
- UEFA: Paramount+
See also:
Golf
- Channels Needed: Golf Channel, NBC, CBS, CBS Sports, ESPN
- Best Streaming Services: Fubo, DIRECTV STREAM, Hulu + Live TV
 |  |  | |
| Golf Channel | ✔️ | 💲 | ✔️ |
| NBC | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| CBS | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| CBS Sports | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| ESPN | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Try Fubo | Try DIRECTV | Try Hulu |
Both Hulu + Live TV and Fubo offer channel line-ups that have all you need to watch golf without cable. DIRECTV STREAM is more expensive for golf fans, though if you want to stream other sports it’s a good deal.
See also:
Tennis
- Channels Needed: ESPN, ESPN2, NBC, ABC, CBS, FS1, FS2, Tennis Channel
- Best Streaming Services: Fubo, Hulu + Live TV
 |  | |
| ESPN | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| ESPN2 | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| NBC | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| ABC | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| CBS | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| FS1 | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| FS2 | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Tennis | 💲 | 💲 |
| Try Fubo | Try Hulu |
Hulu and Fubo offer all the channels that air substantial amounts of tennis.
See also:
Olympics
- Channels Needed: NBC, Golf Channel, USA
- Best Streaming Services: Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV
 |  |  | |
| NBC | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Golf Channel | ✔️ | ✔️ | 💲 |
| USA | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Try Fubo | Try Hulu | Try Sling TV |
There are three key channels you need to watch the Olympics and they are all widely available.
See also:
College Sports
College sports are also in demand for cable cutters — especially college football and basketball. Here’s a summary of the channels and services you need to stream college sports without cable.
College Football
There are a number of channels that provide substantial coverage of college football:
- ABC
- ACC Network (ACC)
- Big Ten Network (Big Ten)
- CBS Sports Network (CBSSN)
- ESPN
- ESPN2
- ESPN3
- ESPNU
- Fox
- FS1
- SEC Network (SEC)
The most important of these channels are ESPN3, ESPN, ACCN, CBSSN, SEC, and BTN. There isn’t one perfect streaming service for college football. All the services have their advantages and disadvantages.
Hulu + Live TV also offers a good deal with all of the channels. Fubo’s Elite plan has all the channels as well.
More information:
College Basketball
Here’s the list of channels that air college basketball games during the regular season are pretty much the same as those that air football.
- ACC Network (ACC)
- Big Ten Network (Big Ten)
- CBS
- CBS Sports Network (CBSSN)
- ESPN
- ESPN2
- ESPNU
- Fox
- FS1
- SEC Network (SEC)
But the biggest distributor of NCAA basketball games is ESPN+. Since Hulu + Live TV includes all the live channels and ESPN+, it is the obvious choice for fans.
March Madness is shown on truTV, TBS, TNT, and CBS. Again, Hulu Live has you covered here.
Read more:
Other College Sports
There is a wide range of sports that top college athletes engage in.
Read more:
Other Sports
Here’s a summary of how you can watch a selection of other sports without cable.
Auto Racing
NASCAR and Formula 1 are two of the most popular auto racing leagues in the world. The latter is less popular in the US, so let’s start with NASCAR.
The majority of NASCAR races air on FOX and NBC Channels. This means that your best bet to watch NASCAR online is with Fubo, Hulu, or Sling TV.
Formula 1 is mainly broadcast on ESPN networks as well as ABC. As a result, the best services for F1 are (again) Fubo, Hulu, and Sling TV.
See also:
Combat Sports
Combat sports are dominated by mixed martial arts (MMA) and boxing. Here are the channels and services you need to watch two top MMA leagues and professional boxing without paying a cable bill:
- UFC: ESPN and ESPN2 are the most important channels you need to watch UFC. Pay-per-view fights will cost you extra via ESPN+. Most streaming services offer the ESPN networks, so your cheapest choice is Sling TV.
- Bellator MMA: These fights are shown exclusively on DAZN, a sports-focused streaming service for $29.99 per month or the greatly reduced $19.99 per month with a year-long contract.
- Professional Boxing: As for TV channels, boxing airs on ESPN networks, though many fights air exclusively on services like DAZN and Triller TV. If you want the most fight action, you can try DAZN for free alongside the Orange plan from Sling TV. Triller TV is just $7.99/mo or $69.99/yr (after a 7-day free trial).
