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Sling
A low-cost cable replacement for streamers
ESPN needs no introduction. Since its first broadcast back in 1979, it has been the number one destination for all things sports-related—broadcasts, recaps, announcements, drafts, and more.
For decades, ESPN was a cable network exclusive, and fans relied on their TVs to get their fix on their favorite teams. Today, that’s you can get it just about anywhere.
The 2026 season on ESPN: Monday Night Football has 17 games on ESPN from Sept. 14 through Jan. 4 (10 of them also on ABC), plus a Week 18 Saturday doubleheader on Jan. 9 and Super Bowl LXI on Feb. 14, 2027. On college football Saturdays, ESPN carries SEC, ACC and Big 12 games, such as Auburn at Georgia on Oct. 17 at 3:30 p.m. ET. For hockey, ESPN opened the 2026-27 NHL season on Sept. 29 and splits the national schedule with TNT. Thursday Night Football is not on ESPN; it streams on Prime Video. To watch ESPN without cable, use Hulu Live TV, Sling, Fubo, YouTube TV or DirecTV Stream.
There are many ways to watch ESPN without cable, including Sling, ESPN Unlimited, YouTube TV, Fubo, DirecTV Stream, or Hulu Live TV.
If, for whatever reason, watching ESPN on Sling doesn't work for you, we've also rounded up 5 more options — and we even divided them up into the best picks for people who also watch lots of sports, news, reality TV, and more. Let's get into the best options for everyone.
ESPN-only pick: Stream ESPN on ESPN Unlimited
If ESPN is the only channel you need, ESPN Unlimited lets you stream it without paying for a full live TV package. It's the ESPN-only option: you get ESPN live, but not the wider cable lineup a live TV service includes.
ESPN Unlimited streams ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, SEC Network, ACC Network and ESPN Deportes live, straight from ESPN, with no live TV bundle attached. The trade-off: there are no other cable channels, so it suits viewers who mainly want ESPN.
Watch ESPN with ESPN Unlimited
ESPN Unlimited
- ESPN, ESPN2 and all ESPN networks live
- 47,000+ live events a year
- Stream on three screens
$31.99/month
ESPN Unlimited + FOX One
- ESPN Unlimited and FOX One in one plan
- FOX, FS1, FS2, Big Ten Network and FOX News
$39.99/month
Devices supported by ESPN Unlimited include: web-browsers, ios, android, chromecast, android-tv, apple-tv, amazon-fire-tv, and samsung-tv.
Read our ESPN Unlimited review.
Cheapest pick: Stream ESPN on Sling
If you're looking for the cheapest way to stream ESPN, Sling is our team's pick. Of all the services that carry ESPN, Sling has the lowest monthly price, and the Flixed team also rates it the best way for most people to watch what's live on ESPN.
Here's why:
- Sling is available at the lowest monthly price point: $19.99.
- Big families (or roommates or friends) can watch Sling without stress, as they offer up to 4 simultaneous streams.
- Sling is available in every region of the United States. (Viewers outside the US can try to access Sling with a VPN, like ExpressVPN — or one of our other top VPNs.)
Sling Essentials is the cheapest way to watch ESPN and ESPN2 live without cable. It's a slim package of 12 channels, with no ESPNU, SEC Network or ACC Network, and it streams on one screen at a time.
Watch ESPN with Sling
Sling Essentials
- 12 channels, including ESPN and ESPN2
- 50 hours of cloud DVR
- Stream on one device
$19.99/month
Sling Orange
New Essentials plan starts at $19.99/month
- 30+ channels
- ESPN
- Stream on one device
$45.99/month
Sling Orange & Blue
New Essentials plan starts at $19.99/month
- General cable replacement
- 45+ channels
- Stream on four screens
$60.99/month
Our Sling review also includes more about why our team loves Sling.
Sports fan pick: Stream ESPN on Fubo
Most sports fans already know and love Fubo. If you're trying to watch ESPN without cable and you also watch a lot of sports, Fubo is probably the best pick for you.
With its focus on sports content, fuboTV is a haven for any sports lovers out there. Along with ESPN, the service offers almost every league, including NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and more. With unlimited cloud DVR and multiple simultaneous streams available, you’ll never miss a game. Fubo Pro offers 216+ channels to choose from, so you’ll have access to more than just sports as well.
See Fubo plans, channels and devices
Watch ESPN with Fubo
Other channels on Fubo include: Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, TV Land, BET, Bravo, Comedy Central, Discovery Family Channel, ESPNU, Freeform, FX, INSP, Science, MTV2: Music Television, Animal Planet, BBC America, beIN Sports, CMT, Disney Junior, Discovery Life Channel, Discovery Channel, Disney Channel, and more.
Devices supported by Fubo include: android, ios, chromecast, web-browsers, amazon-fire-tv, android-tv, vizio, and samsung-tv.
Some sports might be live on Fubo right now.
Fubo isn't only great for sports fans, though. Our team took Fubo for a test drive and put all of our thoughts together in our Fubo review.
Plus, we've compiled a list of the best overall streaming services for sports fans.
News fan pick: Stream ESPN on YouTube TV
If you're someone who watches a lot of news, you probably want to subscribe to a streamer with access to the most popular news channels. No reason to subscribe to a different streaming service just to get access to ESPN. Our top pick for most news fans to get access to ESPN is YouTube TV. Plenty of news shows are airing live now on YouTube TV.
With its focus on sports and news channels, Youtube TV is a great choice for people looking to stay up to date with all the latest news. The service offers network channels like ABC News, FOX News, NBC News, BBC World News, CNBC, CNN, Cheddar News, MS NOW, and more.
