When it comes to free NFL live streams, there are troves online at your fingertips. You just need to be steered in the right direction.
Most NFL fanatics will use a VPN as defense when using free streaming sites. That’s either to unblock free NFL streaming sites that are geo-restricted in their countries, or to protect their privacy from trackers, cybercrooks and other third parties that might be interested in their online activity. Fans might find themselves on unsecured third-party domains, since many free NFL streaming sites don’t host their own content.
NordVPN can change your IP address to access geo-blocked sites that stream the NFL for free. It also protects your device and privacy when accessing unsecured free NFL streaming sites.
Once you’ve got your defensive line protecting you, you can hit the best places to catch free NFL streams:
- DaddyLiveHD: Free TV streaming site with every channel that carries NFL games
- Live Soccer TV: Free sports streaming site with NFL page
- 7Plus: Legitimate, Australian-based site with NFL coverage
- SportSurge: Leading sports streaming site with every NFL game
- Stream2Watch: Longtime solution for sports fans
- StreamNFL: Streaming site dedicated to pro football streams
- NFLBites: From the creators of the popular r/NFLstreams subreddit
- NFLWebcast: Cleanly-designed streaming site dedicated to NFL
- SportLemonTV: Minimalist, easy-to-navigate site with NFL streams
- CricFreeTV: Solid alternative for free football streams
- BuffStreams: Long-time destination for NFL fans
- BossCast: Reliable source of primetime and local market games
For more information on streaming NFL games safely, check out our full guide below.
Americans watch the National Football League more than any other sport, and the rest of the world is catching up.
Throughout the season, you can find NFL games on multiple cable TV channels and paid subscription platforms all over the world. But more and more fans are looking to get their front-row seats to the NFL through free live streaming websites.
Whether it’s the playoffs, Thursday Night Football, or Super Bowl Sunday — there’s no shortage of free streams out there. We’ve rounded up the top 12 free NFL streaming sites that fans are using this season.
Is it Legal to Stream Football Games For Free?
When official broadcasters are licensed to show certain content and offer free streams, then it’s usually legal to watch sports for free online. However, there are many sites that offer copyrighted content without a license, which could lead to legal issues. Moreover, these sites don’t often host the actual streams but rather link to other destinations — so fans can end up on unsecured, unfamiliar third-party domains.
This is why sports streamers often opt for a VPN (or virtual private network). Fans can protect their identity and real location from any trackers, hackers, or other third parties lurking on unsecured streams. Fans can also change their IP address to access content that’s not available in their country due to geo-restrictions.
NordVPN is a security and privacy-focused VPN provider. They offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can use it to try out different free sports streaming sites without exposing your personal information.
Top 12 Free NFL Streaming Sites
Ready to hit the field? Here’s the play-by-play on some free sports streaming sites that let users watch NFL streams.
Important Note About Visiting Unofficial Sites:
The sites covered in this article are purely for educational and informative purposes. We do not own, host, resell, or operate any streaming sites or addons. We cannot verify if these sites hold licenses to distribute or stream the content. We strongly recommend that readers do their due diligence before accessing any of these sites, as the user is solely responsible for accessing any media on such sites.
1. DaddyLiveHD: Free TV streaming site with every channel that carries NFL games
Pros
- Huge selection of live TV channels
- Schedule for upcoming sports events, including NFL games
- Channels that stream the NFL are up and running most of the time
Cons
- Unlicensed streaming site
- Pop-up ads when you open the stream
Visit: DaddyLiveHD
Daddy Live HD has quickly become a popular alternative for sports streamers following USTVGO’s downfall in early 2023. We found it easy to use, and we weren’t bombarded by ads. It has a dedicated schedule of upcoming events and all the major channels that cover NFL games, such as NBC, CBS, FOX, ESPN and the NFL Network.
Simply put, you’ll be able to find any given game at any given time. While the interface might appear a little dated, links are reliable and usually in high-definition. You only have to deal with about one pop-up advertisement per stream. But a good ad blocker will keep those at bay.
Of course, DaddyLiveHD focuses on more than just sports. They feature over 310 channels from the US, EU, and Latin America. While you can use some of these channels to stream NFL games, we also spotted streams from the NBA, NCAA, soccer, and even the WWE.
