The New England Patriots are back for 2026 after an AFC championship season, and watching every game will require more than simply turning on CBS each Sunday. New England has six nationally televised games, two Thursday Night Football appearances and an international game in Munich, along with its usual slate of AFC East matchups. Patriots games will appear across CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN and Prime Video during the 2026 season. Fans outside New England may also need NFL Sunday Ticket for eligible out-of-market Sunday afternoon games.
Here’s how to watch the Patriots throughout the season and where a VPN can fit into your streaming setup.
Your Quick Guide to Watching the Patriots
For most weeks, start with CBS. New England has numerous Sunday afternoon games scheduled there, including matchups against Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, Buffalo, Las Vegas, the Jets and Miami.
Several weeks are different. NBC carries the season opener at Seattle and the Week 12 game against the Chargers. Prime Video has New England’s Thursday night games against Chicago and Minnesota, while ESPN carries the Week 15 Monday night matchup at Kansas City.
The Patriots’ Week 9 game against Green Bay and their international game against Detroit in Munich are scheduled for FOX.
For out-of-market fans, NFL Sunday Ticket carries eligible Sunday afternoon games that aren’t available on your local CBS or FOX station. Nationally televised games are handled separately.
Why We Recommend ExpressVPN for Patriots Fans
If you want a VPN connected while streaming Patriots games, ExpressVPN is our top choice. That’s especially useful for fans who travel during football season and don’t want to rely on an unprotected hotel, airport or public Wi-Fi connection.
ExpressVPN encrypts your connection and offers servers in 113 countries across more than 200 server locations. Its Smart Location feature can also select a server based on factors such as speed, latency and distance, which is convenient when your priority is simply getting a good connection rather than choosing a location manually.
ExpressVPN also works across popular computers, phones and streaming devices, so you aren’t limited to watching New England on one screen. A VPN doesn’t provide a Patriots broadcast or replace a required streaming subscription. You’ll still need legitimate access to the network or service carrying the game.
Affiliate Disclosure: VPNForSports may earn a commission if you purchase through links on this page, at no additional cost to you.
New England Patriots 2026 Schedule and TV Channels
The Patriots don’t even wait until Sunday to start the season. New England opens at Seattle on Wednesday, September 9, in a Super Bowl LX rematch on NBC. It will be the first Wednesday game in Patriots franchise history.
| Week | Date | Opponent | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sept. 9 | at Seattle Seahawks | 8:20 PM | NBC |
| 2 | Sept. 20 | vs. Pittsburgh Steelers | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| 3 | Sept. 27 | at Jacksonville Jaguars | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| 4 | Oct. 4 | at Buffalo Bills | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| 5 | Oct. 11 | vs. Las Vegas Raiders | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| 6 | Oct. 18 | vs. New York Jets | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| 7 | Oct. 22 | at Chicago Bears | 8:15 PM | Prime Video |
| 8 | Nov. 1 | at Miami Dolphins | 4:25 PM | CBS |
| 9 | Nov. 8 | vs. Green Bay Packers | 4:25 PM | FOX |
| 10 | Nov. 15 | at Detroit Lions (Munich) | 9:30 AM | FOX |
| 11 | — | BYE | — | — |
| 12 | Nov. 29 | at Los Angeles Chargers | 8:20 PM | NBC |
| 13 | Dec. 6 | vs. Buffalo Bills | 4:25 PM | CBS |
| 14 | Dec. 10 | vs. Minnesota Vikings | 8:15 PM | Prime Video |
| 15 | Dec. 21 | at Kansas City Chiefs | 8:15 PM | ESPN |
| 16 | Dec. 27 | at New York Jets | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| 17 | TBD | vs. Denver Broncos | TBD | TBD |
| 18 | TBD | vs. Miami Dolphins | TBD | TBD |
Beginning in Week 5, games can be affected by the NFL’s flexible scheduling rules. The dates, times and networks for New England’s final two home games will be determined later in the season.
Two Patriots Games You’ll Need to Plan Around
The Patriots have an unusual start to the season. Instead of waiting for the normal opening Sunday, New England travels to Seattle on Wednesday, September 9 for a rematch of Super Bowl LX. The game starts at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC and will be the first Wednesday game the Patriots have ever played.
Then there’s Munich. New England faces the Detroit Lions in Germany on November 15, with kickoff scheduled for 9:30 a.m. ET on FOX. That means Patriots fans in New England will need to be ready for football before brunch rather than the usual Sunday afternoon kickoff.
New England also has two Thursday Night Football games: at Chicago on October 22 and home against Minnesota on December 10. Both are scheduled for Prime Video.
Watching the Patriots Outside New England
Patriots fans aren’t confined to Boston and New England, which makes the distinction between local and out-of-market broadcasts important. If you’re outside the Patriots’ normal television market, your local CBS station may show another AFC game instead. NFL Sunday Ticket is designed for eligible out-of-market Sunday afternoon games. For example, if the Patriots are playing at 1:00 p.m. on CBS but your local affiliate is carrying a different matchup, Sunday Ticket may be the service you need.
It doesn’t cover every Patriots game. New England’s NBC, ESPN and Prime Video appearances are national broadcasts and are accessed through their respective networks or services. A VPN can complement that setup when you’re traveling or streaming on networks you don’t control. Using ExpressVPN on hotel or public Wi-Fi encrypts the connection between your device and the VPN server, providing additional privacy while you access the streaming services you already subscribe to. A VPN does not replace NFL Sunday Ticket or another required subscription.
