2026 NFL Preseason TV Schedule: National Broadcasts, Live Streams, And Full Game Times

The 2026 NFL preseason hits a critical stretch this weekend as teams enter Preseason Week 2, offering fans their best look yet at starting lineups, rookie quarterbacks, and position battles. National networks including NFL Network, CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, and Amazon Prime Video are carrying marquee matchups live, while regional network affiliates air local team broadcasts across the country.

Below is the national broadcast schedule and streaming guide for key games during the remainder of the 2026 NFL Preseason:

National Network Windows and Regional Television Blackouts

The 2026 NFL preseason features three main warm-up weeks following the annual Hall of Fame Game. While select marquee matchups receive exclusive national broadcasts on broadcast networks like NBC and streaming platforms like Amazon Prime Video, the majority of games are produced by local regional affiliates.

NFL Network serves as the primary national hub for preseason action, airing dozens of live games throughout August. However, local blackout rules remain active for live NFL Network telecasts: if a game is being broadcast live on a local network affiliate in a team’s home market, NFL Network’s live feed is blacked out in those home markets and substituted with local affiliate broadcasts or delayed re-airs.

Key broadcast breakdown highlights for football fans this August:

• Exclusive Streaming Windows: Selected primetime games are locked exclusively to digital platforms like Amazon Prime Video.
• Local Market Rights: Non-nationally televised games air locally via CBS, FOX, NBC, or ABC team-designated regional channels.
• Tape Delay Re-Airs: NFL Network broadcasts re-airs of every single 2026 preseason game throughout each week.

Streaming Options and Cord-Cutter Access Guide

Watching preseason football without a traditional cable package is streamlined in 2026, though available channels depend on viewer location. The primary direct-to-consumer platform is NFL+, the league's official subscription streaming service. NFL+ provides subscribers with live out-of-market preseason games across supported mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs.

For complete coverage across major broadcast networks (CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN), live TV streaming platforms offer complete access:

• Fubo & YouTube TV: Both platforms carry local CBS, FOX, NBC, and ESPN channels, along with NFL Network in their baseline channel lineups.
• Hulu + Live TV: Features local broadcast affiliates, ESPN, and NFL Network, bundled with Disney+ and ESPN+.
• Peacock & Paramount+: Peacock streams all NBC-simulcast games live, while Paramount+ carries local market CBS broadcasts based on user location.

Road to the Regular Season: Key Dates and Cutoff Deadlines

As Preseason Week 2 wraps up, front offices and coaching staffs across all 32 franchises face high-stakes roster decisions. The 2026 NFL calendar utilizes a single cutdown deadline following the conclusion of Preseason Week 3.

All teams must trim their rosters from 90 players down to the final 53-man roster by 4:00 PM ET on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. This makes the final slate of preseason games crucial for backup candidates, late-round draft picks, and undrafted free agents competing for active roster spots or practice squad eligibility ahead of September's regular-season kickoff.