See YouTube TV plans, channels and devices
Watch ESPN with YouTube TV
YouTube TV
$59.99/mo for the first 2 months (new users, ends Nov 16, 2026)
- Unlimited DVR space
- 6 accounts for one price
- Stream on three screens
- 100+ live TV channels
$82.99/month
Other channels on YouTube TV include: Cable News Network, HLN, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, Turner Classic Movies, TV Land, AMC, BET, Bravo, Comedy Central, E! Entertainment Television, ESPNU, Freeform, FX, MTV2: Music Television, Animal Planet, BBC America, beIN Sports, CMT, CNBC, Disney Junior, and more.
Devices supported by YouTube TV include: chromecast, web-browsers, android, ios, android-tv, apple-tv, amazon-fire-tv, and samsung-tv.
We've written even more about why we like YouTube TV, but another great option for streaming local news is an OTA antenna. News fans often use antennas for streaming live TV like news shows for free, without cable.
Movie fan pick: Stream ESPN on Hulu Live TV
You're probably not after ESPN for on-demand movies, but we all know movies are one of streaming's greatest advantages. If you love a good flick as much as our team, you should subscribe to Hulu Live TV to watch ESPN. Some movies might even be live on Hulu Live TV right now.
With the addition of its sprawling on-demand content, Hulu + Live TV is a perfect choice for movie lovers who are looking for a variety of films to choose from, both on live tv and on-demand. Couple that with the Disney+ on-demand library as well, and you have all of the film selection you could need.
See Hulu Live TV plans, channels and devices
Watch ESPN with Hulu Live TV
Hulu Live TV only
- 95+ live channels
- Stream on two screens
$98.99/month
Hulu Live TV (with ads)
Disney+ and ESPN Select included
- Stream on two screens
- ESPN Select and Disney+ included
- On demand content
- 95+ live channels
$99.99/month
Hulu Live TV (no ads)
Disney+ and ESPN Select included
- Stream on two screens
- ESPN Select and Disney+ included
- On demand content
- 95+ live channels
$109.99/month
Other channels on Hulu Live TV include: Cable News Network, HLN, Turner Classic Movies, TV Land, A&E, BET, Bravo, Comedy Central, Discovery Family Channel, E! Entertainment Television, ESPNU, Freeform, FX, Science, FYI, MTV2: Music Television, Animal Planet, CMT, CNBC, Disney Junior, and more.
Devices supported by Hulu Live TV include: chromecast, web-browsers, ios, android, android-tv, apple-tv, amazon-fire-tv, and lg-tv.
Read our Hulu Live TV review.
All the streaming services where ESPN is or isn't available
The choices for watching ESPN aren't limited to our top picks. Here's where you can and can't watch ESPN without cable.
Yes, ESPN is included in your Sling subscription. In fact, that's why Sling is our cheapest pick for watching ESPN without cable.
Read our full review of Sling.
Yes, ESPN is included in your Fubo subscription.
Read our full review of Fubo.
Yes, ESPN is included in your YouTube TV subscription.
Read our full review of YouTube TV.
No, ESPN isn't included in your Philo subscription. That's why we recommend trying Sling.
Yes, ESPN is included in your DirecTV Stream subscription.
Read our full review of DirecTV Stream.
Yes, ESPN is included in your Hulu Live TV subscription.
Read our full review of Hulu Live TV.
Yes, ESPN is included in your ESPN Unlimited subscription.
Read our full review of ESPN Unlimited.
Watching ESPN on top devices
No matter what device you have at home, it's probably possible to watch ESPN on it — yes, even without cable. Read on to learn which streamers support both your device and ESPN live streams.
How to watch ESPN on Roku devices
It's definitely possible to watch ESPN on your Roku device, be it a streaming stick or actual Roku TV. Subscribe to Sling, ESPN Unlimited, YouTube TV, Fubo, DirecTV Stream, or Hulu Live TV to get ESPN on Roku.
How to watch ESPN on an Android smart TV
Have a Samsung smart TV or another type of Android TV? These are some of the easiest to use to get ESPN access without cable. Just subscribe to Sling, ESPN Unlimited, YouTube TV, Fubo, DirecTV Stream, or Hulu Live TV to get ESPN on your Android smart TV.
How to watch ESPN on an Amazon Fire TV
Whether you have a Fire TV Stick or a Cube or another device, you can get access to ESPN. Ask Alexa to sign you up for Sling, ESPN Unlimited, YouTube TV, Fubo, DirecTV Stream, or Hulu Live TV to get ESPN on Amazon devices.
How to stream ESPN on iOS
Have an iPhone? An iPad? Not every app is available on Apple's App Store, but depending on the streaming service you have, you can watch ESPN on an iOS device with ease. Subscribe to Sling, ESPN Unlimited, YouTube TV, Fubo, DirecTV Stream, or Hulu Live TV to get ESPN on your iOS device.
How to watch ESPN on Android phones
You can watch ESPN on your Pixel or Samsung or Nokia or whatever type of Android you have! Just subscribe to Sling, ESPN Unlimited, YouTube TV, Fubo, DirecTV Stream, or Hulu Live TV to get ESPN on Android phones.
The bottom line: you have 6 great options for watching ESPN without cable
We found 6 great options for watching ESPN without cable, including ESPN Unlimited and YouTube TV. Our cheapest pick is Sling.
Davan Hamilton • Editor
Davan Hamilton is an editor and writer based in Jacksonville, FL. Holding a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, her writing spans a wide range, from essays on film criticism and analysis to surreal poetry. Now, she works for Flixed as an editor, continuing to ignore the list of passion projects she’s accumulated. When she’s not glued to her computer, you can find her building endless amounts of Lego sets, binge-reading manga, or playing with (fighting) her cat.
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Flixed Team – November 9, 2026
