Most NFL games on Sunday afternoon won’t be shown on TV where you live. These out-of-market games can still be streamed, however. Below, I explain seven ways you can watch every game.
In a hurry? If you want to start watching live out-of-market NFL games as quickly as possible, here’s a summary of my top suggestions:
- ExpressVPN: Get the games you want to watch no matter where you are with private browsing and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Fubo: Watch all local and primetime games as well as all the action Sunday afternoon with NFL RedZone. Sign up for a free trial!
- NFL Sunday Ticket: Available through YouTube and YouTube TV.
- DAZN Canada is streaming every NFL game live, which means preseason, regular games, playoff games, and of course the Super Bowl.
Table Of Contents
How to Watch Out-of-Market NFL Games
Options for NFL fans vary in terms of price, ease of use, and constraints:
| Option | Description | Lowest Cost |
| NFL+ Premium | Watch NFL replays of all games shortly after they finish. | $14.99 |
| NFL RedZone | Watch the most important parts of all the live Sunday afternoon games as they happen. | $51 |
| Sunday Ticket | Pricey, but you can stream any out-of-market NFL game. | $349+ |
| VPNs | Combined with NFL+ or a live TV streaming service, you can watch any out-of-market game as if you’re local. | $9.19 |
| NFL Game Pass | Allows you to watch all the games live — but it’s for international viewers only. | ~$200 |
| Radio | Listening to live NFL games may seem like a second-best option, but all of the excitement comes through. | $6.99 |
| Friends | Football is best watched with friends! Or with strangers at a bar or restaurant. 😉 | Free! |
The next section discusses each of these options in depth with my commentary.
Ways to Watch Live Out-of-Market NFL Games
Up to 13 games are played each Sunday afternoon, but only 4 air in your local area. This leaves up to nine games unavailable to watch on regular TV. Below I review the ways you can experience NFL games, both live and on replay. (Note that this doesn’t always mean watching.)
Use these links to jump to the content below:
- Use a VPN
- NFL+ Premium
- NFL RedZone
- NFL Sunday Ticket
- NFL Game Pass International
- Listen on the radio
- Go to a friend’s house
1. Live Stream Out-of-Market NFL Games With ExpressVPN
Using a VPN with a streaming service is the cheapest way to watch live out-of-market NFL games on your smart TV.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔ Watch from a choice of major US cities | ❌ Requires streaming service |
| ✔ Provides streaming security/privacy | ❌ Server locations can be limited |
Regardless of whether you use NFL+, Fubo, or another streaming platform, you can supplement it with a VPN to watch out-of-market games. Don’t be intimidated by VPNs.
VPN costs vary based on how you want to watch and what VPN you use. Here are some examples with NFL+ (mobile devices only) and Fubo (complete access):
| VPN | NFL+ | Fubo |
| ExpressVPN | $13.66 | $86.66 |
| NordVPN | $10.08 | $83.08 |
| Surfshark | $9.18 | $82.18 |
| Hotspot Shield | $9.98 | $82.98 |
| CyberGhost | $9.18 | $82.18 |
If you don’t currently have a sports streaming service, check out our guide below.
Is it legal to watch out-of-market NFL games with a VPN?
VPNs are legal in most countries including the United States. In these countries, it is perfectly legal to watch out-of-market NFL games with a VPN. There may be limits in this regard with your live TV streaming services but most do not have any specific restrictions on using a VPN.
2. Stream Out-of-Market Games With NFL+ Premium
NFL+ Premium allows you to watch all NFL game replays.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔ Cheaper than other options ($14.99/month) | ❌ Live streams are on mobile only |
| ✔ Includes NFL RedZone | ❌ No live games except local/primetime |
With NFL+ Premium, you can watch all games for one low price of $14.99/month.
What’s the catch? You can only live stream local and primetime games — and only on mobile apps.
The other games are available on-demand after they air — right after the conclusion of their telecast in most cases.
You can get the NFL+ directly from the NFL. You can also learn more in our NFL+ review. It isn’t my top choice for watching out-of-market games, but I will not face the season without it. It’s essential for serious fans.
3. NFL RedZone: How to Watch Every Game All at Once
NFL RedZone allows you to follow all the games happening Sunday afternoon.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔ Best parts of Sunday afternoon games live | ❌ Doesn’t include full out-of-market games |
There are as many as eight games taking place at one time. NFL RedZone is an add-on channel that lets you watch the most exciting moments of all Sunday afternoon NFL games at the same time. This includes up to eight games being shown on screen at the same time — perfect use for high-definition TV.
