Two of the NFL’s legacy networks are adding more games for the upcoming season. FOX/FOX One has picked up two additional regular-season games for 2026, while NBC/Peacock is getting another exclusive Week 17 matchup in early 2027. For fans, more premium NFL inventory is landing across a growing mix of broadcast and streaming platforms just as the league faces fresh scrutiny over how fans watch the game.
According to Deadline and Sports Business Journal, FOX CEO Lachlan Murdoch said the network acquired rights to two additional NFL games in national windows for the 2026 season. The first is expected to be the NFL’s Week 10 Munich game, which would give FOX a Sunday tripleheader, and the second is a Week 15 Saturday game. FOX CMO Steve Tomsic also said the company has had “no substantive discussions” with the league about extending its current rights deal, while emphasizing that FOX wants to deepen the relationship in a disciplined way
“I think the important note to take here is that there is no tension, really, with the NFL. We have been partners for 30 years. We’re looking forward to being partners for the next 30 years,” Murdoch said.
Peacock gets another crucial late-season game
At the top of 2027, NBC Sports will add an extra NFL regular-season game. The latest addition will be played on Saturday, January 2, 2027, at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock, and will be followed by the Peacock-exclusive NFL game at 8 p.m. ET. The Sunday Night Football game on January 3 rounds out a three-game Week 17 run for NBC Sports.
The network said the new game gives the company 26 NFL games in the 2026 season and marks Peacock’s fifth exclusive NFL game overall. NBC Sports President Rick Cordella said the company is excited to add another game at a critical point in the schedule, and NBC emphasized that the Peacock-exclusive game will still be shown on NBC stations in the competing teams’ local markets. Currently, the NFL is still operating inside its long-term media deals with Amazon, CBS, ESPN/ABC, Fox and NBC, but the league is widely expected to seek even higher rights value in the next round of negotiations.
The 2026 NFL Schedule release is days away
The NFL is set to announce its full schedule for the 2026 season on Thursday, May 14, at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN and NFL Network.
As the league expands into the streaming era, it has been reported that more games are expected to stream on YouTube and Netflix. Though the NFL remains committed to allowing local fans to watch marquee games on free TV, the league is under more pressure from regulators and lawmakers than it has been in years.
The Justice Department has opened an investigation into whether the NFL’s broadcasting arrangements violate antitrust rules or hurt consumer access. The investigation reflects a broader trend across leagues of lawmakers cracking down on rising sports and streaming costs.
For fans, the strategic addition of more games on FOX and NBC keeps some of the NFL’s biggest games available over the air. Even as the league keeps adding streaming exclusives and sports fragmentation continues to rise, the most valuable property in media remains on free TV, at least for now.