How to use a VPN to Watch NFL Games Live in 2022

If you’re a big NFL fan, you may be wondering how you can watch this season’s top NFL games without cable. There are a lot of options, but one of the most affordable ways is to use a VPN to watch NFL games live. In this guide from Flixed, we’ll break down the basics and help you understand how you can use a VPN like ExpressVPN to watch the NFL this season without a costly cable bill.

How to use ExpressVPN to watch NFL games live in 2022

Using a VPN to watch NFL games live is actually quite simple. All you need to do is subscribe to ExpressVPN, and then subscribe to the NFL Game Pass International service. Let’s break down the process step-by-step, and discuss all of your options for watching pro football this season.

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1. Get ExpressVPN

If you’re going to use a VPN to watch NFL games live without cable, our recommendation is ExpressVPN. They have a huge number of servers in 94+ countries, offer great VPN performance, and are dedicated to privacy and security. ExpressVPN also has low prices, so you can save some cash while you catch all the NFL action this season. 

Click here to sign up and try it out. Thanks to their 30-day risk free trial, you can cancel within 30 days for free if you decide the service isn’t right for you. Once you sign up, download the ExpressVPN app, and follow the instructions to set it up and sign in on your computer.

2. Connect to a server located outside the US, Canada, and the UK

Once you’ve downloaded ExpressVPN and installed it onto your computer, load up the program. Then, select a server to connect to. You must connect to a server located outside of the US, Canada, and the United Kingdom (UK) to continue. However, you’ll want to choose a server that’s still relatively close to your physical location to ensure the best performance, so we recommend servers located in South America.

3. Sign up for NFL Game Pass International

Next, head to the NFL Game Pass website. If you’re successfully connected to a VPN server outside of the United States, you’ll see the NFL Game Pass International homepage. This is a service that lets people outside of the United States subscribe and watch every NFL game live without cable.

NFL Game Pass International has a seven-day free trial. Then, after that, pricing depends on the location you’ve put into your VPN. Usually, you’ll pay less than $100 for the entire NFL season, which is an amazing deal. We recommend using a VPN server in Bolivia, as this region tends to have the lowest overall prices.

If you’re signing up from the US, it’s typically the easiest to pay with PayPal, since this lets you pay with US dollars and automatically convert it into the local currency of the country where your VPN is connected. Note that you will need to provide a local city and postal code when you sign up, so you may need to do a bit of homework to find a valid address in the country you’ve chosen.

4. Use ExpressVPN to watch NFL games live all season long

Once you’ve signed up for NFL Game Pass International, you’ll be good to go. When it’s time to catch the game on Sunday, Monday night, or Thursday night, just boot up ExpressVPN, and connect to a server in the same location where you signed up for NFL Game Pass International. 

Then, visit the NFL Game Pass website, sign in with your credentials, and enjoy. You’ll be able to watch every single NFL game live without cable this season, and catch the best pro football action. You won’t have to worry about blackout restrictions or any other such problems. With ExpressVPN and NFL Game Pass International, you’ll have the best tickets in the house – for the best possible price.

Your other options for NFL live streams in the US in 2022

If you don’t want to use a VPN to watch NFL games live in 2022, that’s not your only option. There are lots of ways you can catch all the action this season without paying for a pricey cable subscription. Here are a few of our top recommendations:

Watch NFL games live on Sling TV

Sling TV is a pretty good choice if you want to watch NFL games live on Sling TV. You’ll be able to watch all of this season’s NFL games that air on Fox and NBC in select areas with Sling Blue as well as every game on ESPN via the Sling Orange plan. You can combine Sling Orange + Blue to get all of these channels. It’s missing CBS, though, which means you’ll miss a few NFL games this season. You can learn more about Sling TV’s channels here.

With Sling TV Blue, you get three streams, but you only get one with Sling Orange. Both services come with a 50-hour DVR, so you can record NFL games for later if you can’t watch them live. Click here to sign up and see if Sling TV is right for you, or check out our full Sling TV review for more information.

Watch NFL games live on fuboTV

fuboTV is also a pretty solid option for watching NFL games live without cable. With the base fuboTV package, you’ll get ESPN, Fox,  CBS, and NBC in most areas. That means you’ll be able to watch most of this season’s NFL games. Learn more about fuboTV’s channels here.

fuboTV comes with ten simultaneous streams and a 1000-hour cloud DVR, too, and supports just about every modern streaming device. Click here to try it for yourself, or check out our full fuboTV review for more information.

Watch NFL games live on Hulu + Live TV

Hulu + Live TV is another option for watching the NFL live without cable this season. You’ll get ESPN, CBS, Fox, and NBC, which means you’ll be covered for most of the top football games. Take a look at our article about Hulu + Live TV’s channels for a full list of included channels.

