Complicated NFL broadcasting rules mean that NFL fans can’t always watch the games they want. Whether it’s on TV or online, you can be blocked from coverage of your favorite team.
You may just be a Kansas City City Chiefs fan, stuck in the Carolinas. Or you could be stuck within a 75-mile radius of your home team’s stadium, and subject to media blackouts.
The good news is you can get around these problems with a VPN. But you’re going to need a good one with plenty of American servers to choose from. Here’s how to watch NFL games from anywhere:
- Get NordVPN and create an account. This is the best VPN for streaming out-of-market games.
- Download the VPN on your favorite streaming device.
- Connect to a US VPN server where your preferred game is available.
- Watch NFL games without restrictions.
Of course, you’ll also need to subscribe to a streaming service that carries NFL games. You can also get NFL Sunday Ticket, available exclusively through YouTube TV, which helps a lot, but won’t solve all your problems.
We know this can all get complicated — the NFL hasn’t made it easy to live stream any game you want. So don’t worry. We’ve broken down how to stream out-of-market NFL games in the full guide below.
The NFL season is underway, with 272 games scheduled for 2023-2024. If you’re an NFL nut, you’ll want to catch your favorite teams and games. However, in some cases, you won’t be able to watch them live. NFL blackouts stop you from watching out-of-market primetime games as they happen.
Even with YouTube TV’s NFL Sunday Ticket giving you access to out-of-market games, fans may meet some tough defensive lines when it comes to watching their favorite team. Fortunately, we have a solution. If you’re wondering how to watch out-of-market NFL games live online, you just need a VPN.
Download NordVPN, and you can unblock out-of-market NFL streams from an alternate state or city. This will let you watch the game along with everybody else without being affected by NFL blackouts.
What Are Out-of-Market NFL Games?
An out-of-market NFL game is a game that’s broadcast across the US except within the state where you reside. They’re literally only shown live outside “your market” — your home state(s) or city.
If you’re a Kansas City Chiefs fan living in the Carolinas, you’ll be more than likely getting local broadcasts of the nearby Carolina Panthers or Atlanta Falcons. So you’re kind of stuck with your nearest team — whether you’re a fan or not.
To further complicate things, let’s say the Miami Dolphins are playing at home in Florida. NFL blackout rules mean that you won’t be able to watch that game live on TV or the internet within a 75-mile radius of the Dolphins’ home stadium. They may give you a pass if they’ve sold every ticket at the stadium, but you can’t count on that.
It’s frustrating, and it almost feels unfair to fans who want to see their home team compete without buying a ticket. Fortunately, it’s not a season-ending hit. Change your IP address with a VPN, and you can watch every out-of-market NFL game live as it happens.
How to Watch Out-of-Market NFL Games Online
Usually, to watch a blacked-out game, you’re going to need to hop to a different state. But don’t worry, you don’t need to leave your computer. We’ll show you how to change your IP address so that you appear to be located in a different US state or city. Then, you’ll be able to stream out-of-market NFL games live!
Step-by-step guide: Use a VPN to watch out-of-market NFL games from anywhere
Here’s our quick guide to watching out-of-market NFL games. With NordVPN, you can get a US IP address anywhere across the country and unblock any NFL stream you’d like!
- Get NordVPN. It’s our No. 1 VPN for streaming out-of-market NFL games online. it provides lightning-fast, reliable connections across the US. They’ve got 16 different US locations with more than 1,970 servers to choose from.
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- Download NordVPN on the device you want to use to watch out-of-market NFL games. NordVPN supports pretty much any desktop or mobile device!
- Log into your NordVPN account within the VPN client.
- Connect to a US VPN server. You want to choose a server that’s not located in the same state as the out-of-market NFL game you’re trying to watch. So, if you’re in New York and can’t watch the New York Giants live, choose a NordVPN server like Miami, Los Angeles, or Charlotte.
- Go to one of your preferred NFL streaming services that’s showing the out-of-market game you want to watch!
NFL Sunday Ticket, NFL+ Premium, NFL Redzone, and Paramount Plus are just a few of the available options for streaming out-of-market NFL games. We’ve outlined these in more detail below.
Where to Watch NFL Out-of-Market Games
There are a few ways to watch out-of-market NFL games online. We’ll break down the most popular ways below.
NFL Sunday Ticket
The NFL Sunday Ticket nets you access to every Sunday afternoon game shown by FOX and CBS, aside from those being shown by your local FOX or CBS affiliate. You can get the NFL Sunday Ticket exclusively through YouTube TV.
The NFL Sunday Ticket is the best option for live streaming out-of-market NFL Sunday showdowns. So this is the answer for the Kansas City Chiefs or Buffalo Bills fan living in the Carolinas or Georgia and could care less about watching the Atlanta Falcons or Carolina Panthers locally.
This add-on starts at $349 for the season, so it’s certainly not a cheap solution.
If you’re not in the US or you’re temporarily traveling abroad, you’ll need to unblock YouTube TV with a VPN. The best VPNs for YouTube can get you in from any country in the world. We recommend NordVPN, which can reliably unblock US streaming platforms.
NFL Redzone
NFL RedZone offers NFL fans a different way to catch all Sunday afternoon NFL games with live streams. But bear in mind that it doesn’t provide full coverage of every game. It’s called “Redzone” for a reason — it whips you to games where teams are about to score.
This is ideal for those heavily involved in fantasy football or those betting on games. RedZone is often a part of your cable TV subscription, but you can also get RedZone from popular streaming platforms, including:
Like YouTube TV, the rest of these services are all based in the United States. Outside the US? Get a US IP address from NordVPN to unblock the streaming platforms from anywhere and watch out-of-market games this season.
