NFL RedZone 2026: How to Watch, Stream Live, Channel Info, Price & Free Trial
NFL RedZone 2026 gives you every touchdown from every Sunday afternoon game in one live feed. Scott Hanson hosts again, the octobox still shows up to eight games at once, and coverage runs about seven hours from 1:00 pm ET. The first RedZone Sunday is September 13, 2026. The last is January 10, 2027.
Two things changed this year. ESPN closed its purchase of NFL Media in February 2026 and now sells RedZone to cable and satellite operators, while the NFL still owns, produces and digitally distributes the channel. And the cheapest way in is no longer a TV package. NFL+ Premium at $14.99 a month beats the cheapest live TV route by about $16.
Below you get prices verified in August 2026, channel numbers, real free trial lengths, two Sling traps that cost people money every season, and one carriage dispute that leaves millions of Comcast homes with no way to buy RedZone at all.
What NFL RedZone Shows (and What It Skips)
NFL RedZone is a whip around feed of the Sunday afternoon CBS and FOX broadcasts. It jumps between games as teams reach the red zone, and cuts to other scoring chances and big moments as they happen. Fantasy managers use it because you watch your players score live instead of refreshing a box score.
It covers both Sunday afternoon windows, the 1:00 pm ET games and the 4:05 and 4:25 pm ET games. It does not cover:
- Thursday, Sunday or Monday night football
- The 9:30 am ET international games from London, Paris, Madrid and Munich. One international game does make the cut: Ravens at Cowboys from Rio de Janeiro on September 27, kicking off 4:25 pm ET on CBS
- Preseason and Saturday games, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, which falls on a Friday in 2026
- The playoffs and Super Bowl LXI, which ESPN carries on February 14, 2027 with a simulcast on ABC
Week 18 splits across two days, Saturday January 9 and Sunday January 10, 2027. Only the Sunday games get RedZone treatment.
One honest update: RedZone is no longer commercial free. Split screen ads were tested in December 2024 and became standard in 2025. A 15 second spot runs in one box while live football stays on screen in the other. The NFL said last season there would be no full screen breaks where the football disappears, and nothing has been announced to change that for 2026 under ESPN. Hanson’s open changed from “seven hours of commercial free football starts now” to “seven hours of RedZone football starts now.”
How to Stream NFL RedZone 2026 Without Cable
NFL+ Premium, the cheapest route
NFL+ Premium costs $14.99 a month or $99.99 for the season and includes RedZone, NFL Network, full game replays, condensed games and All 22 coach’s film. A 20 percent discount on the annual plan runs through September 21, 2026, which drops the season to $79.99, about $6.67 a month.
One detail most guides get backwards: NFL+ Premium limits live local and primetime games to phones and tablets, but RedZone plays across every supported device, smart TVs and streaming boxes included. There is no free trial, and the old standalone NFL Mobile RedZone subscription no longer exists.
ESPN Unlimited and the Disney bundles
ESPN Unlimited on its own is $29.99 a month. It added NFL Network at no extra cost on July 30, 2026, but it does not include RedZone. To get RedZone you attach NFL+ Premium:
- ESPN Unlimited plus NFL+ Premium: $39.99 a month
- Disney+, Hulu and ESPN Unlimited plus NFL+ Premium: $45.99 a month, or $54.99 for ad free Disney+ and Hulu. ESPN Unlimited still carries ads on both tiers
Either way RedZone streams inside the NFL app, not inside Disney+ or the ESPN app, and you have to link your ESPN account to your NFL account to unlock it.
Sling TV, cheapest live TV but read this first
Sling TV sells two different Sports Extra packs and only one of them has NFL RedZone. The Blue side version does. The Orange side version is a college pack with SEC Network, ACC Network, ESPNU and ESPNEWS, and no RedZone. Sports Extra costs $11 on Select, Blue or Orange, and $15 on Orange & Blue.
