Short answer: start with the league, not the service. For a fan who follows several national leagues, YouTube TV ($82.99) carries the most national sports channels, including ESPN, FOX, CBS, NBC, TNT and NFL Network. For a fan who needs a local NBA, NHL or MLB team, DIRECTV Choice ($94.99) is the only big service that still carries most regional sports networks. The non-obvious catch is that the former "sports service", Fubo, is now missing both NBC and TNT, which cuts it out of Sunday Night Football, Premier League on NBC, much of the NBA and all of TNT's NHL and MLB games.
At a glance
Best live TV streaming service for sports
| Most national sports channels | YouTube TV, $82.99/mo |
| Local team on an RSN | DIRECTV Choice, $94.99/mo |
| Cheapest sports-focused plan | YouTube TV Sports + News, $71.99 |
| Budget stack | Antenna + ESPN and Fox One, $39.99 |
| Biggest gaps | Fubo: no NBC, no TNT |
| Never included | Prime Video, Peacock, Netflix exclusives |
Where each league lives in 2026-27
Sports rights were reshuffled in 2025 and 2026, so last year's advice is often wrong. Here's where the national games sit now. "Streaming-only" means no live TV service carries it, and you'll need a separate app.
| League | National TV channels | Streaming-only pieces |
|---|---|---|
| NFL | CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN/ABC, NFL Network | Thursday games on Prime Video; Sunday Ticket on YouTube; Christmas games on Netflix |
| NBA | ESPN/ABC, NBC, NBA TV | Peacock exclusives; Prime Video games |
| MLB | FOX, FS1, TBS, NBC, ESPN, MLB Network | Some Peacock and Netflix events |
| NHL | ESPN/ABC, TNT, truTV, NHL Network | Some ESPN+ exclusives (in ESPN Unlimited) |
| College football | ABC/ESPN, FOX, CBS, NBC, conference networks, The CW, USA Network | Peacock and ESPN+ exclusives |
| Soccer | NBC and USA (Premier League), FOX (MLS, internationals), CBS (Champions League), beIN, TUDN | Apple TV (MLS), Paramount+, Peacock |
Two points jump out. TNT left the NBA after the 2024-25 season but still has the NHL, MLB and college sports. And NFL Network is now part of ESPN, which is why it's included in ESPN Unlimited ($31.99 a month). For a full channel-by-channel list, see our US sports channels list.
The league-by-league matrix
"Yes" means the service carries every national TV channel for that league in its main plan. "Partial" means one or more channels are missing. Regional networks are covered separately below. Prices are regular monthly rates from each service in early October 2026.
| League | YouTube TV ($82.99) | Hulu + Live TV ($99.99) | DIRECTV Choice ($94.99) | Fubo Pro (about $74) | Sling Orange & Blue ($60.99) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NFL | Yes, plus Sunday Ticket add-on | Partial: check NFL Network in your lineup | Yes | Partial: no NBC | Partial: no CBS |
| NBA | Yes, incl. NBA TV | Partial: no NBA TV | Yes, incl. NBA TV | Partial: no NBC | Partial: NBC in select markets, NBA TV is an add-on |
| MLB | Yes, incl. MLB Network | Partial: no MLB Network | Yes, incl. MLB Network | Partial: no TBS or NBC | Partial: NBC in select markets |
| NHL | Yes | Partial: no NHL Network | Partial: NHL Network needs Ultimate | Partial: no TNT | Partial: NHL Network is an add-on |
| College football | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial: no NBC | Partial: no CBS, conference networks are add-ons |
| Premier League | Yes (NBC, USA) | Yes | Yes | Partial: no NBC | Partial: NBC in select markets |
Read across the YouTube TV column and you'll see why it wins for multi-sport households: it's the only service with no gaps in national coverage, aside from the streaming-only exclusives no live service carries. DIRECTV Choice is close behind and adds regional networks. Hulu + Live TV covers the big broadcast and ESPN games but lacks the league-owned channels, which matters most to hardcore NBA, MLB and NHL fans.
The Fubo column surprises people. Its gaps aren't in obscure channels: they're NBC and TNT, two of the biggest sports networks. Fubo has never carried TNT and has had no NBC since a carriage dispute in late 2025.
Your local team: the RSN question
National channels only get you the national games. Most of a baseball, basketball or hockey team's season airs regionally, and that's where most frustration with streaming comes from.
| Service | Regional sports networks |
|---|---|
| DIRECTV | Most RSNs, on Choice and above |
| Fubo | Some RSNs, with an extra regional sports fee on Pro (included on Elite) |
| YouTube TV | Few: some NBC Sports regional networks only |
| Hulu + Live TV | Few: some NBC Sports regional networks only |
| Sling | None |
The landscape has changed a lot. Several teams have left regional networks altogether in the last two seasons, moving games to local over-the-air stations or their own streaming apps. If your team made that move, an antenna or a team app may get you more games than any live TV service. Before paying DIRECTV's premium, check where your team's games actually air this season. Our guide to regional sports network streaming tracks which teams have moved where.
NFL fans
Pick: YouTube TV. It carries every national NFL TV channel and is the only live service where NFL Sunday Ticket can be added to the same app. You'll still need Prime Video for Thursday night games and Netflix for Christmas, which no live service includes.
Two cheaper paths are worth knowing about:
- YouTube TV Sports + News at $71.99 keeps the sports and news channels and drops most entertainment networks. That's $11 a month saved for the same football.
