There are a ton of ways to watch the NFL this season.
Traditional Sunday games will air on FOX and CBS (and will be available on FOX One and Paramount+ Premium), while most Thursday Night Football matches will be streaming on Prime Video. Sunday Night Football once again belongs to NBC and Peacock, while Monday night matchups will air on ESPN (and often ABC).
A handful of games will also air on Netflix (including the first Thursday night matchup of the season) and NFL Network.
You can also stream live local and primetime games on your phone and tablet via NFL+, and we can’t forget about RedZone and NFL Sunday Ticket.
There’s no shortage of streaming options, but when exactly does the NFL’s 2026 regular season start? Is Monday Night Football on tonight? Here’s everything you need to know.
Is Monday Night Football on Tonight (August 31)?
Nope. The preseason has concluded, so, sadly, there’s no NFL MNF game on tonight. The regular season begins on Wednesday, September 9, when the Seattle Seahawks host the New England Patriots at 8:20 on NBC and Peacock.
When Does Monday Night Football Return?
The first regular season MNF matchup takes place on September 14 when the Kansas City Chiefs host the Denver Broncos. All the fun begins at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN, ABC, and NFL+.
Monday Night Football 2026 Schedule:
Monday Night Football will air on ESPN and ABC throughout the 26-27 regular season. You’ll also be able to stream live MNF games from your phone or tablet with a subscription to NFL+.
- Week 1 (September 14): Denver Broncos @ Kansas City Chiefs (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC)
- Week 2 (September 21): New York Giants @ Los Angeles Rams (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC)
- Week 3 (September 28): Philadelphia Eagles @ Chicago Bears (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC)
- Week 4 (October 5): Atlanta Falcons @ New Orleans Saints (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN)
- Week 5 (October 12): Buffalo Bills @ Los Angeles Rams (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC)
- Week 6 (October 19): Washington Commanders @ San Francisco 49ers (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC)
- Week 7 (October 26): Dallas Cowboys @ Philadelphia Eagles (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC)
- Week 8 (November 2): Chicago Bears @ Seattle Seahawks (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC)
- Week 9 (November 9): Buffalo Bills @ Minnesota Vikings (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC)
- Week 10 (November 16): Los Angeles Chargers @ Baltimore Ravens (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC)
- Week 11 (November 23): Cincinnati Bengals @ Washington Commanders (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN)
- Week 12 (November 30): Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN)
- Week 13 (December 7): Dallas Cowboys @ Seattle Seahawks (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC)
- Week 14 (December 14): Pittsburgh Steelers @ Jacksonville Jaguars (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC)
- Week 15 (December 21): New England Patriots @ Kansas City Chiefs (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC)
- Week 16 (December 28): New York Giants @ Detroit Lions (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN)
- Week 17 (January 4): Houston Texans @ Green Bay Packers (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN)
Where To Watch MNF Online:
If you have a valid cable login, you can watch MNF live on ESPN, ABC, the ESPN website/app, or ABC.com.
The only way to watch shows airing live without cable is by using a live TV streaming service. Our favorite is DIRECTV, which comes with a five-day free trial before payment begins.
DIRECTV offers a number of flexible subscription options, including Genre Packs, so you can best choose which streaming plans fit your needs and budget. Packs start at $19.99/month.
You can also stream Monday Night Football live with an active subscription to Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, NFL+, or Sling TV. Fubo, YouTube TV, and Hulu + Live TV all offer free trials for new subscribers.
MNF returns on September 14 when the Kansas City Chiefs host the Denver Broncos.