NFL Christmas Games 2025: Schedule, Time, TV Channel & How to Watch

Christmas Day football is back for 2025. The NFL has three games lined up for December 25th featuring some big-name teams and plenty of drama.

You’ll see the Dallas Cowboys visit Washington for an NFC East clash. The Detroit Lions travel to Minnesota with their playoff hopes on the line. Then Denver heads to Kansas City for the nightcap where the Chiefs will be without Patrick Mahomes.

All three games stream on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Let’s break down everything you need to know to catch the action.

NFL Christmas Games 2025 at a Glance

• Three games on December 25th
• First game: Cowboys at Commanders – 1:00 PM ET
• Second game: Lions at Vikings – 4:30 PM ET
• Third game: Broncos at Chiefs – 8:15 PM ET
• Where to watch: Netflix (Games 1 & 2), Amazon Prime Video (Game 3)
• Local TV: CBS affiliates in team markets
• Key storylines: Lions fighting for playoffs, Chiefs without Mahomes, NFC East rivalry

Who’s Playing Football on Christmas Day?

Game 1: Dallas Cowboys at Washington Commanders

The Cowboys come in at 6-8-1 and the Commanders sit at 4-11. Both teams are out of the playoff race but they still hate losing to each other. Dallas had bigger plans for this season. Washington is rebuilding and looking toward next year. Still, nobody wants to get embarrassed on Christmas Day in front of millions of people.

Game 2: Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings

This one matters. Detroit is 8-7 and desperately needs a win to keep their playoff dreams alive. They’ve lost two straight games and the margin for error is gone. Minnesota comes in at 7-8 after winning three in a row. The Vikings can still finish above .500 and would love to knock their division rivals out of the postseason picture.

Game 3: Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs

Denver sits at 12-3 and is fighting for the top seed in the AFC. A first-round bye is on the line. Kansas City is 6-9 and won’t make the playoffs for the first time since Patrick Mahomes took over as quarterback. Mahomes tore his ACL and won’t play. Third-string QB Chris Oladokun makes his first career start. This game shows how quickly things can change in the NFL.

NFL Christmas Games 2025 Schedule

Game	Time (ET)	Location	Where to Watch	Announcers
Cowboys @ Commanders	1:00 PM	Northwest Stadium, Maryland	Netflix / CBS Local	Ian Eagle, Nate Burleson, Matt Ryan
Lions @ Vikings	4:30 PM	U.S. Bank Stadium, Minnesota	Netflix / CBS Local	Noah Eagle, Drew Brees
Broncos @ Chiefs	8:15 PM	Arrowhead Stadium, Missouri	Amazon Prime Video	Al Michaels, Kirk Herbstreit

Coverage starts at 11:00 AM on Netflix with Kelly Clarkson singing “Underneath the Tree.” Snoop Dogg performs at halftime during the Lions-Vikings game.

You can watch all three or just pick the ones you care about most. Either way, there’s football from lunchtime until almost midnight.

NFL Christmas 2025 Kickoff Times by Time Zone

Cowboys at Commanders (1:00 PM Eastern)

• West Coast: 10:00 AM
• Mountain: 11:00 AM
• Central: 12:00 PM (Noon)
• East Coast: 1:00 PM

Lions at Vikings (4:30 PM Eastern)

• West Coast: 1:30 PM
• Mountain: 2:30 PM
• Central: 3:30 PM
• East Coast: 4:30 PM

Broncos at Chiefs (8:15 PM Eastern)

• West Coast: 5:15 PM
• Mountain: 6:15 PM
• Central: 7:15 PM
• East Coast: 8:15 PM

West Coast folks can watch the first game with breakfast. Central time zones get a nice afternoon setup. East Coast fans have football running all day into the night.

The gap between games two and three gives you time for Christmas dinner. Plan accordingly and you won’t miss anything.

Which Channel Will Air Christmas Day Games?

Netflix has the Cowboys-Commanders and Lions-Vikings games. You need a Netflix account to watch them anywhere. Any subscription level works. The games are included with your regular membership.

