YouTube TV does not carry Monday Night Football
YouTube TV's sports lineup does not include Monday Night Football, which airs exclusively on ESPN. YouTube TV carries ESPN as part of its base package, but ESPN's Monday night games are not available through the service—they require a separate ESPN+ subscription or a traditional cable login through the ESPN app.
This is a licensing restriction, not a technical limitation. ESPN owns the broadcast rights to Monday Night Football and controls where those games appear. YouTube TV negotiates its own carriage agreements with networks, and those agreements do not include Monday Night Football specifically.
Key Takeaways
- YouTube TV includes ESPN but not the Monday Night Football games that air on that network.
- Monday Night Football requires either an ESPN+ subscription or a cable login through the ESPN app.
- YouTube TV does carry other NFL games on Sunday through its NFL Network and local broadcast channels.
- If Monday Night Football is important to your viewing, you will need to add ESPN+ or use a cable provider's ESPN app separately.
What YouTube TV does include for NFL games
YouTube TV carries several channels that broadcast NFL games, just not the Monday night slot. You get NFL Network, which shows some games throughout the season, plus your local CBS and Fox affiliates, which carry Sunday afternoon games. NBC is also included for Sunday Night Football.
The gaps are Monday Night Football on ESPN and Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime Video. If you want complete NFL coverage, you would need to combine YouTube TV with ESPN+ and a Prime Video subscription.
How to watch Monday Night Football without YouTube TV
The most direct route is ESPN+, which streams all Monday Night Football games live. ESPN+ costs a separate monthly fee and requires you to sign up directly through the ESPN app or website. You do not need cable or YouTube TV to use it.
If you already have cable or a cable-like service through another provider, you can also watch Monday Night Football through the ESPN app by logging in with your cable credentials. This is called "TV Everywhere" authentication and works with most major providers.
A third option is to check whether your local ABC affiliate broadcasts the game. Some Monday Night Football games air on ABC instead of ESPN, and ABC is included in YouTube TV. You can search the ABC schedule or the ESPN schedule a few days before the game to confirm which channel it will be on.
Comparing your options for NFL coverage
| Service | Monday Night Football | Sunday Games | Thursday Night Football | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube TV | No | Yes (CBS, Fox, NBC) | No | Base subscription |
| ESPN+ | Yes | Some games | No | Separate monthly fee |
| Amazon Prime Video | No | No | Yes | Separate subscription or Prime membership |
| Cable + ESPN app | Yes | Yes | No | Cable bill |
Why YouTube TV does not have Monday Night Football
ESPN paid for exclusive rights to broadcast Monday Night Football, and those rights do not extend to YouTube TV. When ESPN negotiates with YouTube TV about which channels and content to include, Monday Night Football is handled separately as a premium offering on ESPN+.
This separation is intentional on ESPN's part. By keeping Monday Night Football off YouTube TV and requiring ESPN+ instead, ESPN can charge an additional fee for viewers who want that specific game. YouTube TV negotiates for the broadest possible channel lineup at a competitive price, but that does not automatically include every show or game that airs on those channels.
Checking your YouTube TV package
If you are already a YouTube TV subscriber, you can confirm what sports are included by opening the YouTube TV app or website and searching for "Monday Night Football" or "NFL." The search results will show you which games are available through your current package.
You can also browse the Sports section of the YouTube TV guide to see all available games for the upcoming week. This is the fastest way to see what is included without calling customer support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I watch Monday Night Football on YouTube TV if I add ESPN+?
No. ESPN+ is a separate service from YouTube TV, and you would need to subscribe to both. YouTube TV does not bundle with ESPN+ or give you access to ESPN+ content through your YouTube TV account. You would log into ESPN+ separately through the ESPN app or website.
Does YouTube TV ever get Monday Night Football games?
Not currently. ESPN's licensing agreement keeps Monday Night Football exclusive to ESPN, ESPN+, and cable logins through the ESPN app. This arrangement has been in place for several years and is unlikely to change unless ESPN renegotiates its rights.
What if the Monday Night Football game airs on ABC instead of ESPN?
YouTube TV does include ABC, so you would be able to watch those games. Check the ESPN or ABC schedule a few days before the game to see which network is broadcasting. Not all Monday Night Football games air on ABC, but some do.
Is there a way to watch Monday Night Football for free?
ESPN+ requires a paid subscription. Some games may be available through the ESPN app if you log in with a cable provider account, but that requires having cable service. Free streaming options for Monday Night Football are not available through official channels.
Do I need YouTube TV to use ESPN+?
No. ESPN+ is completely separate and works on its own. You can subscribe to ESPN+ without YouTube TV, or use YouTube TV without ESPN+. They are independent services.