2. Live Soccer TV: Free sports streaming site with NFL page
Pros
- Game and team alerts
- Full NFL coverage
- Mobile-friendly
Cons
- Doesn't host content, so streams can't be verified
- Geo-restrictions require a VPN
- Focus on sports other than NFL
Visit: Live Soccer TV
Though the name might suggest otherwise, Live Soccer TV is another free sports streaming option that offers access to the NFL. When we navigated to their Free Football TV page (under American Football), we noted free NFL streams through various providers.
In addition to live NFL games, they’ve got plenty of soccer, rugby, and cricket matchups that users can access, too. The website has a very user-friendly interface that’s easy to navigate and breaks up the site into sections by matchups, teams, and channels.
We also found scores from past games available for browsing. When dropping onto the homepage during live NFL game time, we saw that it was possible to check out any live sports in play at the moment. Since free streams can’t be authenticated, many site users go for VPN protection.
3. 7Plus: Legitimate, Australian-based site with NFL coverage
Pros
- Excellent, polished user interface
- Completely free to watch
- Verified, authenticated streams
- No pop-up advertising
Cons
- Limited preloaded NFL content
Visit: 7Plus
The Seven Network is a free-to-air, official Australian broadcaster, and everything on their 7plus streaming player is available for free. Because of this, their interface is well-polished. We found a ton of sports by clicking on the “Sports” header at the top of the page.
Hover over the header instead, and you can click on custom tags — you’ll see there’s one for NFL. When we checked, there wasn’t a great deal of preloaded NFL content, but as it’s all free, it’s worth looking out for free NFL streams when big games are on. They won’t have every game during the regular season, but do have some popular matchups. Once the playoffs start, though, they’ve got complete coverage right up until the Super Bowl.
If you want to access 7Plus outside of Australia, use NordVPN. Connect to an Australian VPN to change your IP address and catch any live NFL streams as they happen!
4. SportSurge: Leading sports streaming site with every NFL game
Pros
- Minimalist user interface
- Can be used on mobile, Fire Stick and more
- No advertising
Cons
- Doesn't host any streams itself
- No broadcasting agreement
Visit: SportSurge
SportSurge started out as a free NFL streaming website, but it has since grown to bring in other sports. Either way, that’s great news for fans — there are loads of NFL streaming options here.
The site, however, doesn’t actually host any NFL streams. Instead, it works like a directory that points you to NFL streams elsewhere. But as a free, no-ad option, it’s an easy way to find football streams online.
Remember — just because the site hosts no streams, that doesn’t make it risk-free. Use NordVPN to protect your privacy and identity if you’re watching NFL online with SportSurge.
5. Stream2Watch: Longtime solution for sports fans
Pros
- Total access to NFL games
- Available for Android and iOS
- Reliable links and streams
Cons
- Some links may be broken or considered illegal in some countries
- Plenty of invasive advertising
- Must create account to stream
Visit: Stream2Watch
Stream2Watch lets users watch NFL games live through TV streams via the website. The streaming links on Stream2Watch have proven to be quite reliable and high-quality in the past. To see those NFL stream links, we needed to create a free account.
Unlike some of the other sites we’ve listed, Stream2Watch rounds up links from other sites and platforms. When a website doesn’t actually host the content, you can wind up with broken links or get rerouted to an NFL stream that is considered illegal by your country.
Even with invasive ads at times and the broken links, having access to high-quality NFL streams makes the site a decent option in our opinion. You’ll also get access to baseball, soccer, basketball, tennis, boxing, and cricket as well.
If you’re not feeling Stream2Watch, check out our article on Stream2Watch alternatives.
6. StreamNFL: Streaming site dedicated to pro football streams
Pros
- Site tailored for NFL fans
- Easy to navigate interface
- Pages dedicated to individual teams
Cons
- Content is not licensed
- Need account for HD streams
- Redirects and pop-ups
Visit: StreamNFL
As its name implies, StreamNFL is a hot ticket for fans hunting out live streams of the entire NFL season. The homepage provides upcoming matches to all the games of the week, regardless of the market. You don’t need an account to sign up — you just click and go.
We even found a section on the site that organizes games by clubs, so they’ve done all the groundwork for grouping your favorite team’s games. In addition to an NFL Network stream, the site also has streams of MLB, Nascar, and the WWE.
