WhatToWatch

How to watch the 2024 NFL preseason

By Michael Balderston,

2024-07-25

The long wait for the NFL is over! OK, it's just the NFL preseason, but considering this is the first on-field action since the thrilling Super Bowl LVIII in February, we're willing to bet many NFL diehards are chomping at the bit to watch 2024 NFL preseason action. Well, we've got you covered with everything you need to know.

HTW NFL preseason

Live TV streaming services
NFL Plus
Paramount Plus
Peacock
Prime Video

The month of August will see all 32 teams play three preseason games (the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans are playing four as they participate in the annual Hall of Fame game). However, watching NFL preseason games isn't like tuning in to the NFL on CBS or the NFL on Fox every Sunday.

Read on to find the best ways to watch your favorite team this preseason, whether that be on TV or streaming. Plus, we've got the full schedule and list of games that are going to be available on national TV.

How to watch NFL preseason games on TV

The NFL returns to TV for preseason action with all of the major networks that carry NFL games during the season having at least one national broadcast for a game (the announcing teams need some preseason reps, too).

ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC are all carrying one national game this preseason. This means that as long as you have a basic pay-TV subscription, a TV antenna or a live TV streaming service, you can watch these nationally televised games. Fubo , Hulu with Live TV , Sling TV and YouTube TV all carry Fox and NBC, while all but Sling TV have ABC and CBS.

The game airing on ABC is also going to be airing on ESPN. Meanwhile, NFL Network is also going to host a number of national games across the three main weeks of the preseason. ESPN and The NFL Network are premium cable channels, though they are available through most cable TV providers as well as being available on Fubo, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV and YouTube TV.

Some games won't air on national TV, but instead, they'll be available exclusively on local/regional channels for those teams. If that's the case for your team for a given game, then it is best to check your local listings.

If you are not in an area where your favorite team is available on live TV, streaming is going to be the best way to watch these preseason games.

How to stream NFL preseason games

There are a few options to stream 2024 NFL preseason games, the best of which is NFL Plus . Subscribers to NFL Plus can watch all out-of-market preseason games live on any supported device; if a game is nationally televised, it'll only be available on a phone or tablet via NFL Plus. As the streams are just for out-of-market games, fans cannot stream their local team via NFL Plus, but NFL Plus Premium subscribers can see full and condensed replays of all games on demand.

NFL Plus is exclusively available in the US, but NFL Game Pass is available internationally, including in the UK, and allows fans to watch replays of these games as well.

The NFL has also made the move to streaming, with preseason games being available on Paramount Plus, Peacock and Prime Video. Paramount Plus will live stream CBS's nationally televised preseason game, as well as other live streams of local CBS station broadcasts of games for different markets. NBC's preseason national broadcast is also going to be available on its streaming service, Peacock. Finally, Prime Video, the home of Thursday Night Football, is going to have its own exclusive preseason game this year. In order to watch any of the games on these services, you must be a subscriber.

2024 NFL preseason schedule

Here is the complete 2024 NFL preseason schedule, from the Hall of Fame game to week 3. If a game is available nationally, we've shared what network or streaming service it's going to be on.