You can get NFL RedZone from several live TV streaming services:
In addition to NFL RedZone, the above services allow you to watch many complete live NFL games each week.
For more details, see our NFL RedZone guide and our NFL RedZone for Out-of-Market Games guide.
4. NFL Sunday Ticket: Complete Out-of-Market Package
NFL Sunday Ticket provides access to all out-of-market NFL games.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔ Includes all out-of-market games | ❌ More expensive than other options |
| ❌ In-market games not included |
NFL Sunday Ticket is the gold standard in streaming out-of-market games. It allows you to watch whatever out-of-market Sunday afternoon games you want. It is available either from YouTube directly or as an add-on for YouTube TV.
Unfortunately, it’s the more expensive way to stream NFL games:
- YouTube: $479
- YouTube TV: $379 plus $72.99/month
Note that the standalone plan from YouTube does not include any in-market or primetime games so you will want to combine it with another service like NFL+.
For full details, see our NFL Sunday Ticket review.
What games aren’t included with NFL Sunday Ticket?
As the name implies, NFL Sunday Ticket provides access to Sunday games — but not all of them. The following games will be excluded:
- Local games broadcast on CBS and Fox
- Sunday night games
- Monday night games
- Thursday night games
- International games
- Holiday games
- Playoff games.
5. NFL Game Pass International: Every Game for Fans Outside the US
Watch any and all NFL games if you live outside the US.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔ All games live | ❌ Non-US customers only |
| ✔ NFL Network | |
| ✔ NFL RedZone |
NFL Game Pass International offers everything a fan would want for roughly $200 per season, depending on country (eg. €179.99 in Germany, or £159.99 in the UK).
NFL Game Pass offers live streaming of ALL NFL games. Can’t beat that, right? The catch is that it is not available in the US. See our NFL Game Pass review for all the details.
If you are located in Canada, you get the equivalent of NFL Game Pass as part of DAZN. It costs $29.99/month CAD or $199.99/year CAD. That’s an amazing deal for everything you get. Sign up here.
Get NFL Game Pass International!
Note: NFL Game Pass is not available in China.
6. Listen to Out-of-Market NFL Games on the Radio
Listen to all NFL games with NFL+ or SirusXM from wherever you are!
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔ Inexpensive or free | ❌ Audio only |
| ✔ Universal coverage |
Listening to games may seem a bit old school but with the right commentary team, the action shines right through. I have vivid memories of games I only listened to when I was younger.
You can always listen to local games on radio stations near you. To listen to out-of-market games, you have several options. You can listen to radio coverage for any team with the following services:
- SiriusXM — $9.99/mo
- NFL+ — $6.99/month
- Entravision (Spanish language) — Free
7. Watch Out-of-Market Games With Friends
Friends, co-workers, and even a local pub or restaurant can be a great option for watching out-of-market NFL games.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔ Free | ❌ Availability |
| ✔ Camaraderie | ❌ Cost of food & drinks |
This is my favorite way to watch out-of-market NFL games. Super Bowl parties are a big deal for most people, but there’s no reason to limit these get-togethers to only the last game of the season.
Football is best enjoyed with friends and family. Most people know that and welcome company — especially if it comes with drinks and snacks.
Alternatively, you could watch games at public places. Many restaurants, bars, and similar establishments show games on Sunday afternoons.
Avoid Illegal Streams
There are a number of websites that tout illegal streams for watching NFL games. These dodgy sites rationalize their “services” by saying that NFL games should be free to viewers.
I disagree. NFL broadcasts are legally copyrighted. What’s more, the league already offers five games each Sunday for free over-the-air. Watching games via pirate streaming services is wrong.
Even if you don’t agree with me, I don’t recommend illegal streams for other practical reasons:
- You could be caught
- The service can be cut
- You may be infected with malware
- The stream may be low quality
You’re much better off trying a streaming service for free to watch a one-off game instead of using a scammy website.
NFL Week 15 Schedule
The listings below feature kickoff times. Generally, coverage will begin earlier — usually an hour or more.
