The Washington Commanders live stream and TV schedule for 2026 has several unusual broadcast windows.
Washington plays Indianapolis in London on NFL Network, gets two Monday Night Football appearances on ESPN, hosts Philadelphia on NBC Sunday Night Football, and visits the Giants for a Prime Video Thursday game.
The season also opens with consecutive FOX divisional road games against Philadelphia and Dallas, while the final three weeks still have incomplete TV assignments.
For a complete league-wide breakdown, see our Watch NFL Live Online guide.
Washington Starts With Two NFC East Games on FOX
The Commanders begin the season away from Northwest Stadium, and both of their first two broadcasts are late-afternoon FOX games.
Washington visits the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, September 13 at 4:25 p.m. ET, then travels to face the Dallas Cowboys on September 20 at 4:25 p.m. ET. FOX carries both games.
It is the first time Washington has opened a season with consecutive divisional games since 2019 and the first time since 2012 that the franchise has started with two straight road games.
The Commanders then return to Northwest Stadium for their first true home game against Seattle in Week 3, also on FOX.
For viewers outside Washington’s regional television market, the first three games are exactly the type of regional FOX broadcasts where NFL Sunday Ticket may become necessary if another matchup is being shown locally.
Commanders vs. Colts in London Has an Early NFL Network Kickoff
Washington’s Week 4 broadcast is completely different from the first three weeks.
The Commanders face the Indianapolis Colts at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Sunday, October 4.
Kickoff is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. ET / 2:30 p.m. local time in London, and the US television broadcast is on NFL Network. NFL+ is also listed as a viewing option for the international game.
Washington is officially designated as the home team even though the game is being played in England.
This is also the Commanders’ second consecutive season playing internationally. Washington played Miami in Madrid during the 2025 season, and the Colts matchup becomes the franchise’s third international regular-season appearance since the NFL began staging games overseas.
For US viewers, the important broadcast distinction is simple:
Colts vs. Commanders is an NFL Network game, not a normal regional FOX or CBS broadcast.
Washington Commanders 2026 Schedule and TV Channels
Miami Dolphins
7
Washington Commanders
20
Washington Commanders
13
Detroit Lions
17
Washington Commanders
3
Baltimore Ravens
41
Washington Commanders
22
Philadelphia Eagles
24
Washington Commanders
20
Dallas Cowboys
37
Seattle Seahawks
Washington Commanders
Indianapolis Colts
Washington Commanders
New York Giants
Washington Commanders
Washington Commanders
San Francisco 49ers
Philadelphia Eagles
Washington Commanders
Los Angeles Rams
Washington Commanders
Washington Commanders
New York Giants
Cincinnati Bengals
Washington Commanders
Washington Commanders
Arizona Cardinals
Washington Commanders
Tennessee Titans
Houston Texans
Washington Commanders
Atlanta Falcons
Washington Commanders
Washington Commanders
Minnesota Vikings
Washington Commanders
Jacksonville Jaguars
Dallas Cowboys
Washington Commanders
The Commanders Have Four Confirmed Prime-Time Games
Washington’s official schedule release lists four prime-time games in 2026. They are spread across ESPN/ABC, NBC, Prime Video and ESPN.
| Week | Matchup | Kickoff | Broadcast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 6 | Commanders at 49ers | Oct. 19, 8:15 p.m. ET | ESPN / ABC |
| Week 8 | Eagles at Commanders | Nov. 1, 8:20 p.m. ET | NBC |
| Week 10 | Commanders at Giants | Nov. 12, 8:15 p.m. ET | Prime Video |
| Week 11 | Bengals at Commanders | Nov. 23, 8:15 p.m. ET | ESPN |
The distribution is particularly useful for fans planning subscriptions because no single one of these platforms carries all four games.
Commanders at 49ers Is Monday Night Football on ESPN and ABC
Washington’s first traditional prime-time appearance comes immediately before its bye week.
The Commanders visit the San Francisco 49ers on Monday, October 19 at 8:15 p.m. ET at Levi’s Stadium.
The Commanders’ current schedule lists the game on ESPN, ABC and ESPN Deportes.
That makes Week 6 broadly available nationally compared with a regional Sunday afternoon game.