The combination that works is Sling Select from $19.99 plus Sports Extra at $11, so about $30.99 a month. Select is a starting price and local channels push it higher in some markets.
Two traps to avoid. Sling day passes at $4.99 for one day, $9.99 for three and $14.99 for seven look like a cheap way to buy a single Sunday. They only carry Sling Orange channels, so they give you no RedZone. Sling Essentials at about $20 has the same problem, because Essentials sits on the Orange side and its Sports Extra is the college pack. Some coverage said otherwise when Essentials launched in April 2026. Sling’s own product pages do not support it.
The other live TV services
YouTube TV launched a cheaper Sports Plan at $64.99 in 2026, and the “NFL RedZone with Sports Plus” add-on at $10.99 attaches to it. That undercuts the $82.99 Base Plan by $18 if you only watch sports. New users get 21 days free, the longest trial of any provider.
DirecTV MySports is $64.99 and throws in an ESPN Unlimited subscription, but RedZone sits in MySports Extra for $13.99 more. Fubo raised prices about $15 after its NBC carriage deal, so Pro is now $88.99 plus the Sports Plus add-on. Hulu + Live TV is $89.99 plus a $9.99 Sports Add-on.
NFL RedZone 2026 Price Comparison
Every route ranked cheapest first. Prices verified August 2026.
| Service | Base price | RedZone add-on | Total per month | Free trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NFL+ Premium | $14.99 | Included | $14.99, or $79.99 for the season with the current discount | None |
| Sling Select | from $19.99 | Sports Extra $11 | from $30.99 | None |
| ESPN Unlimited + NFL+ Premium | $29.99 | Bundled | $39.99 | None |
| Disney+, Hulu, ESPN + NFL+ Premium | $35.99 | Bundled | $45.99, or $54.99 ad free | None |
| Sling Blue | from $45.99 | Sports Extra $11 | from $56.99 | None |
| YouTube TV Sports Plan | $64.99 | Sports Plus $10.99 | $75.98 | 21 days |
| DirecTV MySports | $64.99 | MySports Extra $13.99 | $78.98 | 5 days |
| YouTube TV Base Plan | $82.99 | Sports Plus $10.99 | $93.98 | 21 days |
| Fubo Pro | $88.99 | Sports Plus | about $99.98 | 5 days |
| Hulu + Live TV | $89.99 | Sports Add-on $9.99 | $99.98 | 3 days |
Two promos with deadlines. YouTube TV runs the Base Plan at $67.99 for three months and the Sports Plan at $54.99 for twelve, but both end August 26, 2026. The NFL+ Premium annual discount ends September 21, 2026.
NFL RedZone Channel Numbers on Cable and Satellite
Only DirecTV’s top PREMIER Signature plan at $154.99 a month includes RedZone with no separate add-on. Everywhere else it sits behind a sports tier.
| Provider | Channel | Package required | Add-on cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| DirecTV | 211 | MySports Extra or Sports Pack, or PREMIER Signature | $13.99 or $14.99 |
| DISH | 155 | Multi-Sport Pack, on America’s Top 120+ or higher | $13 |
| Spectrum | Varies by market | Sports View | $10 |
| Cox | Varies by market | Sports Pack 2 | $10 |
| Verizon Fios | 335, or 835 in HD | Sports Pass | Check your plan |
| Optimum | Varies by market | Sports Package | $5 to $15 by tier |
| Xfinity | Not available | Dropped April 30, 2026 | None |
Xfinity customers, read this. Comcast dropped NFL Network and NFL RedZone on April 30, 2026 when its deal expired. This is the first carriage fight since ESPN took over NFL Media, and as of early August 2026 there is still no agreement and no announced timeline. Unless it settles before Week 1, Xfinity TV subscribers cannot buy RedZone at any price and will need a streaming service. NFL+ Premium at $14.99 is the cheapest workaround.
Free Trial Options in 2026
Nobody gives you the RedZone add-on for free. What you can trial is the base plan, then attach the add-on and cancel before billing starts.