You can watch Hulu + Live TV on most streaming devices, and it also comes with an unlimited 9-month DVR, two simultaneous streams, and full access to the Hulu on-demand library. Click here to try it out. Need more info? Our Hulu + Live TV review has you covered.

Watch NFL games live on DirecTV Stream

DirecTV Stream is another great choice for watching the NFL. With its cheapest “Entertainment” package, you’ll get ESPN, NBC, Fox, and CBS, so you can watch most of the season’s top games. Check out our guide to DirecTV Stream’s channels for more info.

DirecTV Stream lets you watch on up to 20 devices at once, and supports most major streaming platforms. You can also record unlimited content for up to 9 months, after which your oldest recordings will be deleted. Click here to sign up and try it out, or check out our full DirecTV Stream review.

Watch NFL games live on Vidgo

Vidgo is a decent option for watching the NFL. It has ESPN and Fox, but it’s missing CBS and NBC, so you’ll miss out on a decent number of local and national games during the season. Still, it’s not too pricey. Click here to see the full list of Vidgo channels.

As far as features go, Vidgo supports most streaming devices and lets you watch on up to three devices at once. It doesn’t have a DVR, though. Click here to get signed up, or feel free to learn more with our Vidgo review.

Watch NFL games live on YouTube TV

YouTube TV has ESPN, NBC, Fox, and CBS, so you’ll be able to catch every game with its package of channels. Find out more by checking out our YouTube TV channel list here.

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YouTube TV lets you watch on three devices at once, and supports all modern streaming devices and platforms. You can also record unlimited shows and sporting events for up to nine months after they air. Check out our full YouTube TV review for more details, or click here to sign up now.

Watch NFL games live on Peacock

Peacock is a decent option for watching Sunday Night Football and some Thursday Night Football games. However, you’ll need a paid Peacock Premium subscription to watch football. You also will only get Sunday Night Football, and you won’t get games that normally air on NBC during the day. 

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Still, Peacock is a decent option if you don’t want to subscribe to a pricier service, especially since it’s so cheap. Just keep in mind that there will be some serious gaps in NFL coverage. Click here to check it out and see if Peacock is right for you.

Watch NFL games live on Paramount+ 

Paramount+ may be worth subscribing to if your team plays in the AFC, since most of these games are broadcast on CBS. With Paramount+, you’ll get access to a CBS live stream, so you can watch all locally and nationally-televised games that air on CBS each week.

While you’ll miss out on games that air on other networks, Paramount+ may be a good option for you, especially considering its low price. Click here to sign up, try it out for yourself, and see if you like Paramount+.

Watch NFL games live on Amazon Prime Video

If you want to watch Thursday Night Football, you’ll need Amazon Prime Video. It’s the exclusive provider of Thursday Night Football matches this year, and it will air 15 regular season games and one preseason game each year. 

However, there is an exception. If a team from your home area is playing on Thursday Night Football, your local CBS, Fox, or NBC station will air the game normally. For example, if you live in Cincinnati and the Bengals play on Thursday Night Football, you can still watch the game on broadcast TV normally on Thursday.

Watch NFL games live on NFL+ 

NFL+ is the NFL’s new mobile app and streaming service. It’s very affordable, at just $5/month. With NFL+, you can watch every local game, as well as every national game that airs on Thursday Night Football, Sunday Night Football, and Monday Night Football, all on your smartphone or tablet.

You can also get live audio of every game, not just nationally televised games. And if you pay for the $10/month membership tier, you can get replays of every game. The only catch is that you can only follow one team with NFL+, and it only works on smartphones and tablets. It will not work on any other devices.

Watch NFL football games for free with an OTA antenna

If you don’t want to pay for cable, you can also watch locally-broadcast NFL games on ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC with an over-the-air (OTA) antenna. All you need to do is buy an antenna, attach it to your TV, and scan for channels.

Once you pick up your local broadcast stations, you can watch NFL football games for free all-season-long. This includes Sunday afternoon games that are broadcast on CBS, Fox, and NBC, as well as Sunday Night Football on NBC. You’ll only be missing out on Monday Night Football on ESPN, and Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime Video. 

For more information about how to purchase and set up an OTA antenna and watch the NFL for free without cable, check out this related article from Flixed:

• How to Cut the Cord Part 7 – Getting Local TV Channels with an Antenna 

Eric Liston

Eric Liston is a content writer based in Columbus, Ohio. Since 2015, he’s been writing about technology, cord-cutting, and helping everyday people save money. He also has expertise writing about medicine, dentistry, insurance, and a variety of other industries. No matter what he’s writing, his focus is always on simplifying complex concepts and making them approachable for everyone. When he’s not slamming away on his keyboard at his home office, you’ll find Eric reading sci-fi novels, improving his disc golf game (he just hit his first 400-foot drive) and playing video games on his gaming PC.

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