How to watch NFL Wild Card Weekend: Best options 2025

Wild Card Weekend schedule and scores

Saturday, January 11

• Los Angeles Chargers, 12 vs. Houston Texans, 32
• Pittsburgh Steelers, 14 vs. Baltimore Ravens, 28

Sunday, January 12

• Denver Broncos, 7 vs. Buffalo Bills, 31 
• Green Bay Packers, 10 vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 22
• Washington Commanders, 23 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 20 

Monday, January 13

• Minnesota Vikings, 9 vs. Los Angeles Rams, 27

Where to watch Wild Card Weekend

TV coverage for Wild Card Weekend will be similar to what it was during the regular season, with games shared among the top networks. ABC, CBS, Fox and ESPN will all broadcast games, while one game will stream on Peacock, one on Prime Video and Paramount Plus subscribers will be able to stream the CBS game. You can watch most of these games on most live TV streaming services, but you’ll need a subscription to watch the matchup on Peacock.

Here’s where you can find each channel on the major live TV streaming platforms:

Watch on DIRECTV STREAM

DIRECTV STREAM is a fan favorite for sports lovers of all kinds, and it’s a great choice for Wild Card Weekend. You only need the entry-level Entertainment plan to watch the opening round of the playoffs. It includes every network airing the opening weekend action. It’s a solid plan with over 75 channels, including a few key sports networks like ESPN, ESPN2 and Fox Sports 1 (FS1).

For sports-first cord-cutters, the Choice plan offers much more coverage. Whichever DIRECTV STREAM option you choose, you’ll get unlimited cloud DVR storage and simultaneous streams at home. If you want to try it out over Wild Card Weekend, there’s even a five-day free trial of DIRECTV STREAM.

Watch on Fubo

Is DIRECTV STREAM’s sports lineup not quite enough? Fubo is made for you. This sports-focused platform offers a Pro plan which features more than 30 sports networks, including all channels showing Wild Card Weekend games. You’ll also get RSNs with this plan. All three plans that Fubo offers feature unlimited Cloud DVR and up to 10 simultaneous streams at home.

Fubo also offers an array of upgrade options to add even more sports, as well as more news and entertainment. All told, you can get almost 300 channels on this platform, not to mention premium add-ons like SHOWTIME or STARZ. However, some cord-cutters will be disappointed by Fubo’s big omissions, as it’s missing major networks such as TBS, TNS, TruTV, CNN and BBC. If you’re unsure, you can give it a try for free for up to one week.

Watch on Hulu + Live TV

If you want a streaming service that offers much more than just live TV and sports, check out Hulu + Live TV. This combination live TV and on-demand platform offers the best all-around experience. You’ll get over 95 live TV channels — including every Wildcard Weekend game and around a dozen other sports networks. Besides that, you also get Disney Plus and Hulu’s on-demand library, which both feature huge catalogs of award-winning shows and films. It also includes ESPN Plus, a huge bonus for fans who want tons of extra pro and collegiate sports coverage.

Like some of its competitors, a Hulu + Live TV subscription includes unlimited cloud DVR storage. It doesn’t offer RSNs in most markets, so some fans may have to look at other platforms or supplement their plan with an OTT local service like Bally Sports Plus. There’s also no Hulu + Live TV free trial, so you’ll have to spend a little to give it a test.

Watch on Sling TV

Sling TV is a big favorite for budget-conscious streamers, and it can be a good choice for Wildcard Weekend if you live in the right place or have a good over-the-air antenna. Sling Orange & Blue, depending on your market, will include not only ESPN but also ABC, Fox and NBC. Alternatively, you can go with Sling Orange for ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3 and 29 other channels, then watch the rest of the action over the air. 

All in all, you can put together a nice sports package with Sling TV. By adding Sports Extra to Sling Orange and Blue, you can get a wide range of national and international coverage on not only the ESPN networks but also NFL Network, FS1, MLB Network, NHL Network, NBA TV, Big 10 Network, SEC Network and more. Unfortunately, Sling doesn’t offer RSNs or CBS, and there’s no free trial, but you may be able to get half off your first month.

Watch on YouTube TV

YouTube TV is often our top pick for those who simply want a familiar cable network lineup that covers a little bit of everything. The base plan, features more than 110 of the most popular sports, news, and entertainment channels. You’ll have every channel featuring Wildcard Weekend games, plus a lot of extra coverage of pro and collegiate sports across channels like FS1, ESPN, NFL Network, Big 10 Network, TBS, TNT and more. You may even be able to watch Wildcard Weekend for free, as YouTube offers new subscribers a free trial of up to 14 days.

Overall, this is the best pick for streamers who want a broad channel lineup at a great value. YouTube TV also includes unlimited cloud DVR storage, and you can expand your plan with numerous add-ons for more entertainment, news, sports and premium channels. The biggest downside? You won’t find any RSNs here.

Watch on Peacock

Peacock, NBC’s OTT streaming platform, carried numerous NFL games exclusively throughout the season, and during Wildcard Weekend, the service will simulcast the NBC game between the Washington Commanders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Peacock requires a subscription to watch live events and on-demand programming. With a Peacock plan you'll get full access to live NFL games, Premier League soccer matches and a large library of top on-demand shows and movies from NBC Universal. Peacock doesn’t currently offer a free trial.

Watch on Prime Video

This year, Prime Video will exclusively stream one Wild Card Weekend game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens. 

While we look ahead toward the 2025/26 NFL season, Prime Video will again be the exclusive streaming home of Thursday Night Football games, so you'll want to hold onto your subscription after the current season ends. In the meantime, you can check out Prime Video's on-demand collection of movies, series and originals.

FAQ

What date are the wild card games?

Wild Card Weekend will take place from January 11-13, 2025.

Will playoff games be free on Peacock?

No. Peacock requires a subscription to watch live sports. Plans start at $7.99 a month.

Will the Chiefs be in the playoffs?

Yes, the Kansas City Chiefs have secured the Number 1 seed in the playoffs.