Amazon Prime Video streams the Broncos-Chiefs game. Prime members already have access. You can also get Prime Video by itself without the full Prime membership if you want to save a few bucks.

CBS local stations will show games in the team’s home cities. People in Dallas, Washington, Detroit, Minneapolis, Denver, and Kansas City can watch on regular TV for free. You just need an antenna or basic cable.

Don’t bother checking FOX, NBC, or ESPN. The streaming services bought exclusive rights to these games.

How to Watch NFL Christmas Games Live Stream Online

Netflix

Pull up Netflix on your TV, phone, tablet, or computer. The app works on pretty much everything these days. Smart TVs have it built in. PlayStation and Xbox both support Netflix too.

The picture quality is solid. You can watch in 4K if your device and internet can handle it. CBS Sports produces both games so you get the same professional broadcast you’re used to seeing on regular TV.

Amazon Prime Video

Prime Video runs on the same types of devices as Netflix. Fire TV users get the smoothest experience but it works fine everywhere else too. Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit call the game just like they do every Thursday night.

You can pause and rewind if you need to step away. That’s actually pretty handy during a long Christmas Day of eating and visiting with family.

NFL+

The NFL’s app lets you stream on your phone or tablet. This is good for people traveling on Christmas. NFL+ costs less than the big streaming services but you can only watch on mobile devices.

How to Watch NFL Christmas Games Internationally

Netflix streams both afternoon games around the world. You can watch in English, French, German, Spanish, or Portuguese. Millions of international fans get to join in on Christmas Day football.

Game 1 Start Times Around the World:

• London: 6:00 PM
• Paris: 7:00 PM
• Mexico City: 12:00 PM
• Sydney: 5:00 AM next day

Game 2 Start Times Around the World:

• London: 9:30 PM
• Paris: 10:30 PM
• Mexico City: 3:30 PM
• Sydney: 8:30 AM next day

Europeans get perfect evening viewing for the Netflix games. Amazon Prime Video doesn’t stream everywhere though. Check if it’s available in your country for the third game.

Can I Watch the NFL Christmas Games for Free?

Free options are pretty limited. You can watch on CBS if you live in one of the team’s cities. Just hook up an antenna to your TV. A decent HD antenna costs $20 or $30 and the picture looks great.

You need to be close enough to pick up the signal from your local CBS tower. Most people in and around major cities should be fine. Check online coverage maps to see if you’re in range.

Everyone else needs to pay for streaming. Netflix starts around $7 to $15 a month depending on which plan you pick. Amazon Prime runs $14.99 monthly or $139 for the whole year. You can get just Prime Video for $8.99 a month.

Neither service gives out free trials anymore. You’ll have to pay for at least one month. The bright side is you get access to tons of other shows and movies beyond just football.

What Radio Station Broadcasts NFL Christmas Games?

SiriusXM Channel 88 carries all three games if you have a satellite radio subscription. This works great if you’re driving on Christmas Day. You can also stream SiriusXM through their app.

Local radio stations broadcast their team’s games. Cowboys fans tune into their Dallas station. Commanders fans listen in Washington. Same goes for Detroit, Minnesota, Denver, and Kansas City.

Many teams stream their radio feeds free on their official websites and apps. You don’t always need SiriusXM. Just head to your team’s site and look for the audio stream.

Snoop Dogg Halftime Show: NFL Christmas 2025

Snoop Dogg takes over halftime during the Lions-Vikings game. They’re calling it “Snoop’s Holiday Halftime Party” and it happens at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

Country star Lainey Wilson joins him. Mixing hip-hop and country isn’t something you see every day. Some performers from KPOP Demon Hunters will also show up.

The same folks who produce Super Bowl halftime shows are handling this one. Jesse Collins Entertainment knows how to put on a spectacle. Snoop has been involved with football for years through his youth leagues. The guy loves the game.

Kelly Clarkson opens the whole broadcast at 11:00 AM singing her Christmas song. It’s a nice way to kick off the day before the games start.

Last year Beyoncé performed at halftime in Houston. That show became legendary and over 26 million people in the U.S. watched. Snoop has big expectations to live up to.