See more at:
Rugby
Most high-profile rugby in the US is on NBC, or one of NBC’s sister-stations, or Peacock. This includes the Rugby World Cup, Rugby Sevens World Cup, and Premiership Rugby. Major League Rugby is on Fox/FS1/FS2 (local games) or The Rugby Network (free).
If you’re looking for more than that, checkout FloRugby. It’s got Autumn Nations Series, Six Nations 20s, Women’s Six Nations, Rugby Europe Championships, Super Rugby, Currie Cup, Bledisloe Cup, Rugby Championship, US college matches, and World Cup qualifiers.
You have lots of options to get the networks that show rugby:
- Fubo ($79.99/month): Get 150+ channels including all the above.
- DIRECTV STREAM ($86.99/month): Get 90+ channels but you will need to upgrade to get FS2.
- Sling TV ($45.99/month): Get 40+ channels but you need to upgrade to get FS2.
- Hulu + Live TV ($82.99/month): Get 95+ channels, ESPN+, and all the channels above.
- YouTube TV ($82.99/month): Get 100+ channels including all of the above.
See more at:
Pro Wrestling
WWE Network no longer functions in the US as an independent channel. Instead, it has moved to Peacock. With it, you get access to all their shows and every PPV event. But you must sign up with Peacock Premium for $7.99/month.
If you don’t want to do this, you can see the WWE shows on Fox, TNT, and USA. You can get these channels on either of these services:
- Hulu + Live TV: Offers the WWE show channels alongside 95+ other channels for $82.99/month.
- DIRECTV STREAM: Also offers the WWE show channels for a monthly cost of $86.99/month.
See more at:
Regional Sports Networks
Regional sports networks (RSNs) allow you to watch live and pre-recorded sports on TV in particular areas around the US.
There are dozens of RSNs — some of them are operated by major network providers like NBC, while others are run by telecommunications giant, AT&T. FanDuel Sports is the largest RSN provider having taken over Fox Sports’ channels.
As you can see in the list of RSNs below, DIRECTV STREAM is the streaming service with the widest coverage, followed by Fubo. YouTube TV has the same RSNs as Hulu + Live TV, minus SportsNet New York.
Other Ways to Watch Sports Without Cable
There are other ways to watch sports without cable. We’ve touched on some of these above.
- ESPN+: Although not a replacement for the regular ESPN channels, ESPN+ provides access to a lot of games across the spectrum of sports.
- ESPN3: Only Sling TV includes ESPN3 with its channel guide. But you can watch ESPN3 through the ESPN app using your streaming service to log in.
- League Passes: Many sports league provide access to all of their names. These include NBA League Pass, NFL+, and MLB.TV. The problem with these for most fans is that they only allow you to watch out-market games. So if you want to watch the home team, you’re out of luck.
TVs and Other Streaming Devices
The dominant streaming services tend to support a similar set of streaming devices. Here are the types of supported devices with some examples of accepted models — versions vary from service-to-service:
- Mobile Phones and Tablets: Most recent models of iOS (Apple) and Android devices, no older than a few years
- Smart TVs: Samsung, LG, Android TV, and Roku TV
- Streaming Devices: Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Roku, Chromecast
- Streaming Boxes: Air TV, Chromecast, Nexus
- Gaming Consoles: Xbox One, Playstation 4 and 5
Our Choice
Now you can check which channels you need to watch your favorite sport, you can also see which streaming service you need.
It will depend on your exact interests, but I recommend Fubo for sports fans. Fubo allows you to try out its service with a free trial.
FAQs
Does Amazon Prime have live sports?
Amazon Prime shows some live sporting events. Most notably, it is the home of Thursday Night Football games. You can get more live sports with individual channel subscriptions like MLB.tv, NBA League Pass, Paramount+, and PGA Tour Live.
Can I record live sporting events?
All the major streaming services come with a cloud DVR. Sling TV offers 50 hours of cloud DVR. Fubo offers 1,000 hours. Hulu + Live TV and DIRECTV STREAM offer unlimited could DVR with up to 9 months of storage.
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Her expertise stems from being an early adopter of various entertainment technologies, from mail-order Netflix to modern streaming platforms. Alanna's in-depth knowledge of Sling TV's modular service and her ability to cover diverse streaming content make her a key expert in navigating the complex landscape of modern streaming options, especially in sports and entertainment.
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