How to Watch Patriots Games Without Cable
You can follow New England without a traditional cable package, but the best combination of services depends on where you live. For CBS games, Paramount+ may provide access to your local CBS NFL broadcasts depending on your plan and location. Peacock can be useful for applicable NBC games, while New England’s two Thursday Night Football appearances require Prime Video.
A live TV streaming service that includes CBS, FOX, NBC and ESPN can cover another large portion of the schedule. Fans who live within range of local broadcast stations can also use an over-the-air antenna for locally available CBS, FOX and NBC games.
Why Can’t I Watch the Patriots Game?
If New England is playing but you can’t find the game, start with the reason:
- Another game is on CBS or FOX: Your area may have been assigned another regional matchup. Check NFL Sunday Ticket if the Patriots game is eligible.
- Your streaming service says you’re outside its supported location: If you’re traveling, a VPN may help unblock the service you normally use.
- The game isn’t on your normal network: Check the Patriots schedule. National and streaming-exclusive games may be carried somewhere else.
Not every unavailable Patriots game is a blackout, so identifying the restriction first can save you a lot of troubleshooting.
New England Patriots VPN: Where a VPN Fits
A New England Patriots VPN can be especially useful for fans who travel during football season. In addition to encrypting your internet connection, a VPN can help you securely access the streaming services you already use while you’re away from home, subject to the streaming provider’s terms and location requirements.
That can matter if you’re traveling for work, staying in a hotel or simply away from your normal home network on game day. Instead of changing your entire Patriots viewing setup because you’re on the road, you can connect to your VPN and then sign in to the streaming services you already subscribe to. A VPN is also valuable when you’re using hotel, airport, coffee shop or other public Wi-Fi. It encrypts the traffic between your device and the VPN server, adding a layer of privacy on networks you don’t control.
A VPN doesn’t give you a streaming subscription or guarantee that a particular Patriots game will be available. You’ll still need legitimate access to CBS, FOX, NBC, Prime Video, NFL Sunday Ticket or whichever service is carrying the game.
That’s one of the reasons we recommend ExpressVPN for Patriots fans. It combines strong privacy features with a large server network, broad device support and connections designed to handle demanding activities such as streaming.
Why ExpressVPN Is Our Choice for Patriots Streaming
There are a few things we prioritize when choosing a VPN to leave connected during a football game, and they’re the same reasons ExpressVPN gets our recommendation.
- Connection performance: Live sports and buffering don’t mix. ExpressVPN’s Smart Location feature considers factors including download speed, latency and distance when selecting a connection, rather than requiring you to guess which server to use.
- Server choices: ExpressVPN currently offers servers in 113 countries and more than 200 server locations. It also has numerous U.S. locations, giving users plenty of options when connecting from home or while traveling.
- Multiple devices: You may watch one Patriots game on your television and another on your phone while away from home. ExpressVPN supports a wide range of computers, phones and compatible streaming devices.
- Straightforward apps: A VPN should be something you connect before kickoff and largely forget about. ExpressVPN’s apps make it easy to connect automatically or manually choose another server when needed.
- Everyday privacy: The value isn’t limited to football Sundays. The encrypted connection is also useful when browsing, working or connecting to unfamiliar Wi-Fi networks during the rest of the week.
That’s why ExpressVPN is our preferred VPN for Patriots fans rather than simply recommending a service because it has “VPN” in the name.
Affiliate Disclosure: VPNForSports may earn a commission if you purchase through links on this page, at no additional cost to you.
How to Use a VPN While Watching the Patriots
If you’re new to VPNs, you don’t need to make your Patriots streaming setup complicated.
- Sign up for a VPN service. We recommend ExpressVPN.
- Download the VPN app for the device you plan to use.
- Open the app and connect to an appropriate server. If you’re using ExpressVPN and don’t have a reason to choose manually, its automatic location feature can help select a suitable connection.
- Open the legitimate service carrying that week’s Patriots game.
- Sign in using your existing streaming subscription or TV credentials.
- Start watching New England.
New England Patriots Streaming FAQ
Yes. New England has two Thursday Night Football games scheduled on Prime Video: at Chicago on October 22 and home against Minnesota on December 10.
Yes. A VPN can be particularly useful when you’re away from home and want to access the streaming services you already use. Connect to ExpressVPN first, then open your streaming service and sign in normally.
New England plays the Detroit Lions in Munich on November 15. The game is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. ET on FOX.
NFL Sunday Ticket is the primary option for eligible out-of-market Sunday afternoon games. A VPN can complement your streaming setup when you’re traveling by helping you securely access the services you already use and protecting your connection on unfamiliar networks.
Don’t Miss a Patriots Game in 2026
For most Sunday afternoons, Patriots fans should start with CBS. Out-of-market fans can check NFL Sunday Ticket when New England isn’t being shown locally, while FOX carries select games including the early-morning matchup in Munich.
The national schedule requires a little more planning. NBC has the Wednesday night opener against Seattle and the Sunday night game against the Chargers, Prime Video carries both Thursday night games, and ESPN has New England’s Monday night trip to Kansas City.
If you’re traveling during the season or regularly stream over public Wi-Fi, a VPN such as ExpressVPN can add an encrypted privacy layer to that setup. Just remember that the VPN works alongside your legitimate streaming subscriptions rather than replacing them.