NFL Christmas Day Broadcast Teams & Announcers

Cowboys at Commanders

Ian Eagle calls the plays. Nate Burleson and Matt Ryan break down the action. This crew works together during the regular season on CBS. Eagle has one of the smoothest voices in the business. Burleson played in the league and brings that energy. Ryan just retired a couple years ago so his insight is current.

Lions at Vikings

Noah Eagle handles play-by-play. Drew Brees sits next to him. It’s cool that both Ian and Noah Eagle work on Christmas Day. Brees won a Super Bowl and knows offense inside and out. His preparation for broadcasts is off the charts.

Broncos at Chiefs

Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit team up on Amazon. Michaels has called some of the biggest moments in sports history over the past 40 years. Herbstreit made the jump from college football and fit right in calling NFL games.

Kay Adams hosts the Netflix coverage. Michael Irvin, Manti Te’o, Austin Ekeler, and Seth Rollins help out during pre-game and halftime.

NFL Christmas Games 2025: Playoff Implications

Cowboys at Commanders

Neither team is making the playoffs. Dallas is disappointed with 6-8-1 after expecting much more. Washington knew 4-11 was possible during a rebuild year.

These teams still play hard against each other. Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb want to finish strong. Young guys on Washington are fighting for jobs next season. Losing to your rival on national TV is embarrassing no matter what your record shows.

Lions at Vikings

Detroit needs this win badly. At 8-7 they have to win out and hope other results fall their way. Losing the last two games put them in a tough spot. Their offense can score on anybody with Jared Goff throwing to Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Minnesota won three straight to get to 7-8. They can hit 9-8 if they win their last two. The quarterback situation is up in the air with J.J. McCarthy’s status unclear. Justin Jefferson is one of the best receivers in football and he’ll get his catches.

This is a must-win for the Lions. Every play matters. Minnesota would love to crush their rival’s season on Christmas.

Broncos at Chiefs

Denver needs to win to lock up a first-round bye. At 12-3 they’ve had an amazing season nobody saw coming. Bo Nix looks like he’ll be their quarterback for years.

Kansas City is 6-9 and watching the playoffs from home. That’s crazy to say about the Chiefs. This is the first time they’ve missed the postseason since Mahomes became the starter. He tore his ACL two weeks ago and can’t play.

Chris Oladokun is starting his first NFL game. The third-string guy faces a brutal Denver defense. Travis Kelce might be playing his last home game at Arrowhead. He hasn’t said if he’s coming back next year.

Only Denver’s seeding is on the line. The Chiefs are playing for pride and want to send their legends out with a win.

Also Check: Current NFL Playoff Picture 2025

NFL Christmas Tradition: History & Background

The NFL played its first Christmas game back in 1971. The Dolphins and Chiefs went into multiple overtimes in what became the longest game ever played. It ran over 82 minutes.

People hated it. The game messed up Christmas dinners across America. Families complained that football was ruining their holiday. Religious groups said the league shouldn’t play on such an important day. One Kansas politician even tried to pass a law banning Christmas games.

The NFL stayed away from December 25th for 17 years after that mess. They came back in 1989 but only scheduled games when Christmas fell on a weekend or Monday. That approach lasted until 2019.

Things changed in 2020. The league decided to play on Christmas every year no matter what day it is. They now treat it like Thanksgiving. Three games became standard in 2022.

Netflix joined the party last year with a three-year deal. Their first Christmas broadcast pulled huge numbers. Over 26 million Americans watched and another 30 million tuned in from around the world. Beyoncé’s halftime show helped make it an event.

The success showed people want Christmas football. Streaming services pay top dollar for these games. The NBA has owned Christmas Day for decades. The NFL wanted a bigger piece of that action.

FAQs: NFL Christmas Games 2025

Christmas 2025 brings a full day of football to your home. Three games give you playoff drama and division rivalries.

Netflix and Amazon make it easy to stream from anywhere. Snoop Dogg adds some entertainment between the action. Get your subscriptions ready and enjoy the games.