15 Free NFL Streaming Options: How to Watch NFL Games for Free in 2024
The current NFL season is in full swing, and NFL fans everywhere want to get in on the action -- especially via free NFL streaming options. If you count yourself among them, check out our guide on how to watch NFL games for free from anywhere.
Written by Kit Copson (Writer, Briefing Editor)
Reviewed by Sandra Pattison (Editor)
Facts checked by Igor Kurtz (Fact-checking editor)
Last Updated: 2024-04-16T13:31:22+00:00
All our content is written fully by humans; we do not publish AI writing. Learn more here.
Key Takeaways: Free NFL Streaming
- You can stream select NFL games for free on five legitimate websites: 7Plus (Australia), My5/Channel 5 (U.K.), Twitch (U.S.), 6Play (France) and RTL+ (Germany and Austria). If you’re outside these countries, you can use a VPN to access the sites.
- A VPN is also an important piece of security software to have if you plan on using non-official free sites. It changes your IP address to make your data anonymous.
- ExpressVPN, NordVPN and Surfshark are the three best VPNs for streaming NFL games for free.
In the U.S., National Football League coverage is distributed across four channels: ESPN, CBS, Fox and NBC. Cord cutters often turn to a live TV streaming service, such as YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV and Sling TV, to access NFL channels, but these can be expensive. As a result, some fans are looking for free NFL streaming options.
This guide will walk you through how to watch NFL games for free on various platforms.
Some free streaming platforms are fully licensed, but we’ll let you know which ones are not legitimate. If you use these sites, we strongly recommend using a reputable VPN with a 30-day money-back guarantee like ExpressVPN to protect yourself and keep your data private. Read on to learn more about how to stream NFL games for free and which VPNs are best for streaming.
Are There Free NFL Streaming Sites?
Yes, you can watch certain games on some free streaming sites, which we’ll list in the next section. Keep in mind that not every free sports streaming site is official and legal — questionable ones are typically full of pop-ups. Depending on the law in the country you’re in, using these sites may be illegal.
Though we prefer to use legitimate free and paid platforms (which are safer), we know people often turn to unofficial sites as an alternative. If you do use a non-licensed free site, protect yourself with a VPN (virtual private network), a pop-up blocker and antivirus software.
We’ve listed the best VPN recommendations further down, but if you’re curious about secure free VPNs to pair with a free streaming site, Proton VPN — with its unlimited free data offering — is a great option. Learn more about Proton VPN in our full review.
5 Best Free NFL Streaming Sites: Legitimate
Below is a list of the most popular legitimate free NFL streaming sites and what they offer. When you register for some of these services, you may be asked to provide a local postal code. Do a quick Google search to find one.
1. 7Plus
The fully legal and free 7Plus is an Australian streaming service that broadcasts two games live per week. The games are available to stream on demand for seven days afterward. The live streams arrive on Monday mornings in Australia due to the time difference. If you’re outside Australia, you’ll need to connect to an Australian server on a VPN to access the platform.
2. Channel 5 (My5)
Those in the U.K. can stream Monday Night games on Channel 5 or sign in to its (legal) free online streaming service, My5. If you’re not in the U.K., hop on a VPN server in the U.K. to partake, and don’t forget to check the time difference.
3. Twitch
Amazon Prime Video is the home of Thursday Night Football games in the U.S., but you can also catch the action on Prime Video’s official Twitch page. Those outside the U.S. can connect to a U.S. server on a VPN to gain access to the stream.
4. 6play
In France, one game is streamed live every Sunday at 19:00 CET on 6play, an official free streaming site. The game is also available on demand after the live stream. If you’re outside France, you can use a VPN to access the site. The only caveat is that the commentary is in French — there are no English subtitles.
5. RTL+
Fans in Germany and Austria can head to RTL+ to see live streams from RTL and Nitro, Germany’s two official NFL partner channels. There are two games broadcast weekly on Sundays and one exclusive game on RTL+.
The NFL coverage we were able to watch on demand was in English, so it could be a solid option for English-speaking fans. We can’t guarantee the live streams will be in English, though. If you’re having trouble accessing the stream from outside Germany or Austria, connect to a German VPN server.
