Amazon Prime Video is making waves in the 2026 NFL Playoffs with its second exclusive playoff broadcast. The streaming platform just wrapped its most-watched Thursday Night Football season ever and now brings that momentum to postseason action.
Here’s how you can enjoy this historic rivalry matchup and everything else you need to know.
When is the NFL Playoffs 2026?
The 2026 NFL Playoffs kick off on Saturday, January 10, 2026, and conclude with Super Bowl LX on Sunday, February 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
The first playoff weekend starts with six Wild Card games spread over three days. Prime Video’s exclusive Saturday night broadcast headlines the opening weekend. Check the NFL Playoffs 2026 full schedule here.
How Many Playoff Games Can I Watch on Prime Video?
Prime Video will exclusively stream one Wild Card game.
Matchup: Green Bay Packers (No. 7 seed) vs. Chicago Bears (No. 2 seed)
Date: Saturday, January 10, 2026
Time: Pregame show at 7:30 p.m. ET; Kickoff at 8:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois
This marks Prime Video’s second year carrying an NFL playoff game. The game represents the first Packers-Bears playoff meeting since the 2011 NFC Championship and only their third postseason matchup ever in this storied rivalry.
How to Watch the Packers vs Bears NFL Wild Card Game on Prime Video
You can watch the Packers-Bears Wild Card game on Prime Video using a smart TV, streaming media player, set-top box, or the Prime Video app. The game streams on phones and tablets through NFL+ or the Prime Video mobile app.
The game will also be available live on Twitch and over-the-air TV stations in the Green Bay, Milwaukee, and Chicago areas.
Local Broadcast Access:
- Green Bay: WGBA-TV (NBC 26)
- Milwaukee: WITI (FOX 6)
- Chicago: WFLD (FOX 32)
Prime Video offers a 30-day free trial for new users. After the trial it costs $8.99 per month for Prime Video or $14.99 per month for the full Amazon Prime membership. The full membership includes other benefits like free shipping.
Amazon Prime Video Plan, Cost & Features
| Plan | Cost | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Prime Video Only (Monthly) | $8.99/month | Access to Prime Video content Movies, TV shows, and Amazon Originals Stream on multiple devices Includes limited ads |
| Amazon Prime (Monthly) | $14.99/month | Includes Prime Video Free 2-day shipping Amazon Music (100M+ songs) Prime Reading Prime Gaming Amazon Photos (unlimited storage) |
| Amazon Prime (Annual) | $139/year | Same as monthly Amazon Prime plan but at a discounted annual rate |
| Prime Student (Monthly) | $7.49/month | Includes all Amazon Prime benefits Discounted rate for students |
| Prime Student (Annual) | $69/year | Same as monthly Prime Student plan but at a discounted annual rate |
| Prime Access (Monthly) | $6.99/month | Includes all Amazon Prime benefits Discounted rate for recipients of EBT, Medicaid, SNAP, etc. |
| Ad-Free Upgrade | +$2.99/month | Removes advertisements from Prime Video Available with any existing Prime or Prime Video plan |
| Channel Add-Ons | $2.99–$14.99/month | Add popular channels like HBO, Showtime, Starz, and more Pricing depends on the selected channel |
What Makes Prime Video’s Coverage Special?
Prime Video is bringing a star-studded team to its coverage. Legendary announcer Al Michaels and analyst Kirk Herbstreit will call the game. Kaylee Hartung reports from the sidelines.
Pregame and postgame shows (TNF Tonight and TNF Nightcap) will feature host Charissa Thompson alongside experts Tony Gonzalez, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Andrew Whitworth and Richard Sherman.
Spanish Broadcast: Miguel Gurwitz and Rolando Cantú will provide TNF en Español commentary.
Special Features:
Taylor Rooks provides player features. Albert Breer offers league news and insights.
Prime Vision with Next Gen Stats broadcast includes AI-powered features like defensive insights, unique 22 camera angles and in-game analytics to enhance your viewing experience.
The stream supports 4K Ultra HD and HDR on compatible devices. You can stream on up to 3 devices simultaneously with one account.
Prime Video’s Record-Breaking 2025 Season
Prime Video just completed its most-watched Thursday Night Football season ever. The 2025 season averaged 15.33 million viewers across 15 regular-season games. That marks a 16% increase over 2024 and the highest average in TNF’s 20-year history.