The disclaimer on the site clearly states that StreamNFL doesn’t host the content on its page, so redirection to dead links, possible illegal streams, or sign-up sites is always a possibility. If you ever think you could end up on an illegal stream by mistake, or start seeing suspicious pop-up windows, a good VPN has your back against snooping third parties.
7. NFLBites: From the creators of the popular r/NFLstreams subreddit
Pros
- Site is focused on NFL
- Easy to use interface
- Reliable streams
Cons
- Third-party streams could host content that may be considered illegal in your country
- Security not guaranteed
- Links could be taken down
Visit: NFL Bites
The original founders of the subreddit r/NFLStreams created the site NFL Bites. Streams go live about half an hour before kickoff, and the site provides a table of reliable streams to choose from. If one cuts out for some reason, you’ll have plenty of other backup options.
These games are broadcast by streamers around the world with their own websites. Though the site claims its streamers are well-vetted and selected, there’s no way to guarantee your online security and safety.
While the homepage itself is secured, we recommend getting a VPN before going down the rabbit hole of NFL streams this site offers. NordVPN will encrypt and protect your data and hide your location from third parties.
8. NFLWebcast: Cleanly-designed streaming site dedicated to NFL
Pros
- Total free NFL coverage
- Site organized by clubs
- Weekly schedule on homepage
Cons
- Doesn't host content, so illegal streams are a possibility
- Need account for HD streams
- Pop-ups, invasive ads
Visit: NFLWebcast
NFL Webcast is a one-stop site for all things NFL. The banner at the top of the homepage is organized by clubs. Just click the logo of your favorite team during game time, and it will direct you to the NFL live stream. The homepage is organized weekly, with each NFL matchup and game time clearly shown.
This site provides a standard-definition stream of games for free with no sign-up. If you want HD streams, you’ll be redirected to a site that requires registration.
Keep in mind that NFLWebcast doesn’t host the content, either, which means you’ll be redirected to other sites. Since third-party domains can’t be verified, most NFL streamers wouldn’t visit without a VPN in tow.
9. SportLemonTV: Minimalist, easy-to-navigate site with NFL streams
Pros
- Complete coverage of NFL
- Live sports streams clearly shown on the homepage
- Easy-to-navigate site
Cons
- Doesn't host streams, content could be unlicensed and considered illegal in your country
- Pop-ups and aggressive advertising
- Redirected links
Visit: SportLemonTV
If you’re into minimalism, SportLemonTV has a simple, old-school site and interface. Once you’re on their homepage, simply click their US Football tab. Note that you might have to deal with aggressive popup tabs. These can typically be stopped by a good ad blocker.
If you’re waiting for your game to start, SportLemonTV also has plenty of other sports to choose from. They provide live streams for boxing, hockey, soccer, basketball, baseball, and plenty more.
For your NFL games, just check out the streams about fifteen minutes before kickoff.
10. CricFreeTV: Solid alternative for free football streams
Pros
- Interface is easy to use
- Complete NFL coverage
- Live games are listed neatly on homepage
Cons
- Unlicensed content is possible since the content isn't hosted which could be illegal in your country
- Geo-restricted links need a VPN
- Distracting pop-ups
Visit: CricFreeTV
Though streaming fans mainly use for cricket matches, it has plenty of other live sports streams – including the NFL. Once you hit their homepage, just click the American football icon. We noticed that NFL games that are currently in play are posted in this section.
With CricFreeTV, you might encounter invasive pop-up ads. Since the website doesn’t host its content, you also might be redirected to geo-blocked live streams of games or sites with even more pop-up ads. You can unblock restricted content by connecting to a server that’s based in the U.S. or getting a Canadian IP address using your VPN.
11. BuffStreams: Long-time destination for NFL fans
Pros
- Reliable web links
- Solid streaming quality, not much buffering
- Easy to navigate, well-organized site
Cons
- Doesn't host content, illegal streams are possible if streaming unofficial content is against the law in your country
- Some HD streams require an account
- Ads while streaming
Visit: Buffstreams
Buffstreams is a straightforward streaming site. At the top of the homepage, you can click Live Now to see what games are happening or click Upcoming to see what’s on the schedule for the day.
If you want to search by sport, you simply click on any of the icons. In addition offering an NFL live stream free, BuffStreams provides live streams for UFC, WWE, basketball, soccer, hockey, baseball, and boxing, among others.