- An antenna plus ESPN Unlimited ($31.99) covers CBS, FOX and NBC Sundays free over the air, plus Monday Night Football and NFL Network in the ESPN app. If you add Fox One through the $39.99 ESPN and Fox One bundle, you also get FOX's games on mobile and away from home.
Out-of-market fans have a separate decision to make. See what NFL Sunday Ticket really costs in 2026.
NBA and NHL fans
Pick: DIRECTV Choice if your team is on an RSN; YouTube TV if it isn't. National NBA games are now split between ESPN/ABC, NBC and Amazon, plus Peacock exclusives. A live TV service covers ESPN and NBC, but you'll need Prime Video and Peacock as well to see every national game. Check the weekly schedule, because the streaming-only games change from week to week.
For hockey, TNT and ESPN split the national schedule. That rules Fubo out for national games, as it has no TNT. YouTube TV is the only service with ESPN, TNT and NHL Network in its base plan. If your team's local games are on an RSN that DIRECTV carries, DIRECTV is the most complete option; step up to Ultimate ($129.99) if you also want NHL Network.
Soccer fans
Soccer is spread across more services than any other sport, and no live TV service can cover all of it.
- Premier League: NBC and USA Network on live TV, plus many matches only on Peacock. YouTube TV, Hulu and DIRECTV carry NBC and USA. Fubo has no NBC.
- Champions League: mostly on Paramount+, with select matches on CBS.
- MLS: Apple TV, with a small number of matches on FOX.
- Spanish-language and Liga MX: TUDN, Univision, Telemundo and others, spread across services.
- beIN Sports: carried by Fubo and DIRECTV; it's the main reason soccer fans still consider Fubo.
For most soccer fans, the live TV service matters less than the streaming apps. A sensible setup is Peacock plus Paramount+ plus an antenna for NBC, CBS and FOX, adding a live service only if you also follow American sports. Our league-by-league soccer guide lists every competition's home.
The cheapest sports stack that still works
Not every sports fan needs an $80 bundle. Here are three setups, priced at regular rates as of October 2026, with what each one misses.
| Setup | Monthly cost | Covers | Misses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antenna + ESPN and Fox One bundle | $39.99 | CBS, FOX, NBC, ABC over the air; ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, ACC Network, NFL Network, FS1, BTN | TNT, TBS, USA, RSNs, NBA TV, MLB Network |
| Sling Orange & Blue + antenna | $60.99 | ESPN, TNT, TBS, FS1, NFL Network, USA; locals via antenna | Conference networks and league channels without add-ons, RSNs |
| YouTube TV Sports + News | $71.99 | All national sports channels and locals in one app | RSNs, entertainment channels |
The first option is the best value for college football and NFL fans who don't care about the NBA or NHL. The jump to a full live service is worth it if TNT matters to you (NHL, MLB playoffs, college basketball) or if you want everything in one guide.
Multiview, 4K and delay
Features matter more for sports than for anything else.
- Multiview. YouTube TV and Fubo both let you watch several games on one screen on supported devices. Hulu + Live TV's multiview support is narrower, so check your device.
- 4K. Live 4K is limited to a small number of events. YouTube TV needs the $9.99 4K Plus add-on, and Fubo includes 4K on its Elite plan. Most games are still delivered in HD.
- Delay. Every streaming service runs 20 to 60 seconds behind an antenna. If your phone's score alerts or a neighbor's cheering spoil plays, that's why. For big games, an antenna is the only way to watch truly live.
- Screens. Sunday afternoons in a house of fans can exceed YouTube TV's three-stream limit. DIRECTV allows unlimited streams at home, and Fubo allows ten.
A word on the unlicensed "sports IPTV" services that promise every channel for $15: they don't hold the rights to any of these games, streams often fail on the biggest nights, and there's no recourse when they disappear. We explain why rights, not services, decide what you can watch in our guide to IPTV for sports.
Quick answers
What is the best live TV streaming service for sports? YouTube TV for most fans, because it carries every national sports channel, including ESPN, FOX, CBS, NBC, TNT and NFL Network. If your local MLB, NBA or NHL team airs on a regional sports network, DIRECTV Choice is the better pick.
Which streaming service has regional sports networks? DIRECTV carries most RSNs on its Choice package and above. Fubo carries some with an extra fee on its Pro plan. YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV carry only a few NBC Sports regional networks, and Sling carries none.
Does Fubo have TNT? No. Fubo has never carried TNT, TBS or truTV, and it has also been without NBC since a carriage dispute in late 2025.
Do I still need Prime Video or Peacock with a live TV service? Yes, for some games. Thursday Night Football and some NBA games are on Prime Video, and Peacock has exclusive NBA, Premier League and Big Ten games. No live TV service includes those.
What is the cheapest way to watch the NFL without cable? An antenna for CBS, FOX and NBC plus ESPN Unlimited for Monday Night Football and NFL Network. The ESPN and Fox One bundle at $39.99 a month adds FOX's games on any device.
Is NFL Network included with ESPN Unlimited? Yes. NFL Network is now part of ESPN and is included in the ESPN Unlimited plan, which costs $31.99 a month.
Why are streaming sports behind the antenna broadcast? Streams are encoded, packaged and delivered over the internet, which adds roughly 20 to 60 seconds of delay compared with over-the-air TV. An antenna is the only way to watch a game in real time.
Sports rights, carriage deals and regional network availability change every season, and disputes can remove channels with little notice. Prices are regular monthly rates from each service's site in early October 2026, before taxes and regional sports fees. Checked October 2026.