NFL Sunday Ticket is not required because the matchup is distributed nationally through Monday Night Football.
Washington then gets its Week 7 bye before returning to another national NFC East broadcast.
Eagles at Commanders Moves to Sunday Night Football
The second Philadelphia-Washington game gets a much bigger television window than the season opener.
After playing at Philadelphia on FOX in Week 1, Washington hosts the Eagles at Northwest Stadium on Sunday, November 1 at 8:20 p.m. ET.
The rematch is scheduled for NBC Sunday Night Football.
So the two Eagles games require different viewing setups:
- Week 1 at Philadelphia: FOX
- Week 8 vs. Philadelphia: NBC
The Sunday night matchup is nationally televised, so out-of-market Commanders fans do not need Sunday Ticket for the rematch.
Giants vs. Commanders Moves From FOX to Prime Video
Washington’s two games against the New York Giants also illustrate how much the broadcast platform changes by week.
The Giants visit Northwest Stadium in Week 5 on Sunday, October 11 at 1:00 p.m. ET on FOX.
The return game at MetLife Stadium comes on Thursday, November 12 at 8:15 p.m. ET, with Amazon Prime Video carrying Thursday Night Football.
That Week 10 game is Washington’s only currently scheduled Prime Video broadcast.
It also begins an unusual stretch of consecutive prime-time games.
Bengals at Commanders Is Monday Night Football After an 11-Day Break
After playing the Giants on Thursday night, Washington does not play again until Monday, November 23.
The Cincinnati Bengals visit Northwest Stadium at 8:15 p.m. ET, with ESPN carrying the game nationally.
The Commanders say the schedule gives them 11 days between the Week 10 Thursday game and Week 11 Monday game. It is the first time Washington has followed a Thursday game with a Monday game since 2014.
From a viewing perspective, Weeks 10 and 11 move Commanders fans directly from:
Prime Video → ESPN
without a regional Sunday broadcast in between.
Washington’s schedule release says this is also the team’s second consecutive season with back-to-back prime-time games.
FOX Has the Largest Share of Washington’s Confirmed Games
FOX currently carries more Commanders games than any other network.
The confirmed FOX broadcasts are:
- Week 1 at Philadelphia
- Week 2 at Dallas
- Week 3 vs. Seattle
- Week 5 vs. New York Giants
- Week 9 vs. Los Angeles Rams
- Week 12 at Arizona
- Week 15 vs. Atlanta
The current Commanders schedule lists all seven with FOX assignments.
That makes local FOX access particularly important for Washington-area fans.
The Arizona game stands out because it is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET, while the Rams, Giants and Falcons home games are currently scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET.
CBS Does Not Enter the Commanders Schedule Until December
Washington has an unusual network distribution in which its first confirmed CBS regular-season game does not arrive until Week 13.
The Commanders visit the Tennessee Titans on December 6 at 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS.
One week later, Washington hosts the Houston Texans on December 13 at 1:00 p.m. ET, also on CBS.
After spending most of the first three months moving among FOX, NFL Network, ESPN, NBC and Prime Video, Weeks 13 and 14 therefore create the only currently scheduled consecutive CBS stretch.
Paramount+ can provide a subscriber’s local NFL on CBS broadcast when that Commanders matchup is being carried by the applicable CBS affiliate.
The Commanders’ own viewing guide lists Paramount+ for live local CBS games.
How to Watch Commanders Games Outside the Washington Market
Out-of-market viewing matters primarily when Washington is playing in a regional FOX or CBS window.
Suppose the Commanders are playing the Rams on FOX but your local FOX affiliate has selected another matchup. NFL Sunday Ticket is designed to provide eligible out-of-market Sunday afternoon games.
The Commanders’ official viewing guide lists NFL Sunday Ticket through YouTube and YouTube TV for out-of-market Sunday afternoon NFL coverage.
Sunday Ticket does not replace Washington’s standalone national platforms.
For example:
- Colts-Commanders in London: NFL Network
- Commanders-49ers: ESPN / ABC
- Eagles-Commanders: NBC
- Commanders-Giants: Prime Video
- Bengals-Commanders: ESPN
Those games should be watched through their assigned national broadcaster rather than through the normal Sunday Ticket regional-game setup.
