How To Watch the Buffalo Bills in 2026 Without Cable

Sixteen of the 17 Buffalo Bills games this season have a network assigned, and 12 of those are on CBS, FOX, or NBC. The other four sit behind paid streaming — two Monday night games on ESPN, a Thursday night game on Prime Video, and the Christmas game on Netflix. If you’re watching from outside western New York, you’ll also need NFL Sunday Ticket. This guide covers both — and what each one costs.

The Bills open 2026 under a new head coach for the first time in a decade. Buffalo went 12–5, beat Jacksonville in the Wild Card round, then lost 33–30 in overtime at Denver in the Divisional round, and Sean McDermott departed after nine seasons. Joe Brady steps up from offensive coordinator to take over, with Josh Allen still under center.

What channels do you need to watch the Buffalo Bills?

Every scheduled Buffalo Bills regular season game in 2026 airs on CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, Prime Video, or Netflix — eight games on CBS, two on FOX, and two on NBC. The four premium games are Week 5 at the Rams and Week 9 at Minnesota on ESPN, Week 2 against Detroit on Prime Video, and Week 16 at Denver on Netflix. Week 18 against the Jets has not been assigned a network yet.

Two games land on holidays. Buffalo hosts Kansas City on Thanksgiving night on NBC, which is free to air, and plays at Denver on Christmas Day on Netflix, which no live TV package will get you.

Here’s the full schedule with the channel for each game.

Game (All times Eastern)	Opponent	Channel
Preseason Week 1: Aug. 15 at 1:00 p.m.	Carolina Panthers	WIVB (CBS Buffalo)
Preseason Week 2: Aug. 22 at 1:00 p.m.	@ Cleveland Browns	WIVB / NFL Network
Preseason Week 3: Aug. 27 at 7:00 p.m.	Pittsburgh Steelers	WIVB / NFL Network
Week 1, Game 1: Sep. 13 at 1:00 p.m.	@ Houston Texans	CBS
Week 2, Game 2: Sep. 17 at 8:15 p.m.	Detroit Lions	Prime Video
Week 3, Game 3: Sep. 27 at 1:00 p.m.	Los Angeles Chargers	FOX
Week 4, Game 4: Oct. 4 at 1:00 p.m.	New England Patriots	CBS
Week 5, Game 5: Oct. 12 at 8:15 p.m.	@ Los Angeles Rams	ESPN
Week 6, Game 6: Oct. 18 at 4:25 p.m.	@ Las Vegas Raiders	CBS
Week 7: BYE WEEK	—	—
Week 8, Game 7: Nov. 1 at 1:00 p.m.	Baltimore Ravens	CBS
Week 9, Game 8: Nov. 9 at 8:15 p.m.	@ Minnesota Vikings	ESPN
Week 10, Game 9: Nov. 15 at 1:00 p.m.	@ New York Jets	CBS
Week 11, Game 10: Nov. 22 at 1:00 p.m.	Miami Dolphins	FOX
Week 12, Game 11: Nov. 26 at 8:20 p.m. (Thanksgiving)	Kansas City Chiefs	NBC
Week 13, Game 12: Dec. 6 at 4:25 p.m.	@ New England Patriots	CBS
Week 14, Game 13: Dec. 13 at 8:20 p.m.	@ Green Bay Packers	NBC
Week 15, Game 14: Dec. 19 at 8:20 p.m. (Saturday)	Chicago Bears	CBS
Week 16, Game 15: Dec. 25 at 4:30 p.m. (Christmas)	@ Denver Broncos	Netflix
Week 17, Game 16: Jan. 3 at 1:00 p.m.	@ Miami Dolphins	CBS
Week 18, Game 17: Date TBD	New York Jets	TBD

What it costs to watch every Buffalo Bills game

The Bills play four “premium” games this season — two on ESPN, one on Prime Video, and one on Netflix — and covering all four costs $147.88 for the season, or $49.96 if you subscribe and cancel around each game. Every other scheduled game is on CBS, FOX, or NBC.

Premium games are the ones whose broadcast rights have been bought by streaming platforms: Monday and Thursday night matchups, international games, and holiday matchups.

Where you’re watching	What you need	Cost for the 2026-2027 season
In the Buffalo market, with cable or live TV already	ESPN Select, Prime Video, and Netflix for the four premium games — your existing service carries CBS, FOX, and NBC	$147.88 (or $49.96 subscribing and cancelling around each game)
In the Buffalo market, starting from scratch	A live TV streaming service carrying local CBS, FOX, and NBC (Fubo, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, or DIRECTV Stream), plus ESPN Select, Prime Video, and Netflix	$419–$508 for the season, depending on service
Outside the Buffalo market	NFL Sunday Ticket via YouTube TV, plus ESPN Select, Prime Video, and Netflix	$757.83 for new subscribers $940.83 for returning subscribers

Sunday afternoon games are assigned by region, so CBS and FOX show different matchups depending on where you live. If you’re outside western New York, your local channels will usually be carrying another team, which is why out-of-market fans need Sunday Ticket to get every Bills game.

Watching out-of-market games

The NFL makes it challenging to watch your favorite team if you don't live close to its home market. If you're a Buffalo Bills fan outside western New York, here are two ways to watch out-of-market games:

How to stream Buffalo Bills games

Watching the Buffalo Bills with YouTube TV

Watching the Buffalo Bills with Hulu

Watching the Buffalo Bills with Fubo

Watching the Buffalo Bills with DIRECTV Stream

Bottom line

If you’re in the Buffalo market, most of the season costs you nothing beyond the TV service you already have — 12 of the 16 scheduled games are on CBS, FOX, or NBC, including the Thanksgiving night game. The four exceptions are Weeks 5 and 9 on ESPN, Week 2 on Prime Video, and the Christmas game on Netflix.

Outside western New York, your local CBS and FOX affiliates will be carrying other teams most Sundays, so NFL Sunday Ticket through YouTube TV is the only way to get every game.

Week 18 against the Jets still doesn’t have a network assigned, and the NFL can move games into prime time late in the season, so it’s worth checking back.

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