- YouTube TV: 21 days at no cost, the longest available. Add Sports Plus during the trial.
- DirecTV: 5 days, no annual contract.
- Fubo: 5 days on virtually every plan, cut down from 7 days.
- Hulu + Live TV: 3 days.
- NFL+ Premium and Sling TV: no trial at all. Sling’s day passes are not a substitute, because they carry Orange channels only.
Providers including DirecTV, DISH and Sling usually open RedZone free for one preview Sunday each season. The 2025 preview ran November 2. No 2026 date has been announced.
NFL RedZone vs NFL Sunday Ticket
They solve different problems, and Sunday Ticket does not include RedZone.
| NFL RedZone | NFL Sunday Ticket | |
|---|---|---|
| What you get | Live scoring plays from every Sunday afternoon game | Full out of market Sunday afternoon games, streaming exclusives not included |
| Best for | Fantasy managers and neutral fans | Fans of one team living outside its market |
| 2026 price | From $14.99 a month | $240 a year for new users, $378 to $480 returning |
| Full games | No | Yes |
Sunday Ticket stays exclusive to YouTube and YouTube TV for home viewers in 2026. To add RedZone, pick the “NFL Sunday Ticket with NFL RedZone” bundle at checkout, which Google says works out cheaper than buying the $10.99 Sports Plus add-on separately. The student plan was last published at $119 for the season, or $129 with RedZone, but that page still describes the 2025 season, so confirm the price before you buy.
One naming point that still confuses people: DirecTV’s old “Red Zone Channel” with Andrew Siciliano signed off on January 8, 2023. DirecTV for Business brought Sunday Ticket back for bars and restaurants in July 2026, but the RedZone it offers is NFL Network’s channel. There is only one RedZone now.
Devices That Support NFL RedZone
Through the NFL app with NFL+ Premium, the officially supported list is:
| Type | Supported |
|---|---|
| Phones and tablets | iPhone and iPad (iOS 16+), Android 9+, Samsung mobile |
| Streaming players | Roku (firmware 11.0.0 b1+), Fire TV 6+, Apple TV (tvOS 16+), Android TV and Google TV 7.1+ |
| Smart TVs | Samsung 2018 and newer, LG 2020 and newer, Vizio 2020 and newer |
| Consoles | Xbox Series S and X |
| Computers | Any modern browser at NFL.com |
PlayStation is not on the NFL’s list, though you can reach RedZone on PS5 through the YouTube TV or Hulu apps. RedZone streams up to 1080p at 30 or 60 frames per second, with no 4K or HDR feed anywhere.
NFL+ has no DVR and offers no RedZone replay, so recording means a live TV service. YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo and DirecTV all give unlimited or effectively unlimited cloud DVR. Sling caps you at 50 hours unless you pay $5 more for 200.
How to Watch NFL RedZone Outside the United States
NFL Game Pass on DAZN is the main international route and includes RedZone on both the Pro and Ultimate tiers. It sells in more than 250 markets, everywhere except the United States and China.
| Country | Where to find RedZone | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| UK and Ireland | Sky Sports Mix, DAZN Game Pass | Sky airs RedZone Sundays from 6 pm to 1 am. UK Game Pass pricing for 2026/27 is not published yet |
| Germany, Austria, Switzerland | Sky Sport NFL, DAZN Game Pass | Sky’s new NFL channel launches with the season in September 2026 and airs RedZone Sundays from 7 pm CET, price still unannounced. Game Pass is €199.99 Pro, €229.99 Ultimate |
| France | DAZN Game Pass | €219.99 Pro, €249.99 Ultimate for the season |
| Canada | DAZN Canada | RedZone sits on the Ultimate tier, about CA$29.99 a month on an annual plan. The Pro tier does not include it |
| Australia and New Zealand | ESPN on Disney+, DAZN Game Pass | Disney+ is the named home of RedZone in both countries. Free games on Seven and 7plus in Australia |
| Mexico and Latin America | ESPN and Disney+ Premium, DAZN Game Pass | RedZone airs Sundays from 11:00 CT in Mexico |
| Brazil | Globoplay, ESPN on Disney+, DAZN | R$479.90 Pro, R$549.90 Ultimate |
| Japan and everywhere else | DAZN Game Pass | Japanese pricing for 2026/27 is not published yet |
If you already subscribe to Game Pass and travel, DAZN’s global portability keeps your access working abroad, again excluding the United States and China. UK and Ireland viewers should note that Sky’s two Sunday evening picks are blacked out on Game Pass and appear on demand a day later. Buying Game Pass through a VPN from another country breaks DAZN’s terms and gets blocked, so treat it as unreliable rather than a workaround.
