The National Football League is back, and football fans across the country are buzzing as the 2025 NFL season officially gets underway. After a long offseason filled with speculation, trades, and mounting anticipation, the action has returned to stadiums and screens everywhere. The Philadelphia Eagles, fresh off their Super Bowl LIX victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, kicked off the new campaign in style by hosting the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday, September 4, 2025. The energy was palpable as the league’s reigning champions set the tone for what promises to be another unforgettable season.
But the excitement didn’t stop there. In a move that underscores the NFL’s commitment to growing its international footprint, the Kansas City Chiefs faced off against the Los Angeles Chargers in São Paulo, Brazil, the very next night. This special international game streamed exclusively (and for free!) on YouTube, letting fans worldwide tune in without spending a dime. Hans Schroeder, the NFL’s EVP for Media Distribution, summed up the league’s global ambitions: “This is part of our broader strategy of making this a global game. We’re playing more games, in more places in more windows … we couldn’t do that if we didn’t change the structure of our media deals.”
For those keeping track, Week 1 of the NFL season stretches from September 4 through September 8, 2025, with a jam-packed schedule featuring games on NBC, CBS, FOX, ESPN, and ABC—not to mention a dizzying array of streaming platforms. If you’re a die-hard fan determined to catch every snap, you’ll need to navigate an ever-expanding universe of services, from Fubo and DirecTV to Peacock, YouTube, Paramount+ Premium, and ESPN+.
Let’s break down the opening week’s must-watch matchups. After Thursday’s Eagles-Cowboys showdown and Friday’s Chiefs-Chargers international clash, Sunday, September 7, brings a stacked slate of games. FOX will broadcast the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons, Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns, New York Giants at Washington Commanders, Carolina Panthers at Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans at Denver Broncos, and San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks. Meanwhile, CBS and Paramount+ Premium will air the Miami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts, Las Vegas Raiders at New England Patriots, Arizona Cardinals at New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers at New York Jets, Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers, and Houston Texans at Los Angeles Rams. Monday Night Football, as always, will be featured on ESPN and ABC, with streaming on ESPN+ rounding out the options.
Of course, all this football comes at a price—sometimes a hefty one. According to a Forbes estimate, “Consumers who wish to watch every single NFL game this season will have to pay upwards of $750 to do so,” thanks to the league’s games airing on ten different platforms during the 2025-26 season. The priciest piece of the puzzle is NFL Sunday Ticket, available through traditional cable providers or YouTube TV for nearly $400 a season. YouTube TV, the exclusive home of NFL Sunday Ticket, lets fans access all Sunday out-of-market games for $276 per season (or $34.50 per month for eight months). Want to add NFL RedZone? That bumps the total to $318 for the season, but at least you can break up the payments.
But wait—there’s more! Amazon Prime Video remains the exclusive home for Thursday Night Football, with a standard subscription costing $15 per month or $139 per year. Netflix is getting in on the action too, streaming two Christmas Day games: the Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Commanders and the Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings. Netflix plans range from $6.99 to $24.99 per month, adding yet another layer to the streaming calculus. NBC’s Peacock, which simulcasts select games including the season opener and Sunday Night Football, runs $16.99 per month or $169.99 per year. And don’t forget about the new Fox One streaming service, plus ESPN’s revamped streaming platform, which offers a new tier at $29.99 per month or $299.99 per year, with an option to bundle with NFL+ Premium for extra access starting September 3, 2025.
For those looking for a more traditional approach, local games remain available for free over broadcast antenna in the home markets of each team. Fox and CBS continue to air weekly Sunday afternoon games in local markets, with current deals running through 2033. Still, many observers believe these may be among the last NFL deals to be broadcast on linear television as streaming platforms continue to rise in prominence. As John A. Fortunato, a sports media and business expert at Fordham University, explained, “Everyone seems to be testing the same line in terms of what the consumer is willing to absorb. The NFL pretty clearly hasn’t gotten to that line yet. Whatever you think of them now, media is how the NFL grows … and this is the economic reality of how popular that league is.”
With so many options, how does a fan keep up? Fubo’s new sports-focused bundle, Fubo Sports, includes local ABC, CBS, and FOX stations, plus a slew of sports networks like ESPN, NFL Network, and Big Ten Network. The introductory price is $45.99 per month, rising to $55.99 after the first month, and includes a free trial. DirecTV Stream’s Choice tier is available for $72.98 for the first month and brings unlimited Cloud DVR storage, ESPN unlimited, and a 5-day free trial. Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV both offer free trials as well, making it easier to sample the platforms before committing for the season.
For mobile-first fans, NFL+ offers live local and primetime games on your phone or tablet for $6.99 per month or $40 per year. The premium option, at $14.99 per month or $80 per year, includes NFL RedZone and full replays. NFL+ also features a 7-day free trial, so there’s no harm in trying before you buy. And let’s not forget, tickets for the 2025 NFL season are on sale now for those who want to experience the action in person.
As the league continues to strike new deals and expand its reach, it’s clear that the NFL’s popularity remains unmatched. Last year, more than 90 of the top 100 television broadcasts in the U.S. were NFL games, underscoring the sport’s dominant place in American culture. With the 2025 season now in full swing, fans have more ways than ever to follow their favorite teams—if they’re willing to navigate the increasingly complex (and expensive) landscape of NFL broadcasting.
So, whether you’re tuning in on a classic cable setup, streaming on your favorite device, or lucky enough to be in the stands, the NFL’s opening week has something for everyone. The season is young, the stakes are high, and with so many games and storylines unfolding, anything can happen. Buckle up—football is back, and the race to Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, has officially begun.
