The NFL preseason is an excellent chance for fans to see their team’s stars of tomorrow, and to get at least a vague sense of what their squad will look like in the coming year. The 2023 NFL preseason gets underway Thursday, Aug. 3 with the Hall of Fame game, and league-wide action begins on Aug. 10.
YouTube TV carries ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC in most markets, which means fans will be covered for games shown on a local affiliate of one of those channels. NFL preseason action will also be shown on NFL Network and ESPN, both of which are available with YouTube TV.
The service doesn’t offer the same free trial to all new users, nor does it come with any extra streaming services bundled into the price. It does come with a special introductory offer for new users; for a limited time, new customers of YouTube TV can get their first three months of service for $64.99, instead of $72.99.
If you wanted a free trial before committing to your new live TV service, or were hoping to get some extra streaming services bundled in with your monthly fees, keep reading! There are plenty of options available for streaming the 2023 NFL preseason.
Best Choices to Stream 2023 NFL Preseason
Top Pick for Watching 2023 NFL Preseason: DIRECTV STREAM
- Five-day free trial
- Biggest selection of top cable and sports channels
- $10 off the first three months for a limited time
Best Pick for Sports Addicts to Watch 2023 NFL Preseason: Fubo
- Seven-day free trial
- Large array of national and regional sports networks
How Cord Cutters Can Stream 2023 NFL Preseason Games
It may feel a little intimidating at first to know which live TV streaming services are carrying the NFL preseason this year but don’t fret! DIRECTV STREAM, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV and Sling TV all carry at least some of the channels needed to watch 2023 NFL preseason games, and they each have their own particular upside. We’ll walk you through each service below.
| DTVSTREAM | Fubo | Hulu | Philo | SlingTV | YouTube | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Free Trial | Free 3-Day Trial | Free Trial | Get 50% OFF | Sign Up | |||
| $79.99 | $94.99 | $76.99 | $28 | $40 | $40 | $72.99 | ||
| ABC | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| CBS | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ | |
| ESPN | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| Fox | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| NBC | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| NFL Network | +$15 | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
Top Choice for Watching 2023 NFL Preseason: DIRECTV STREAM
The Streamable’s Top Pick for watching the 2023 NFL preseason is DIRECTV STREAM. It comes with a five-day free trial for all new customers, plus a limited-time promotional offer of $10 off per month for the first three months a user is subscribed. Plans start at $74.99, but you’ll want to upgrade to the Choice package to watch NFL Network without an add-on.
DIRECTV is currently in the midst of a carriage dispute with Nexstar which is causing many Nexstar-owned affiliates to go dark on the service. But DIRECTV STREAM offers more of the top cable channels than any other live TV service, so we still recommend going with it to watch the NFL preseason, and maybe augmenting your coverage with an over-the-air antenna if necessary.
Best Alternative for Watching 2023 NFL Preseason: Fubo
If you’re craving the return of the NFL and other major sports this fall, Fubo is the pick for you. This service offers a seven-day free trial, after which plans start at $85.98 per month (including regional sports network fees). Fubo offers a wide variety of national and regional sports channels in its base plan, so you’ll be set for the NFL preseason, the end of the MLB season, and the start of the NHL and NBA seasons as well with this service.
Top Pick for Customers Who Love Bundling: Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV offers each channel you’ll need to watch the 2023 NFL preseason. The service starts at $69.99 per month, a price that includes Disney Bundle as well. That means that in addition to dozens of cable news, sports, and entertainment, you’ll get free access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu’s on-demand library as well with this service.
Best Budget Pick: Sling TV
If only Sling TV carried CBS…but it does not. The service also does not offer Fox, ABC and NBC in every market, and those areas that do get all three channels must pay a $5 monthly surcharge on their account. However, if you’re lucky enough that your NFL team plays its preseason games on a Fox, ABC or NBC affiliate available on Sling in your area, now is the time to sign up.
New Sling customers are currently being offered 50% off their first month’s subscription, which means you can start watching the NFL preseason for as little as $20 if the right channels are available in your market!