What Washington-Area Fans Need Without Cable
The Commanders’ 2026 schedule touches six major US television or streaming outlets before the final three weeks are decided:
FOX, CBS, NFL Network, ESPN/ABC, NBC and Prime Video.
That means there is no single basic broadcast channel that covers the entire season.
A live TV service carrying local FOX, CBS and NBC stations plus ESPN/ABC and NFL Network can handle most of the schedule, subject to local affiliate availability.
Prime Video is separately required for the Week 10 Giants game.
NFL+ provides another option for eligible live local and prime-time games on supported phones and tablets. The Commanders also specifically lists NFL+ among its official mobile streaming options.
The Final Three Commanders Broadcasts Are Still Unsettled
Washington’s schedule becomes much less certain after Week 15.
The Commanders currently have:
- Week 16: at Minnesota Vikings — date/time/network TBD
- Week 17: at Jacksonville Jaguars — date/time/network TBD
- Week 18: vs. Dallas Cowboys — date/time/network TBD
That means the final three games should not yet be labeled FOX, CBS or any other network.
The late-season uncertainty is particularly important because the Week 18 Dallas matchup is an NFC East game and could receive a more prominent television window depending on the playoff picture.
Fans should recheck all three broadcasts after the NFL announces its late-season assignments.
Watching Commanders Games in the UK
The 2026 season gives UK Commanders fans one unusually convenient live game.
The Colts-Commanders matchup kicks off at 2:30 p.m. local time on October 4 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
NFL Game Pass on DAZN provides broad international NFL coverage in the UK, while the London game itself receives local-market distribution in addition to the US NFL Network broadcast.
The remaining Commanders prime-time games are much later for UK viewers, particularly the Monday night games against San Francisco and Cincinnati.
For someone following Washington every week rather than only watching games selected for UK television, Game Pass offers the more comprehensive season-long route.
Watching Commanders Games in Canada
Canadian Commanders fans can use NFL Game Pass on DAZN for broad regular-season access.
Washington’s four US prime-time games also fit into Canada’s national NFL television structure, while regional FOX and CBS Sunday games depend more heavily on weekly Canadian broadcast selections.
The London game adds another early Sunday window, starting at 9:30 a.m. ET, which makes it substantially earlier than Washington’s normal Sunday schedule.
FAQs
What channel is Commanders vs. Colts in London?
Indianapolis vs. Washington is scheduled for NFL Network on Sunday, October 4 at 9:30 a.m. ET from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. NFL+ is also listed as a US streaming option for the international game.
What channel is Commanders vs. 49ers in 2026?
Washington visits San Francisco on Monday, October 19 at 8:15 p.m. ET. The Commanders list the game on ESPN, ABC and ESPN Deportes as a Monday Night Football broadcast.
Is Eagles vs. Commanders on Sunday Night Football?
Yes. Philadelphia visits Washington on Sunday, November 1 at 8:20 p.m. ET, and the game is scheduled for NBC Sunday Night Football. Their Week 1 meeting in Philadelphia is instead a 4:25 p.m. FOX game.
Where can I stream Commanders vs. Giants on Thursday night?
The Commanders visit the New York Giants on Thursday, November 12 at 8:15 p.m. ET, with the game scheduled for Amazon Prime Video. It is Washington’s confirmed Thursday Night Football appearance for 2026.
What channel is Cowboys vs. Commanders in Week 18?
No network has been assigned yet. Dallas visits Washington in Week 18, but the kickoff time and television network are currently TBD. The final assignment will be made later in the season.
Bottom Line
Washington’s 2026 television schedule is built around several very different broadcast windows.
The Commanders start with consecutive FOX road games against Philadelphia and Dallas, play Indianapolis in London on NFL Network, visit San Francisco on ESPN/ABC Monday Night Football, host Philadelphia on NBC Sunday Night Football, travel to the Giants on Prime Video, and then host Cincinnati for another ESPN Monday night game.
FOX still carries the largest number of confirmed games, while CBS does not appear until December.
The main unresolved broadcast story is at the end of the season: Washington’s games against Minnesota, Jacksonville and Dallas still do not have complete television assignments.