NFL RedZone 2026 FAQs
Can I watch NFL RedZone without cable in 2026?
Yes. NFL+ Premium at $14.99 a month is the cheapest option and needs no TV subscription. RedZone also comes through Sling Select, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, DirecTV and the ESPN or Disney+ bundles that include NFL+ Premium.
What is the cheapest way to get NFL RedZone?
NFL+ Premium on the annual plan. It is $99.99 for the season, and a 20 percent discount running through September 21, 2026 drops it to $79.99, about $6.67 a month. If you want live TV channels too, Sling Select from $19.99 plus the Sports Extra pack at $11 is the cheapest package at about $30.99.
Is there a free trial for NFL RedZone?
No service offers a free trial of the RedZone add-on itself. You can trial the base plan instead: YouTube TV gives 21 days, DirecTV and Fubo 5 days each, and Hulu + Live TV 3 days. NFL+ Premium and Sling TV have no trial, and Sling day passes do not include RedZone.
What time does NFL RedZone start and when does the 2026 season begin?
RedZone starts at 1:00 pm ET every regular season Sunday and runs about seven hours, through the end of the late afternoon games. The first RedZone Sunday of 2026 is September 13 and the last is January 10, 2027.
Is NFL RedZone still commercial free?
No. Split screen ads were tested in December 2024 and became standard in 2025, with a 15 second spot running alongside live football rather than replacing it. The NFL said there would be no full screen breaks, and nothing has changed that for 2026. Scott Hanson’s open is now “seven hours of RedZone football starts now.”
Why is NFL RedZone missing from Xfinity?
Comcast dropped NFL Network and NFL RedZone on April 30, 2026 after its carriage deal with ESPN expired. There was still no agreement in early August 2026. Xfinity TV customers cannot buy RedZone at any price until it is resolved, so a streaming service is the only route.
Does NFL Sunday Ticket include NFL RedZone?
No. Sunday Ticket on YouTube costs $240 a year for new subscribers and shows full out of market games, but RedZone costs extra. Choose the NFL Sunday Ticket with NFL RedZone bundle at checkout, which Google says is cheaper than adding Sports Plus at $10.99 a month separately.
Does NFL RedZone show playoff or primetime games?
No. RedZone runs only on regular season Sunday afternoons and covers only the CBS and FOX windows. It skips Thursday, Sunday and Monday night games, the 9:30 am ET international games, Thanksgiving, Christmas, the playoffs and Super Bowl LXI. The one exception this year is the Rio game on September 27, which kicks off at 4:25 pm ET.
The Bottom Line
NFL RedZone 2026 costs less than ever, as long as you skip cable. NFL+ Premium at $14.99 a month, or $79.99 for the whole season while the discount lasts, delivers the same feed as a $100 live TV package. If you want live channels alongside it, Sling Select plus the Blue side Sports Extra runs about $30.99, and YouTube TV’s 21 day trial lets you test the whole thing before Week 1. Skip the Sling day passes and Sling Essentials, because neither carries RedZone. Xfinity customers should plan on streaming, since RedZone has been off that lineup since April. Coverage starts Sunday, September 13.