You can watch streams in standard definition via the site, but to access HD, you’ll be redirected to sign-up and registration windows. To watch in standard, you may be prompted to disable your ad blocker and allow cookies.
12. BossCast: Reliable source of primetime and local market games
Pros
- All sports channels available to watch NFL games live
- Can search by game or channel
- Site is very simple to use
Cons
- Channels aren't licensed so content could be considered against your local laws
- Constant redirection
- Aggressive pop-ups and advertising
Visit: BossCast
For fans looking for total access to free NFL streams, BossCast is another solid choice. The streaming site provides access to channels like ESPN, ESPN 2, FOX, the NFL Network, and NFL RedZone. These channels cover primetime and local market NFL games. You’ll just have to figure out what channel your team is playing on.
The homepage provides a rundown of all the day’s matchups and upcoming games. You won’t get just the NFL, though. The site covers plenty of NBA and NHL games and even has streams of all the Sky Sports channels to access the UK market.
Due to aggressive pop-up ads and links that may redirect you, we recommend using an ad blocker. Since streams can’t be authenticated, a VPN can protect your connection on potentially unsecured domains.
Watch NFL Online: Channels that Broadcast NFL Games
Our 12 free streaming sites give you access to American television networks. The NFL broadcasts Thursday Night Football, Sunday day games, Sunday Night Football, and Monday Night Football on certain sports channels.
When you’re watching the NFL on these sites, these are the channels you’re using to access NFL live streams:
- ESPN
- ESPN 2
- CBS Sports
- NBC Sports
- FOX Sports 1
- FOX Sports 2
- The NFL Network
- NFL RedZone
Watch the NFL: Official Websites and Platforms
If you don’t have cable television, there are a few streaming services out there that cater to cord-cutters. Though many of these are paid subscription services, they provide the safest, fastest, and most reliable NFL streams.
The Yahoo Sports App is the best option we’ve found for watching NFL games for free. Yahoo provides access to primetime broadcasts of NFL games and shows NFL streams based on your local market.
Peacock TV’s the cheapest route to Sunday Night Football games. But Sling TV is the best bang for your buck to see more of your favorite teams and key games. If you’re not located in the US, you’ll need a VPN to unblock these streaming television providers.
| Service | Free Trial? | Cost per month | Do I need a VPN | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peacock TV | No | $4.99 (ads) $9.99 (no ads) | Yes, if outside the US | Sunday Night Football |
| Paramount+ | Seven-day free trial | $5.99 (ads) $9.99 (no ads) | Yes, if outside the US, or to change regions for local games or avoid blackouts | Sunday games covered by CBS |
| Amazon Prime Video | 30-day free trial with Amazon account | $12.99 | Yes, if outside the US | Thursday Night Football |
| SlingTV | No | $40 | Yes, if outside the US, or to change regions for local games or avoid blackouts | Sunday games, Sunday Night Football, and Monday Night Football |
| YouTube TV | 10-day free trial | $64.99 | Yes, if outside the US, or to change regions for local games or avoid blackouts | Sunday games, Sunday Night Football, and Monday Night Football, NFL Redzone and NFL Network live stream |
| FuboTV | Seven-day free trial | $64.99 | Yes, if outside the US, or to change regions for local games or avoid blackouts | Sunday games, Sunday Night Football, and Monday Night Football |
| Hulu + Live TV | None | $64.99 | Yes, if outside the US, or to change regions for local games or avoid blackouts | Sunday games, Sunday Night Football and Monday Night Football |
How to Stream NFL Games Online for Free Safely
Some free NFL streaming sites aren’t too secure. There’s no way to be sure where linked NFL streams can come from. Also, pop-ups and cookies can endanger your data while you watch your favorite teams compete.
To keep your device and data safe, use strong antivirus software and a VPN. A VPN encrypts your data so your activity can’t be traced back to you. We’ve found NordVPN to be the best for sports streaming – here’s how to get started.
Step-by-step guide: Using a VPN to live stream NFL games
Need a VPN to unblock free NFL live streams? Just follow our step-by-step guide.
- Get a VPN that’s known for streaming live sports. For watching the NFL, we strongly recommend NordVPN. This service is well-known for its lightning-fast servers, reliable connections, and top-tier security protocols.
