The NFL Is Renegotiating Every TV Deal It Has. Here's What That Means for Fans.

Quick answer: The NFL is in active negotiations to renegotiate all of its broadcast deals before the 2026 season kicks off in September. No deals have been announced yet. When they are, fans should expect higher prices and potentially more games moving to streaming platforms. We'll update this post when announcements are made.

The NFL currently has an 11-year, $10 billion-per-year media rights arrangement with CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN/ABC, and Amazon that runs through 2033. Those deals aren't expired. The league is blowing them up anyway.

According to reporting from Puck's John Ourand and CNBC, the NFL wants entirely new contracts in place before the 2026 season begins in September, not in 2029 when the opt-out clauses would normally kick in. Negotiations have already started, with CBS and its parent company Paramount Skydance reported to be first in line.

The NFL is pushing for roughly a 50% increase over what CBS currently pays, from about $2.1 billion annually to somewhere north of $3 billion. Fox is expected to be next, with similar terms. Analysts project the new deal structure could bring the league anywhere from $10 billion to $20 billion annually across all partners.

What this means for fans

When media companies pay more for rights, they pass those costs to consumers. That's not speculation. It's how the math works. Higher rights fees mean higher subscription prices, more games moving to premium streaming tiers, and potentially more platform exclusivity as each company tries to justify what it spent.

The NFL's own media EVP Hans Schroeder has said publicly that the league intends to bring in new partners beyond its current roster, not just renew existing deals. Streaming platforms that don't currently carry live NFL games are in conversations. That could mean more platforms, more subscriptions, and more complexity for fans trying to follow their team.

Netflix is already pushing to expand from two Christmas Day games to a four-game package. YouTube, which carries NFL Sunday Ticket and exclusively streamed a Week 1 international game last season, is reportedly among the frontrunners for a new package of games freed up by ESPN's acquisition of NFL Network.

What hasn't changed yet

For the 2026 season, the current deal structure is still in effect unless new agreements are announced and take effect immediately, which is exactly what the league is pushing for. CBS still has Sunday AFC games. Fox still has Sunday NFC games. Amazon still has Thursday Night Football. Peacock still has Sunday Night Football.

Until a deal is announced, nothing changes. Our complete NFL streaming guide covers exactly what you need to watch every game this season under the current arrangement.

We're tracking this

When deals are announced, starting with CBS, then Fox, then the rest, we'll update this post with what changed, what it costs, and what fans actually need to do differently. Bookmark it or sign up for alerts and we'll let you know.

The NFL media rights cycle is the single biggest factor in how expensive and complicated it is to watch football. We exist to make sense of it. This is us watching it in real time.

Last updated April 2026. This post will be updated as new NFL broadcast deals are announced.

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