Watch out-of-market games on Paramount Plus
Paramount Plus is by far the cheapest service to watch NFL Sunday games, just $5.99 if you don’t mind ads. Since Paramount owns CBS, you’re limited to the games broadcast on that channel. AFC fans are in luck, considering that CBS broadcasts five games a week — mostly AFC home games — so you’re free to go server-hopping to see if you can find your team or game.
Since CBS operates with local affiliates, you’ll do the opposite and connect to a server close to where your team is playing. So if your Patriots happen to be playing the Dolphins at home, just connect to a server in Miami to pick up CBS’s local feed!
Fortunately, Paramount Plus pairs beautifully with NordVPN, and we’ve watched the NFL not only out of state but out of the country!
NFL+ Premium and International Game Pass
The NFL’s own NFL+ Premium is a great option and significantly cheaper than YouTube TV. The caveat? You won’t be able to live stream out-of-market games. NFL streams are only available once the game has finished. But you can still listen to the audio broadcast of any game as it plays out, and the mobile app will let you catch regular season and local games.
Alternatively, there’s an International Game Pass. But the NFL Game Pass is only available outside the US. Every country except the United States and China can use the international game pass to watch NFL games from the regular season and playoffs!
How to Unblock Out-of-Market NFL Team Games
Only interested in catching NFL games from your preferred teams? Our readers have asked for specific help on finding NFL streams for Eagles, Bills, and 49ers games. We’ll explain how to access these out-of-market streams below.
How to watch Eagles games out of market
Want to watch the Philadelphia Eagles this NFL season but can’t access the Eagles out-of-market games? If you’re located in Philadelphia and can’t watch the Eagles play a home game due to NFL blackouts, here’s your solution:
- Get NordVPN.
- Connect to a VPN server outside of Philadelphia, like Miami or Los Angeles, before the game.
- Go to your preferred NFL streaming platform, like Fubo, to find the game.
How to watch Buffalo Bills games out of market
Many New Yorker NFL fans will probably want to watch Buffalo Bill games but live too close to the iconic Highmark Stadium. On Sunday afternoons, you can find Bills streams on your local CBS affiliate — but home games might not be shown. Here’s our solution:
- Get NordVPN.
- Connect to a VPN server outside of New York, like the West Coast.
- Go to your favorite NFL streaming service and find your Buffalo Bills game.
How to watch San Francisco 49ers games out of market
49ers fans are everywhere, so they’ll be looking to watch them out-of-market. It’s also no surprise that Santa Clara fans are always looking for ways to watch their beloved red-and-gold — the San Francisco 49ers have had eight playoff wins in the last ten years.
But, live too close to that stadium, the game happens to be undersold, and you’re stuck without a local feed. Here’s what we would do.
- Get NordVPN.
- Connect to a server outside of California, maybe try one in Chicago.
- Go to your streaming service and watch the 49ers whip the competition.
Do I Need a VPN to Watch Out-of-Market NFL Games?
You’ll need to use a VPN if you want access to out-of-market games. Your local cable channels will usually only show you games from your local teams on Sundays. Sometimes those games will be entirely unavailable when your team plays from their home stadium.
YouTube TV’s Sunday Ticket usually solves this issue. But in some cases, you’ll need to use a VPN — to watch other teams play across other states or to unblock out-of-market games.
Are free VPNs useful for out-of-market NFL games?
Free VPNs aren’t our first choice for streaming NFL or any sport. While they have their use for limited day-to-day browsing, they’ll ruin your enjoyment of high-stakes NFL action. Especially for out-of-market NFL games. Here’s why:
- Small server networks could stop you from finding a VPN server in the state you need to stream out-of-market games. It’s that simple: you won’t have enough locations to choose from, and they’re more easily flagged by streaming platforms.
- Limited connection speeds mean that your NFL streams are more than likely to be low in quality or constantly buffering.
- Caps on data usage mean you might not even be able to watch a whole game. You’ll run out before halftime and have to pay for more data anyway.
You won’t face any of these problems if you use a premium VPN like NordVPN. Right now, you can even get 69% off NordVPN to watch all the NFL games you can handle!
Can’t Get Enough Online Sports?
Looking for more NFL action? We’ve rounded up some useful NFL guides. You can even watch Thursday night football games and Monday night football games live!
- Free NFL Live Streams: The Best NFL Live Streaming Sites
- How to Watch the NFL Playoffs Live for Free
- How to Watch NFL Thursday Night Football Online
- How to Watch College Football Without Cable From Anywhere
Remember, you’ll need a VPN like NordVPN to unblock most NFL streams! And if you choose to check out free NFL live streaming sites, make sure you’re connected to a VPN too. It’ll keep you safe and anonymous on unsecured websites or those that show unlicensed broadcasts.
Got a question about streaming out-of-market NFL games? Check out the frequently asked questions below!
You can stream out-of-market NFL games by using a VPN to change your location:
- Get NordVPN.
- Connect to a US VPN server in a state where the stream is accessible.
- Watch out-of-market games without restrictions.
Use a service like YouTube TV’s NFL Sunday Ticket or NFL RedZone. Alternatively, find a free NFL live stream if one is available!
YouTube TV’s NFL Sunday Ticket is expensive. Another option for watching out-of-market NFL games is by using NFL RedZone. This is an optional add-on for services like Fubo and Sling TV, and it costs just a fraction of the price. But this is a highlight simulcast of teams about to score, more suited for fantasy football leagues and gambling. If you’re not in the US or you need to bypass NFL blackouts, use NordVPN to change your IP address and virtual location.
You can easily change your location and watch out–of–market NFL games with a VPN:
- Get NordVPN or another premium VPN service.
- Connect to a US VPN server in a location where the out–of–market stream is available.
- Enjoy watching out-of-market NFL games with your preferred streaming provider!
Our preferred VPN for getting a US IP address is NordVPN.