The Christmas night game between Denver and Kansas City drew 21.06 million viewers. That set a new record for Thursday Night Football on Prime Video since taking over exclusive rights in 2022.
About 122 million unique viewers in the United States watched at least one TNF game during 2025. The audience median age of 49.4 runs nearly 7 years younger than NFL games on traditional networks.
What is the NFL Wild Card Game?
The Wild Card round is the first stage of the NFL Playoffs. It includes six games (three per conference) featuring the No. 2–7 seeds. The No. 1 seeds in the AFC and NFC receive a bye week and advance directly to the Divisional Round.
The Seattle Seahawks (NFC) and Denver Broncos (AFC) earned the top seeds and skip Wild Card Weekend. They enter the playoffs during the Divisional Round on January 17-18.
The Packers and Bears will clash as part of this round with the winner advancing to face higher-seeded opponents.
Where to Watch Other Wild Card Games?
Aside from Prime Video’s exclusive game, the remaining Wild Card matchups will air on CBS (available on Paramount+), FOX, NBC, and ESPN/ABC.
Complete Wild Card Weekend Schedule:
Saturday, January 10
- 4:30 p.m. ET: Los Angeles Rams at Carolina Panthers (FOX)
- 8:00 p.m. ET: Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears (Prime Video)
Sunday, January 11
- 1:00 p.m. ET: Buffalo Bills at Jacksonville Jaguars (CBS)
- 4:30 p.m. ET: San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles (FOX)
- 8:00 p.m. ET: Los Angeles Chargers at New England Patriots (NBC)
Monday, January 12
- 8:00 p.m. ET: Houston Texans at Pittsburgh Steelers (ESPN/ABC)
Where Can I Watch Other NFL Playoff Games Free of Cost?
You have several options to watch NFL Playoff games without paying. FuboTV is one of the best choices. It offers a 7-day free trial that gives you access to CBS, FOX, NBC, and ESPN—all the networks broadcasting playoff games. This means you can watch many of the games completely free as long as you cancel before the trial ends.
FuboTV also includes unlimited cloud DVR storage so you can record games and watch them later. It’s easy to set up and the trial is risk-free.
Other Free Options:
Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial lets you watch the Packers-Bears game at no cost. Just remember to cancel before the trial period ends.
Over-the-Air Antenna picks up CBS, FOX, NBC, and ABC for free. These channels broadcast most playoff games. An antenna costs between $20-$50 and provides perfect HD quality.
YouTube TV offers a 10-day free trial covering all playoff channels except Prime Video.
Paramount+ provides a 7-day free trial for CBS games.
NFL+ costs just $6.99/month and includes ALL playoff games (including the Prime Video exclusive) on mobile devices and tablets. Right now NFL+ is offering 40% off annual plans.
Between free trials and local TV channels there are plenty of ways to enjoy the playoffs without spending a dime.
2026 NFL Playoffs on Prime Video FAQs
Can I watch with friends using a watch party feature?
Prime Video doesn’t have a watch party option for live sports right now. Your best bet is gathering everyone in one place to watch together. You can also use apps like Discord or Teleparty to sync up with friends remotely but these are third-party tools.
Am I stuck watching live or can I pause and rewind?
You can pause the game for a few minutes and rewind a bit on most devices. Just know that pausing puts you behind the live broadcast. The controls work similar to regular TV but don’t expect full DVR features. FuboTV gives you better recording options with unlimited cloud storage.
Will there be commercials during the game?
Yes. You’ll see the same commercials that air on regular TV broadcasts. Prime Video doesn’t add extra ads but you can’t skip the commercial breaks during live viewing. The pregame and postgame shows have their own ad breaks too.
Can I get my money back after watching the game?
Amazon rarely gives refunds once you’ve used Prime benefits like watching videos. The free 30-day trial is your best option to watch without paying. Cancel before the trial ends and you won’t see any charges. Some exceptions exist but don’t count on getting a refund after game day.
Does the broadcast have closed captions for deaf viewers?
Yes. Prime Video includes closed captions for the playoff game. Turn them on through your device settings menu. You can change the text size and color too. Audio description for blind viewers may be available but this varies by broadcast.
