The Buffalo Bills live stream schedule for 2026 has several broadcasts fans will need to plan around.
Buffalo opens its new Highmark Stadium against Detroit on Prime Video, travels to Los Angeles and Minnesota for two Monday Night Football games, hosts Kansas City in the franchise’s first home Thanksgiving game, and plays Denver on Netflix in the Bills’ first Christmas Day game.
CBS still carries the largest portion of the regular-season schedule.
For complete NFL viewing information beyond Buffalo, see our NFL Live Stream guide.
The First NFL Game at New Highmark Stadium Is on Prime Video
Buffalo’s most significant home broadcast arrives immediately in Week 2.
The Bills host the Detroit Lions on Thursday, September 17 at 8:15 p.m. ET, and Prime Video carries the game nationally as Thursday Night Football.
The matchup has extra significance because it will be the first regular-season game played at the new Highmark Stadium.
Buffalo starts the season four days earlier on the road against Houston on CBS, meaning the first two weeks require completely different viewing setups:
- Week 1 at Texans: CBS
- Week 2 vs. Lions: Prime Video
The Bills then remain at home for the Chargers and Patriots, giving Buffalo three consecutive home games from Weeks 2-4 during the stadium’s inaugural NFL season.
Buffalo Bills 2026 Schedule and TV Channels
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Houston Texans 
Detroit Lions
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Los Angeles Chargers
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New England Patriots
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Los Angeles Rams
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Las Vegas Raiders 
Baltimore Ravens
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Minnesota Vikings
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New York Jets 
Miami Dolphins
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Kansas City Chiefs
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New England Patriots
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Green Bay Packers 
Chicago Bears
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Denver Broncos
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Miami Dolphins
New York Jets
Buffalo Bills CBS Carries Half of Buffalo’s Currently Assigned Games
CBS has the largest share of the Bills’ published 2026 schedule.
Eight regular-season games are currently assigned to CBS:
| Week | Matchup | Kickoff |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bills at Texans | 1:00 p.m. ET |
| 4 | Patriots at Bills | 1:00 p.m. ET |
| 6 | Bills at Raiders | 4:25 p.m. ET |
| 8 | Ravens at Bills | 1:00 p.m. ET |
| 10 | Bills at Jets | 1:00 p.m. ET |
| 13 | Bills at Patriots | 4:25 p.m. ET |
| 15 | Bears at Bills | 8:20 p.m. ET Saturday |
| 17 | Bills at Dolphins | 1:00 p.m. ET |
That makes CBS considerably more important than FOX for someone choosing a television package specifically around Buffalo games.
For viewers whose local CBS affiliate is showing the Bills, Paramount+ can provide access to the applicable local NFL on CBS broadcast.
Buffalo’s official viewing information also identifies NFL Sunday Ticket as the out-of-market option when another Sunday afternoon game is being shown locally.
Bills at Rams is the First Monday Night Football Game
Buffalo’s first Monday night appearance comes in Week 5.
The Bills visit the Los Angeles Rams on Monday, October 12 at 8:15 p.m. ET at SoFi Stadium.
The current Bills schedule lists the matchup on ESPN, ABC and ESPN Deportes.
That nationally distributed game comes immediately after Buffalo’s three-game homestand and before a Week 6 trip to Las Vegas.
Because it is Monday Night Football, Sunday Ticket is not needed for Bills-Rams.
Buffalo Gets a Second Monday Night Game at Minnesota
The Bills return to ESPN four weeks later.
Buffalo visits the Minnesota Vikings on Monday, November 9 at 8:15 p.m. ET.
Again, the Bills list ESPN, ABC and ESPN Deportes for the national broadcast.
The Vikings game comes immediately after Baltimore visits Buffalo on CBS in Week 8.
The Bills therefore have two Monday Night Football road games in 2026:
- Oct. 12: at Los Angeles Rams
- Nov. 9: at Minnesota Vikings
Both use the ESPN/ABC broadcast setup rather than regional Sunday television.
Dolphins at Bills Is One of Only Two FOX Games
FOX has a surprisingly small role in Buffalo’s current schedule.
The Bills have just two confirmed FOX games:
- Week 3: Los Angeles Chargers at Buffalo — September 27, 1:00 p.m. ET
- Week 11: Miami Dolphins at Buffalo — November 22, 1:00 p.m. ET
The Dolphins game is particularly notable because Buffalo’s other 2026 meeting with Miami—Week 17 at Hard Rock Stadium—is assigned to CBS.
So even the two Bills-Dolphins divisional games use different networks.
Chiefs at Bills is a Thanksgiving Night NBC Game
Buffalo’s first holiday game is one of the biggest broadcasts on the schedule.
The Bills host the Kansas City Chiefs on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26 at 8:20 p.m. ET, with NBC carrying the game nationally.
This will be the first home Thanksgiving game in Bills franchise history.
Buffalo had played 11 Thanksgiving games previously, but none had been hosted by the Bills. The team’s most recent Thanksgiving appearance before 2026 was its 2022 road game against Detroit.