| Date | Time (ET) | Teams | TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu Dec 12 | 8:15 pm | Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers | Prime Video |
| Sun Dec 15 | 1:00 pm | Dallas Cowboys at Carolina Panthers | FOX |
| Sun Dec 15 | 1:00 pm | Kansas City Chiefs at Cleveland Browns | CBS |
| Sun Dec 15 | 1:00 pm | Miami Dolphins at Houston Texans | CBS |
| Sun Dec 15 | 1:00 pm | New York Jets at Jacksonville Jaguars | FOX |
| Sun Dec 15 | 1:00 pm | Washington Commanders at New Orleans Saints | FOX |
| Sun Dec 15 | 1:00 pm | Baltimore Ravens at New York Giants | CBS |
| Sun Dec 15 | 1:00 pm | Cincinnati Bengals at Tennessee Titans | FOX |
| Sun Dec 15 | 4:25 pm | New England Patriots at Arizona Cardinals | CBS |
| Sun Dec 15 | 4:25 pm | Indianapolis Colts at Denver Broncos | CBS |
| Sun Dec 15 | 4:25 pm | Buffalo Bills at Detroit Lions | CBS |
| Sun Dec 15 | 4:25 pm | Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Los Angeles Chargers | FOX |
| Sun Dec 15 | 4:25 pm | Pittsburgh Steelers at Philadelphia Eagles | FOX |
| Sun Dec 15 | 8:20 pm | Green Bay Packers at Seattle Seahawks | NBC |
| Mon Dec 16 | 8:00 pm | Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings | ABC |
| Mon Dec 16 | 8:30 pm | Atlanta Falcons at Las Vegas Raiders | ESPN |
Our Choices
If you are like me and need access to out-of-market NFL games, one of the options above should work for you. Here is a summary of what I discussed above:
| Option | Benefit | Disadvantage |
| VPNs | Greater control of streaming | Incomplete option |
| NFL+ Premium | All games | Not live |
| NFL RedZone | Simultaneous games live | No complete games |
| NFL Sunday Ticket | All out-of-market games | Expensive |
| NFL Game Pass | All games | Not available in USA |
| Radio | All games | Audio only |
| Friends | Free | Limited availability |
But for most football fans, I recommend Fubo along with NFL RedZone. Fubo allows you to try out its service with a free trial.
FAQs
What Are Out-of-Market NFL Games?
An out-of-market NFL game is any NFL game that isn’t shown on your local Fox or CBS affiliate on Sunday afternoon. The reason for this is simply that a lot of games happen at the same time and local affiliates only show those games that will be of interest to the greatest number of their viewers.
What Are NFL Blackouts?
A blackout is when a game is not broadcast in the local TV market — usually because the game did not sell out. It is a way to encourage people to buy tickets and watch games at the stadium in person. This policy has not been in effect since 2015. Blackouts also relate to NFL Sunday Ticket where games featuring local teams and those shown nationally are not available.
What is an NFL primetime game?
NFL primetime games are those that occur at night during the TV primetime hours. Some holiday games (eg, Thanksgiving) are primetime games. But mostly, the primetime games are the Thursday Night, Sunday Night, and Monday Night football games. Note that all of these games are broadcast or streamed nationally and not considered out-of-market.
Are there any out-of-market NFL playoff games?
All NFL playoff matchups are broadcast nationally. Once the postseason arrives, the out-of-market issue is over and there are no blackouts. All wild card, division, conference, and Super Bowl games are available to everyone and are staggered so you can watch every minute of every game.
Are there out-of-market games outside the United States?
In the vast majority of locations, there are no out-of-market games outside the US. You just subscribe to NFL Game Pass International and you can watch any game. But there are a few exceptions. First, China is excluded. Second, there are local blackouts for international games. So in 2024, some viewers in the UK will miss out on three games — and the same is true for fans in Germany.
What is the cheapest way to watch out-of-market NFL games?
NFL+ Premium for $14.99/month is the cheapest way to watch out-of-market NFL games. But there’s a catch: you can only watch them on replay. If you want to watch live, your cheapest option will be to combine a streaming service that offers in-market games with a VPN. Sunday Ticket with YouTube is a lower-cost option but it does not include any in-market games.
How do I change my location to watch out-of-market NFL games?
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) can change your location for streaming. You just select a server in a city you are interested in streaming from, and click the city name to connect. However, you will need to know which city is right for your purpose.
How can I stream out-of-market NFL games for free?
Currently, there is no legal way to livestream out-of-market NFL games for free. You can stream many games with free streaming trials but not out-of-market games. You can, however use such services with a VPN to watch out-of-market NFL games. See our VPN guide for how to do this.
I advise against using illegal streams. And recently, there has been a big crackdown on these sites so you may not be able to find one anyway. But remember, local affiliates broadcast in-market games for free. Seriously consider at least setting up a digital antenna.
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Updated based on author's direct experience.
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My expertise in sports coverage, particularly for out-of-market games and regional sports networks, stems from years of hands-on experience as an early adopter of streaming services and my work addressing fans' viewing challenges. As a longtime cord-cutter and subscriber to multiple streaming platforms, I combine my technical knowledge with practical user experience, making me a leading expert in the field of sports streaming and entertainment technology.
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