NFL 2026 season in UK and Ireland
Broadcast plans for the upcoming NFL season have been confirmed for across the UK and Ireland.
Once again Sky Sports leads coverage of the league, with more than half of all matches being shown across the season and an increased on-the-ground presence in the US.
Sky’s rights include two 6pm Sunday kickoffs, followed by two or three post-9pm kickoffs, as well as Thursday Night, Sunday Night and Monday Night Football, the NFL RedZone, three Thanksgiving games, the playoffs, the Pro Bowl and the Super Bowl.
For 5 – also available in Ireland – the main game of the week will air at 9pm, as opposed to 6pm last season, with the earlier game being broadcast on 5Action.
Separately, Virgin Media in Ireland gets 22 games per season, including 18 9pm Sunday games, three playoff games and the Super Bowl.
Henry Hodgson, general manager for the NFL UK & Ireland, said: “The 2026 NFL season marks another exciting chapter in how fans across the U.K. can watch the game they love.
“From the evolution of Channel 5’s free-to-air coverage with NFL Live On 5 to Sky Sports’ enhanced presence on the ground in the U.S., every element of this season’s broadcast package has been built to bring fans closer to the action.”
The new NFL season begins this Wednesday night with a rematch of last season’s Super Bowl as winners the Seahawks welcome the Patriots to Seattle.
