NFL Expands 2026-27 Streaming Slate to 4 Platforms as Fans Face Higher Costs
Updated
Updated · Fox News · May 11
NFL Expands 2026-27 Streaming Slate to 4 Platforms as Fans Face Higher Costs
2 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 11
Netflix will carry at least three NFL windows in 2026-27—Week 1 in Australia, Thanksgiving Eve and Christmas Day—expanding beyond its previous Christmas-only package.
That broader slate means fans chasing every game may need Netflix for about three months, alongside Amazon Prime for Thursday Night Football and a wild-card game, plus Peacock for a Jan. 2 exclusive priced at $10.99 monthly.
YouTube may drop out after resisting a split five-game package with Netflix, leaving the NFL's remaining distribution unresolved; it is also unclear whether ESPN+ will again get an exclusive game.
Two new Wednesday games and a Black Friday matchup spread the schedule across nearly every day of the week, tightening rest windows and raising concerns about injuries and weaker on-field quality.
Cost pressure is already a fan complaint: 60% said they skipped games because watching was too expensive, and 72% said major sporting events should be required on free broadcast TV.
As the NFL scatters games across streaming services, could federal antitrust action force a major change for fans?
With rising costs and player safety risks, is the NFL's quest for record media revenue damaging the game itself?