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There is no shortage of ways to watch NFL games, but getting free access to those games is a different story entirely. Fortunately, there are a couple of ways to catch free options around the globe for the 2024 to 2025 football season. We'll show you where to watch NFL live streams for free every week.
The options below are officially sanctioned broadcasts across several countries, including the United States, the UK, and Australia. This will only help viewers from each country out with a portion of the games this season. If you're hoping to tune into the rest of the NFL season, you'll need to pay for some streaming services. Fortunately, we've dug through all the options to highlight the best services when it comes to how to watch NFL games, whether you're in the US, UK, Australia, or somewhere else entirely. Rest assured, we'll make sure that you're getting the most bang for your buck.
Keep reading to learn how to watch the free games from anywhere. And don't forget to check out our best sports streaming services for more information on watching your favorite sport or team.
- See also: How to watch college football | Best streaming deals and bundles | Where to watch the Premier League
Channel 5 in the United Kingdom shows Monday Night Football for free. To use the service, you'll need to create a free account, and then you'll be all set to watch the season. Games kick off at around 1:20 a.m. BST on Tuesday.
- Read more: How to watch Monday Night Football for free
Where to watch Thursday Night Football for free
Twitch streams Thursday Night Football live for free in the United States, a nice byproduct of being an Amazon subsidiary. Navigate to the Prime Video Twitch channel every Thursday at 8:20 p.m. ET, and you'll be able to tune in, no account necessary. Prime Video (and therefore Prime's free Twitch page) will also carry one Wild Card Playoff game this year.
- Read more: How to watch Thursday Night Football for free
Where to watch NFL games for free every Sunday
7Mate in Australia shows select NFL games every Sunday. You'll mostly find Sunday afternoon games here, typically one early afternoon game (1 p.m. ET on Sunday/1 a.m. AWST on Monday) and one late afternoon game (4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday/4:25 a.m. AWST on Monday) right afterward. There's no telling which games 7Mate will feature too far in advance, so check the guide each week to settle your viewing plans beforehand. Last year, there was also full NFL playoff coverage at 7Plus.
- Read more: How to watch Sunday Night Football
How to watch NFL games for free from anywhere
A VPN (virtual private network) is a handy tool to help out those who happen to be away from the country of their streaming service at game time. The app lets people change the virtual location on their devices, enabling them to keep up with their usual websites from anywhere. Twitch doesn't work with a VPN, but those with a US Amazon Prime subscription should be able to access their accounts — and paid streaming options — while traveling with one.
You can snag a risk-free offer on the best VPN we've tested if you need a VPN. ExpressVPN is 49% off the regular price right now, and you get three extra months for free. There's a 30-day money-back guarantee if you're unsatisfied, too. Check out our ExpressVPN review to learn more.
Staff Pick
With its consistent performance, reliable security, and expansive global streaming features, ExpressVPN is the best VPN out there, excelling in every spec and offering many advanced features that makes it exceptional. Better yet, you can save up to 49% and get an extra three months for free today.
How to watch NFL live stream for free with a VPN
- Sign up for a VPN if you don't have one.
- Install it on the device you're using to watch the game.
- Turn it on and set it to the location of your streaming service.
- Go toChannel 5 (UK) or 7Mate (Australia) and sign up for a free account if you don't already have one.
- Enjoy your free NFL streams.
Note:The use of VPNs is illegal in certain countries, and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.
Editorial Fellow
Quentyn Kennemer was a former Editorial Fellow for Insider Reviews. A career tech journalist, reporter, and devout tech-head whose entire life story surrounds the matter, he also loves escaping to fascinating new worlds through video games. In addition to Insider, Quentyn has written and edited for top publications like Forbes, Consumer Reports, Digital Trends, and more.
Associate Editor of Streaming
Lillian Brown is the Associate Editor of Streaming for Business Insider. She joined the company in early 2024 as a Fellow before joining us full-time a few months later. She focuses on 'how to watch' guides for streaming services and live events for the Reviews team. She also covers VPN usage.Her entertainment writing has appeared in a variety of publications, including Vulture, TV Guide, Time, Esquire, and The Daily Beast, among others. She specializes in writing about film and television. Previously, she worked in the Living/Arts department of The Boston Globe.When not teaching people how to stream the best live sports and TV shows, Lillian can be found long-distance running, watching the latest season of For All Mankind, or playing through The Last of Us Part II on her PS4 yet again.
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