NordVPNOur choiceDeal Save big with 68% off a two-year subscription plus 3 months free!From$ 3.199.3- Fast and large worldwide network of VPN servers
- Perfect for privacy and streaming
- Trusted by many, with over 14 million users
- Register for an account. Download the VPN onto the device you’ll use to watch NFL games live. NordVPN works on laptops and PCs, tablets, smartphones, and smart TVs.
- Log in with the credentials you created at sign-up.
- Connect to an American server. NordVPN has plenty to choose from — we advise choosing the lowest ping.
- Navigate to any of the platforms above and enjoy all the NFL hits you can handle!
- Fast and large worldwide network of VPN servers
- Perfect for privacy and streaming
- Trusted by many, with over 14 million users
Should I Stream NFL Games for Free?
Paid streaming platforms like SlingTV and FuboTV have the rights to broadcast live NFL streams within their respective markets. But this isn’t the case with a lot of free streaming websites.
Unofficial streaming websites tend to mine for streams from different countries. As they’re not sanctioned by the NFL, you run the risk of accessing an illegal NFL stream. This is why the wildly popular NFL Live Streams subreddit (r/nflstreams) was forced to shut down.
Note:
Accessing unofficial streams is considered piracy in a number of countries. Check out our quick breakdown of some basic piracy stances around the world.
| Stance on piracy | Countries |
|---|---|
| Pirating is overlooked | Switzerland |
| Pirating is illegal and individuals can be prosecuted and fined | Australia, China, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, United States |
| Pirating is illegal, but individuals are not actively prosecuted | Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Greece, India, Israel, Iran, Mexico, Netherlands, Philippines, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Uruguay |
Why Do I Need a VPN to Watch NFL Online?
Premium VPNs like NordVPN have a global network of servers that you can use to connect to the internet. While it’s a breeze streaming NFL games in the States, the same isn’t true for people watching abroad.
If you’re sitting poolside on vacation in Portugal and trying to access FuboTV, the platform will block you. This is because the streaming service is only available in the United States, and FuboTV can see your IP address and location.
That’s why you need a premium service like NordVPN — to get an American IP address and unblock the most popular NFL streaming websites. Avoid free VPNs for watching NFL online — they’ll cap your speed and data, making them ineffective for sports streaming.
The Wrap-Up: Stream NFL Games Safely For Free
If you can’t get enough NFL football, you’ve got loads of options. But whether you’re trying to access an American platform abroad or want to explore other free sports streaming, you’ll need a VPN to do it.
A VPN unblocks geo-restrictions and lets you access sites you couldn’t otherwise. At the same time, it protects your privacy by keeping you anonymous from would-be third-party snoops. When you drift to unsecured sites, a VPN also provides that extra line of defense from hackers that might be looking to swipe any sensitive info you’re transmitting.
Can’t get enough live streaming sports and other content online? Check out some of our other guides and articles on the topic.
- The Best Sports Streaming Websites
- Live Stream Champions League Matches Anywhere in the World
- Watch Formula 1 Online Worldwide
- How to Watch Fox Sports Worldwide
- The Best Free Movie Streaming Sites
- Watching Netflix with a VPN: A Step-by-Step Guide
Got some questions about live streaming NFL games online? We’ve got answers for both paid streaming services and free online streaming sites and apps. Click on one of the questions below for the answer.
There are plenty of free sites that round up NFL live streams. Keep in mind you’ll want to protect your device before you start navigating to unfamiliar online territory with a VPN and antivirus. These sites include: DaddyLiveHD, LiveSoccerTV, LiveTV and Stream2Watch. For more options and links, have a look at our lineup of best free NFL live streams.
Yes, there are many ways to watch NFL online for free. Just take a look at our list of the best free NFL live streams. You may need a VPN to access geo-restricted sites, or to secure your connection while on unsecured domains.
There are plenty of ways to watch the NFL online. You can watch via the NFL Network, or you can stream primetime NFL games with cord-cutting providers like FuboTV, YouTube TV, or Sling TV. For free option, see our rundown of the best free NFL live streams.
The most extensive coverage of NFL games online comes through the NFL Network. Cord-cutting online television providers like SlingTV and FuboTV also cover most NFL games. If you want access via free streaming websites, check out our full article listing the best free NFL streams.