10 Unlicensed Free Sites for NFL Streaming
If you’re not sure which sites aren’t fully licensed, we’ve created a list of the most well-known ones. If you’re using unofficial free sites like these, protect yourself with all the necessary security software, including a VPN.
A VPN changes your IP address to one in another location and encrypts your data to prevent hackers and snoopers from getting hold of it. You’ll also need decent antivirus software just in case and an ad blocker, as most free sites are riddled with pop-up ads.
1. DaddyLiveHD
If you’re okay with using non-official free sites, DaddyLiveHD hosts NFL games and a huge selection of content from other channels. It does not host the content on its site, but rather links to third-party sites.
2. StreamNFL
Like DaddyLiveHD, StreamNFL is a non-official free streaming site that links to NFL games. The website is set up so that all sports fans need to do is click on the game they want to watch on the schedule.
3. DofuStream
If you visit DofuStream’s website, you’ll see a selection of apps to download to watch live NFL games. This ad-supported service seems to be very popular, but we didn’t see any apps offering live matches on iOS — only on Android.
4. NFL WebCast
clicking the team tabs at the top of the page.
NFL WebCast, an unofficial free NFL streaming site, links to third-party streams, as is the case with most other unlicensed sites. You can watch content from all the big NFL channels on this site: CBS, NBC, Fox, ESPN and the NFL Network.
5. Buffstreams
Ad-supported site Buffstreams divides all the streams it links to into categories on its home page (football, hockey, etc.) There’s also a “live now” tab at the top of the page to streamline the search for fans in a rush.
6. Cricfree
Cricfree, as its name suggests, is another free sports streaming site. It links to a variety of sporting events, including American football streams and more. Like most sites on this list, Cricfree is non-official and ad-based.
7. Sportlemon
Unofficial sports streaming site Sportlemon is simple and posts links 15 minutes ahead of the games. They’re easy to find under the football-dedicated tab. As with most free sites, you’ll be greeted by pop-ups, so don’t forget to switch on your ad blocker.
8. USTVGO
In its “sports” section, USTVGO has links to various U.S. sports channels, including ESPN and ABC, though we didn’t see NBC or CBS. It operates by linking to content rather than hosting it, like the other unofficial free sites mentioned here.
9. NFLbite
Free streaming site NFLbite organizes its content into team tabs at the top of the page and lets you know when the teams will be playing in each category. The links show up about an hour before the games start.
10. Bosscast
Bosscast appears to be linked to Cricfree, another free sports streaming site. In addition to NFL streams, it links to soccer and rugby matches and NHL and MLB games.
How to Watch NFL Games With a VPN
If you need to access an NFL live stream outside your region, here’s how to change your IP address to another location and keep yourself secure whether you’re using a legitimate or non-official site. As an example, we’ll show you how to access 7Plus from outside Australia.
- Subscribe to a VPN Service
Go to a VPN provider’s website and sign up for a plan. We recommend ExpressVPN, which comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Download the VPN
Find the “download” prompt on the provider’s website to download the app file. Open the file to start the installation process. On mobile, navigate to the App Store or Google Play Store to download the app.
- Connect to an Australian Server
Launch the ExpressVPN app and connect to a server in Australia.
- Go to 7Plus
Go to 7Plus and register for a free account. You’ll need to enter an Australian postal code to sign up (Google one). Navigate to the “live” tab and click “7Mate” to watch Sunday Afternoon games.
The Best VPNs for Watching NFL Games Online
Anyone who streams content online — whether live sports, movies or TV shows — can benefit greatly from using a VPN. That said, they’re not all created equal, and some are far ahead of the pack. Here are the top three providers we recommend for streaming.
1. ExpressVPN
security features and beginner-friendly apps.
Pros:
- Solid security
- Beginner-friendly
- Very fast streaming
Cons:
- Expensive
Streaming services are adept at blocking VPNs, but ExpressVPN is one that has never let us down. Though there are a couple close contenders for the top spot (see below), this VPN is consistently the most secure and beginner-friendly provider of the bunch. It’s also speedy, which is very important when it comes to streaming.
