If you’re wondering how to watch Thursday Night Football, the answer for most fans is Prime Video. Amazon streams TNF in the US, and an Amazon Prime membership was around $14.99 a month or $139 a year at the time of writing, with a 30-day free trial for new members. If you live in one of the two teams’ home markets, the game also airs on a local broadcast station, so you can watch it free with an antenna.
This guide walks through the 2026 schedule highlights, the free local option, and how to get Prime Video working on your TV before kickoff.
The 2026 Thursday Night Football schedule at a glance
Amazon’s 2026 package covers Thursday games from Week 2 through Week 17, plus a few special dates. Kickoff is at 8:15 p.m. ET, with pregame coverage from 7 p.m. ET.
| Date | Game | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Thu., Sept. 17 | Lions at Bills | First TNF game of the season (Week 2) |
| Fri., Nov. 27 | Broncos at Steelers | Black Friday game on Prime Video |
| Thu., Dec. 24 | Texans at Eagles | Christmas Eve game |
| Thu., Dec. 31 | Ravens at Bengals | New Year’s Eve game (Week 17) |
| Jan. 16 or 17, 2027 | Wild Card game (TBD) | One playoff game on Prime Video |
The Week 1 season opener is not a Prime Video game, and Sunday, Monday and Christmas Day games air elsewhere. Our complete NFL 2026 where-to-watch guide covers every network and app.
Option 1: Watch with Amazon Prime
Thursday Night Football is part of Prime Video, which comes with an Amazon Prime membership. You do not pay extra per game. Amazon has also sold Prime Video as a separate monthly plan without the shopping benefits; if you go that way, confirm on Amazon’s site that live NFL games are included before relying on it.
Amazon offers reduced-price Prime memberships for eligible young adults and for people who receive qualifying government assistance, at the time of writing roughly half the regular price. That can make TNF much cheaper if you qualify.
How to set it up on your TV
- Sign up for Prime or start the free trial on Amazon.com.
- Install the Prime Video app on your device. It is available on Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, Google TV, PlayStation, Xbox and most smart TVs.
- Open the app and sign in, or use the on-screen code to register the device at amazon.com/mytv.
- Search for “Thursday Night Football” or open the Sports section about 30 minutes before kickoff.
- Choose the English or Spanish broadcast; Amazon has offered Spanish-language coverage on Prime Video.
Prime Video also streams games on the web and in the mobile app, and Amazon lists Twitch among the places TNF streams. Access rules for those extras can change, so check them before game night.
Option 2: Watch for free on local TV in team markets
Under the NFL’s rules, Thursday games also air on an over-the-air station in each team’s home market. If you live in Buffalo or Detroit for the opener, for example, a local station carries the game, and anyone with an antenna can watch without Prime.
If you are in or near a home market, check your local listings during the week to find the station. Our guide to watching local channels without cable explains how to pick up those stations with an antenna.
Outside the two home markets, there is no free over-the-air TNF broadcast. A free Prime trial covers a few weeks, but it becomes a paid membership unless you cancel.
Make sure the stream holds up on Thursday night
TNF is one of the most-watched live streams each week, so your home setup matters. A few practical tips:
- Use a recent device. Older smart TVs often run the Prime Video app slowly. A current streaming stick is a cheap fix; see our best streaming device guide.
- Prefer a wired connection. Ethernet beats Wi-Fi for live sports. If you must use Wi-Fi, keep the router close.
- Aim for 15 to 25 Mbps per stream for HD. 4K or HDR streams need more.
- Restart before kickoff. Close and reopen the app, and update it if prompted.
If the picture stutters or falls behind live, our explainer on why live streams buffer walks through the usual causes and fixes.
What about cable-free channel bundles?
Live TV streaming services such as YouTube TV, Sling or Hulu + Live TV do not carry Thursday Night Football outside of the local market broadcast, because the national rights belong to Prime Video. You will still need Prime for most TNF games even if you have one of those services.
Many households pair Prime with a broader channel lineup for everything else. Our own IPTV Journal plan is 12 months for $89. Stick with licensed sources for the games themselves; unofficial TNF streams are unlicensed and frequently cut out mid-drive.
The simplest way to watch TNF this season
If you already have Amazon Prime, you are set: open the Prime Video app on Thursday night. If you don’t, decide how many games you care about. A Prime trial plus a month or two of paid membership around the big holiday games may be enough. If you live in a team’s home market, check the local station first, because that game is free over the air.
FAQ
Do I need Amazon Prime to watch Thursday Night Football?
For most viewers, yes. TNF streams on Prime Video, which is included with Prime. The exception is the two teams’ home markets, where the game also airs on a local broadcast station you can watch free with an antenna.
Is Thursday Night Football on regular TV?
Only in the home markets of the two teams playing, where a local over-the-air station carries it. Everywhere else in the US, the game is on Prime Video.
Can I watch Thursday Night Football on YouTube TV or Sling?
Not nationally. Those services carry your local stations, so they show TNF only if your local station is carrying that week’s game as a home-market broadcast. Otherwise you need Prime Video.
What time does Thursday Night Football start?
For the 2026 season, Amazon lists kickoff at 8:15 p.m. ET, with pregame coverage starting at 7 p.m. ET. Special dates like Black Friday may have different start times, so check the listing that week.
Is the Black Friday game on Prime Video?
Yes. In 2026 the Black Friday game, Broncos at Steelers on November 27, is on Prime Video, with the usual local broadcast in each team’s home market.
Part of our guides: USA streaming guide · NFL streaming guide
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