For streaming viewers, NBC’s Sunday Night Football-style national coverage is also associated with Peacock access.
Sunday Ticket is unnecessary because Chiefs-Bills is a national holiday broadcast.
Bills at Packers is Sunday Night Football
Two weeks after Thanksgiving, Buffalo gets another NBC showcase.
The Bills visit the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Sunday, December 13 at 8:20 p.m. ET.
NBC and Universo are listed for the Week 14 broadcast.
This is Buffalo’s standard Sunday Night Football appearance and comes immediately after a 4:25 p.m. CBS road game against New England.
The Packers game begins an unusual three-week run in which Buffalo plays:
Sunday night on NBC → Saturday night on CBS → Christmas Day on Netflix.
That is one of the most varied broadcast stretches on the Bills’ schedule.
Bears at Bills Moves to Saturday Night on CBS
Buffalo does not play on Sunday in Week 15.
The Chicago Bears visit Highmark Stadium on Saturday, December 19 at 8:20 p.m. ET, and the matchup is assigned to CBS.
That is important for streaming planning because Saturday NFL games are sometimes distributed differently from normal Sunday broadcasts.
In this case, Bills-Bears is specifically listed as a CBS game.
Six days later, Buffalo changes platforms again for its first Christmas Day game.
Bills vs. Broncos on Christmas is Exclusive to Netflix
The Bills’ most unusual streaming assignment comes on Friday, December 25.
Buffalo travels to Denver to face the Broncos at 4:30 p.m. ET, and the game is scheduled to stream exclusively on Netflix.
It will be the first Christmas Day game in Bills franchise history.
The game is also a rematch of the previous season’s AFC Divisional Round matchup between Buffalo and Denver.
Bills fans should therefore distinguish this game from Buffalo’s other Thursday/holiday broadcasts:
- Lions at Bills: Prime Video
- Chiefs at Bills on Thanksgiving: NBC
- Bills at Broncos on Christmas: Netflix
A normal cable or live-TV package does not substitute for Netflix for the Christmas matchup.
Out-of-Market Bills Fans and NFL Sunday Ticket
NFL Sunday Ticket matters mostly during Buffalo’s ordinary CBS and FOX Sunday afternoon games.
If the Bills are on CBS at 1:00 p.m. but your local station has selected another regional matchup, Sunday Ticket provides eligible out-of-market NFL Sunday afternoon games through YouTube and YouTube TV.
Buffalo’s official viewing information specifically identifies it for out-of-market Bills games.
It does not replace the team’s standalone national broadcasts.
The Detroit game requires Prime Video, the Rams and Vikings games use ESPN/ABC, Kansas City and Green Bay are on NBC, and Denver is on Netflix.
That distinction is especially important in 2026 because Buffalo moves through several exclusive national platforms.
Week 18 Jets at Bills is Still TBD
Buffalo finishes the regular season at home against the New York Jets.
The game currently has no confirmed date, kickoff time or television network.
Week 18 television assignments are intentionally delayed.
The NFL says three Week 18 games will be played Saturday—one on Netflix and two on ESPN/ABC—with the remaining games distributed across Sunday afternoon and Sunday Night Football. The final assignments will be determined after Week 17.
Bills fans should therefore avoid assuming that Jets-Bills will automatically be a CBS Sunday afternoon game.
Watching Buffalo Bills Games in the UK and Canada
NFL Game Pass provides a more centralized viewing option for Bills supporters outside the United States.
For international fans, that can be particularly useful in a season when Buffalo’s US broadcasts move among CBS, FOX, Prime Video, ESPN/ABC, NBC and Netflix.
Canadian fans also receive extensive NFL coverage through domestic television partners, while Game Pass provides a broader way to follow Buffalo every week instead of depending on individual national selections.
FAQs
What channel is Lions vs. Bills in the new Highmark Stadium opener?
The Detroit Lions visit Buffalo on Thursday, September 17 at 8:15 p.m. ET, and the game will stream nationally on Prime Video. It is the first regular-season game at the new Highmark Stadium.
What channel is Chiefs vs. Bills on Thanksgiving?
Kansas City at Buffalo is scheduled for NBC on Thanksgiving, November 26 at 8:20 p.m. ET. It will be the Bills’ first-ever home Thanksgiving game.
Are the Bills playing on Monday Night Football twice in 2026?
Yes. Buffalo visits the Rams on October 12 and the Vikings on November 9, with both games scheduled for ESPN/ABC at 8:15 p.m. ET.
Where can I watch Bills vs. Broncos on Christmas Day?
Buffalo-Denver is scheduled for Friday, December 25 at 4:30 p.m. ET exclusively on Netflix. It will be the first Christmas Day game in Bills franchise history.
What channel is Jets vs. Bills in Week 18?
The network has not been announced. The Jets visit Buffalo in Week 18, but the date, kickoff time and television assignment remain TBD and will be determined after Week 17.