Now for the not-so-good stuff: ExpressVPN is not what you’d call an “affordable” provider — the only element that puts a damper on this otherwise perfect service. Nevertheless, you can try it out knowing it has a 30-day money-back guarantee. Check out our ExpressVPN review for more information.
- Unlimited GB
- 8
- Yes
2. NordVPN
Pros:
- Easy-to-use desktop interface
- Inexpensive long-term plans
- Lightning-fast speeds
Cons:
- Finicky mobile app interface
It can often be hard to pick between ExpressVPN and NordVPN, with ExpressVPN edging into the top spot as the best overall provider by a hair. However, NordVPN takes the top spot in two areas: pricing and speeds. Check out our best cheap VPN and best fast VPN guides for more information. Our NordVPN review also highlights its many strengths.
On the other hand, in spite of its well-organized desktop interface, NordVPN can be a bit more challenging to use than ExpressVPN. Its mobile app can be tricky for those who aren’t great at geography, and its advanced features can be finicky to enable. However, we still think NordVPN is an excellent service for streaming.
- *The prices are charged in the first billing cycle only. Renewal prices vary.
- Unlimited GB
- 6
- Yes
- *The prices are charged in the first billing cycle only. Renewal prices vary.
- Unlimited GB
- 6
- Yes
- *The prices are charged in the first billing cycle only. Renewal prices vary.
- Unlimited GB
- 6
- Yes
3. Surfshark
Pros:
- Feature-rich
- Easy to use
- Cheap long-term plans
Cons:
- High latency on near-distance servers
When picking a VPN for streaming, speed and security are the two main factors you’ll want to take into account. Surfshark scores highly in both areas, as explained in our Surfshark review. As one of the fastest VPNs, Surfshark’s upload and download speeds are great, though its latency is high on nearby servers.
Though its short-term plans are pricey (as is the case for most providers), Surfshark’s two-year plans are very reasonable, especially with all the extra features (ad blocker, antivirus, etc.) included for a few dollars per month. There’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee should you change your mind.
- Unlimited GB bandwidth, Unlimited devices, Secure VPN, Ad blocker, Cookie pop-up blocker. Plans renew: $185.40 for one year, $370.80 for two years
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
- Yes
- Everything in Starter, plus Antivirus protection, Identity protection, Email Breach and Credit Card Alerts, Online Alias Plans renew: $191.40 for one year, $380.80 for two years.
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
- Everything in One, plus Data removal Plans renew: $215.40 for one year, $430.80 for two years
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
Final Thoughts
We can’t guarantee you’ll be able to watch every NFL game, but to recap, 7Plus, Channel 5 (My5), Twitch, 6Play and RTL+ are the best legitimate sites to live stream NFL games for free. A VPN can help you access these sites if you’re outside Australia, the U.K., Germany, France or the U.S.
Several illegitimate free sites link to NFL streams, but you should always exercise caution when using these sites, as they may not be fully secure or anonymous. Fire up a VPN, an ad blocker and antivirus software if you plan on using non-official sites.
Which site will you use to access NFL live streams? If you use a VPN, which one and why? Let us know in the comments, and thanks for reading.
FAQ: Stream NFL Games for Free
Free-to-air channels with NFL coverage include ABC (Monday Night Football), Fox (local games), NBC (Sunday Night Football) and CBS (local games). However, ESPN, which hosts Monday Night games, is not free to air.
You can either sign up for a free trial with a streaming service that shows NFL games or use sites like Channel 5 (My5), 7Plus, 6Play, RTL+ or Twitch, depending on the game you want to watch.
Those with NFL+ can watch games in the NFL app in the U.S. Those overseas will need NFL Game Pass International.
It’s free to download the app itself, but you will need to subscribe to NFL+ to stream the games in the app.
You have to pay for services like NFL+, NFL Game Pass International and live services like Hulu + Live TV. However, if you’re only interested in certain games, you can use free services like Channel 5 (My5), 7Plus, 6Play, RTL+ and Twitch. Use a VPN to access these if you’re geoblocked.