YouTube TV does not show every NFL game, and which ones you get depends on your location and the network broadcasting that week
YouTube TV carries CBS, Fox, NBC, and ESPN — the four networks that broadcast most regular-season NFL games. However, you will miss games that air exclusively on other channels. Thursday Night Football airs on Amazon Prime Video, not on YouTube TV. Monday Night Football is on ESPN, which YouTube TV does carry. Sunday games split between CBS and Fox depending on your region. But if a game is on the NFL Network, Peacock, or a local channel in another market, YouTube TV will not show it.
The games you see also depend on where you live. YouTube TV uses your location to determine which CBS and Fox affiliate feeds you receive. If you live in New York, you see New York's CBS and Fox broadcasts. If you travel or move, your available games change. Regional blackout rules still explore — if a game is blacked out in your area due to low ticket sales (rare now, but it happens), YouTube TV cannot override that.
Key Takeaways
- YouTube TV shows games on CBS, Fox, NBC, and ESPN, but not on Amazon Prime Video, NFL Network, or Peacock.
- Thursday Night Football streams only on Amazon Prime Video and is not available through YouTube TV.
- Your location determines which regional CBS and Fox feeds you receive, so games available to you may differ from those in another state.
- YouTube TV does not bypass regional blackouts, so a small number of games may be unavailable even if they air on a channel you subscribe to.
Which Networks YouTube TV Includes and Which It Does Not
YouTube TV's NFL coverage comes from four broadcast and cable networks. CBS and Fox air most Sunday afternoon games, split by region. NBC carries Sunday Night Football. ESPN broadcasts Monday Night Football. These four channels together cover the majority of the regular season.
YouTube TV does not include Amazon Prime Video, which holds exclusive rights to Thursday Night Football. You cannot watch those games on YouTube TV under any circumstance — you need a Prime Video subscription or a free trial. The NFL Network is also not part of YouTube TV's package, so games broadcast only there are off-limits. Peacock, NBC's streaming service, occasionally airs exclusive games that do not appear on the NBC broadcast channel, and YouTube TV does not cover those either.
Local and regional sports networks vary by market. If your area has a regional channel that carries preseason games or local team coverage, YouTube TV may or may not carry it depending on your location and the specific channel. Check your channel list in the YouTube TV app to see what is available in your zip code.
How Regional Broadcasts Affect What You Can Watch
Sunday afternoon games on CBS and Fox are divided by region. The NFL splits the country into markets, and each market receives one game at 1 p.m. Eastern time and another at 4 p.m. Eastern time. YouTube TV shows you the games designated for your region based on your home address. If you live in the Midwest, you might see a different 1 p.m. game than someone on the West Coast watching at the same time.
This system means you cannot always watch your team if they play in another region during your local time slot. If you live in California and your team plays in the 1 p.m. Eastern slot, that game may not air in your market at that time. You might see it later in the day or not at all on YouTube TV, depending on the NFL's scheduling.
Traveling or moving changes your available games when ready. YouTube TV determines your region by your home address on file. If you travel and use YouTube TV away from home, you may see different regional broadcasts. If you move and update your address, your channel lineup and available games shift to match your new location.
Games You Cannot Watch on YouTube TV
Thursday Night Football is the biggest gap. Amazon Prime Video holds exclusive rights to this package, and YouTube TV has no arrangement to show these games. If Thursday night football is important to you, you need a separate Prime Video subscription or a free trial during football season.
NFL Network games are another exclusion. The NFL Network occasionally broadcasts games that do not appear on any of the four major networks. These are typically preseason games, but some regular-season contests air there as well. YouTube TV does not carry the NFL Network.
Peacock exclusive games happen a few times per season. NBC sometimes streams a game on Peacock that does not air on the NBC broadcast channel. YouTube TV does not include Peacock, so you cannot watch those games through your subscription.
Regional blackouts still exist, though they are uncommon in the modern era. If a game fails to sell out by a certain important date, it can be blacked out in the home team's local market. YouTube TV cannot override blackouts, so even if the game airs on a channel you subscribe to, you may not be able to watch it in your region.
What to Do If Your Team's Game Is Not Available
Check the NFL schedule on NFL.com or in the ESPN app to see which network is broadcasting each game. This tells you when ready whether YouTube TV will carry it. If the game is on CBS, Fox, NBC, or ESPN, you can watch it on YouTube TV (subject to regional availability and blackouts). If it is on Amazon Prime Video, NFL Network, or Peacock, you need another subscription.
For Thursday Night Football, a Prime Video subscription is your only option through YouTube TV's parent company, Google. Prime Video offers a free trial period during football season, which covers several games. If you want to watch the entire Thursday package, a full Prime Video subscription costs money.
If a game is blacked out in your area, a VPN (virtual private network) is sometimes used to bypass regional restrictions, though this violates YouTube TV's terms of service. The safer option is to wait for replays, which usually air the next day on the same network or on the NFL Network.
Comparing YouTube TV to Other Streaming Services for NFL
YouTube TV covers the same four major networks as most cable packages: CBS, Fox, NBC, and ESPN. Hulu with Live TV and Sling TV offer similar coverage. The difference is in the exclusive packages. If you want Thursday Night Football, you must add Prime Video. If you want NFL Network access, you need a separate subscription to that channel or a cable package that includes it.
Streaming services like Peacock and the NFL+ app offer their own exclusive games, but these are not bundled with YouTube TV. The NFL+ app (the league's own streaming service) shows out-of-market games and replays, but it does not include live local or primetime games in your home market.
Cable and satellite providers (Comcast, DirecTV, Dish) include more channels overall, including NFL Network and regional sports networks, but they cost more and require equipment rental. YouTube TV is cheaper than most cable packages but covers fewer exclusive games.
How to Check Which Games Are Available to You
Open the YouTube TV app and go to the NFL section or search for your team. YouTube TV shows upcoming games with the network they air on. If the network is in your channel list, the game is available to you (unless it is subject to a blackout). If the network is not listed, you cannot watch that game on YouTube TV.
The NFL schedule on NFL.com also shows which network broadcasts each game. Cross-reference that with your YouTube TV channel list to see what you can watch. This is the fastest way to plan ahead for games you want to see.
If you are unsure whether a specific game will be available, contact YouTube TV support through the app or website. They can confirm based on your location and subscription.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I watch out-of-market games on YouTube TV?
No, YouTube TV shows only the games broadcast in your regional market on CBS and Fox. To watch out-of-market games, you need the NFL+ app, which streams live out-of-market regular-season games on mobile devices and tablets (not on TV). Peacock also offers some out-of-market games during the season.
Will YouTube TV show playoff and Super Bowl games?
Yes. Playoff games air on CBS, Fox, NBC, and ESPN depending on the round, and YouTube TV carries all of them. The Super Bowl airs on one of these networks each year, so you can watch it on YouTube TV regardless of which network has the rights that year.
What if I travel during football season?
YouTube TV may show different regional broadcasts when you travel, depending on your location. You can watch games that air nationally on ESPN or Monday Night Football from anywhere. For regional CBS and Fox games, you see the broadcast for the area you are in, not your home market.
Is there a way to watch Thursday Night Football on YouTube TV?
No. Thursday Night Football is exclusive to Amazon Prime Video. You need a separate Prime Video subscription or free trial to watch these games. YouTube TV does not bundle Prime Video or offer a workaround for this package.
Do I need YouTube TV to watch NFL games at all?
No. You can watch games through individual network apps (ESPN, NBC, CBS, Fox), cable login, or streaming services like Prime Video and Peacock. YouTube TV is one option among many, useful if you want multiple channels in one subscription but not the only way to watch NFL games.