NFL Christmas Games Stream Live on Netflix, Prime

Christmas football is streaming again this year and is easier to watch live than ever. With the NFL’s holiday slate divided between Netflix and Prime Video, cord cutters can watch every snap without a cable login. Here’s how to find the games, what plans you need, and a couple of pro tips for avoiding buffering when your friends move the party from the tree to the TV.

Where to watch the NFL Christmas games and streams

Netflix has the exclusive worldwide streaming rights for Christmas Day NFL games via a three-year deal with the league. That guarantees at least one holiday game per year on Netflix and, when the calendar falls on a standard NFL day, a multi-game slate.

When Christmas falls on a Thursday, Amazon’s Prime Video simulcasts an extra primetime game as part of the Thursday Night Football package. An afternoon window (Netflix), a late afternoon window (Netflix), and a primetime window (Prime Video) create an all-day lineup.

How to find the games quickly: On Netflix, open the app and you will see a row that says “Live & Upcoming” or “Sports.” You can also search using the term “NFL.” On Prime Video, find “Thursday Night Football,” and select the main feed or an alternate broadcast like Prime Vision with Next Gen Stats for additional overlays.

What plans and devices you need for Netflix and Prime

Netflix: Live NFL streaming is included in current Netflix plans in supported regions. Live events are supported on Standard with ads (up to two screens, 1080p), Standard (two screens, 1080p), and Premium (four screens, up to 4K HDR). 4K is only available through Premium. Live events from Netflix generally may feature ad breaks, according to Netflix.

Prime Video: TNF is included with your Amazon Prime membership and available through Prime Video in various markets. The ad-free upgrade to Prime Video is optional and does not remove ads from live sports, according to Amazon’s policy.

Devices: The services both work on most recent smart TVs, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation, and Xbox as well as many of the popular mobile devices. Make sure your apps and firmware are updated before kickoff to avoid login prompts or version errors.

Antenna and local broadcast options for in-market fans

In-market fans aren’t chained to streaming. Standard NFL rules dictate that the home markets of the teams playing in a primetime game must be allowed a free over-the-air simulcast on a local broadcast station. If you are in one of those markets, a cheap HD antenna from Amazon for about $25 or less connected to your TV will bring in the game in full 1080p high definition.

Traveling or just at the edge of coverage? Use the DTV reception map, or a station finder by ZIP code from your local broadcaster. Indoor flat antennas function in many urban areas; amplified or outdoor models can assist in fringe reception areas.

NFL Plus and the mobile-viewing option explained

NFL+ provides live mobile and tablet broadcasts of nationally televised games, which usually include holiday contests in the United States. It’s a convenient, just-in-case safety net if you’re away from a TV. NFL+ is not available on TV-connected devices and features vary by tier.

Fix video quality and buffering for live NFL streams

Bandwidth is even more important during holidays when everyone’s streaming under one roof. The help pages for Netflix recommend at least 5 Mbps for HD quality and 15 Mbps for 4K; Amazon says the same when it comes to stable 1080p. If you can, connect your streaming device directly to the internet with an Ethernet cable or consider placing your router in the room where you watch TV.

To reduce lag: close any background downloads, pause other 4K streams on the same network, and turn motion settings off on your TV for live sports. Streaming usually lags behind cable by 20–60 seconds, so you might not want to enable push alerts if you are super spoiler-sensitive.

International viewing options for Netflix and Prime Video

Netflix said that the games would stream in nearly all countries where Netflix was available, which makes this one of the most geographically accessible events in the NFL calendar. For those markets with Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football rights, the TNF primetime game will stream live on the Prime Video app.

Outside of the United States, DAZN’s NFL Game Pass International is still the league’s full out-of-market option in most territories, but Netflix’s holiday rights take precedence for this specific slate of games. Availability may differ by region due to local licensing.

Why It Matters to Stream the Holiday Slate

The NFL’s Christmas slate helps crystallize a bigger move in that direction. Nielsen’s The Gauge has consistently measured streaming at more than 30% of the country’s aggregate TV use, and Amazon’s offering for Thursday Night Football resulted in younger median ages than legacy TV packages. Putting the marquee holiday lineup on Netflix and Prime Video puts the sport where audiences already are.

For sports bars and similar large venues, a commercial distribution system is struck (often with someone like DirecTV for Business in the U.S.) so that you can get the public viewing experience while patrons stream at home. For everybody else, all you need is a modern TV, a good internet connection, and the right app to have Christmas football as the main course of your evening.

Quick checklist before kickoff to avoid streaming issues

• Make sure that the Netflix and Prime Video apps are current on your streaming device.
• Make sure your plan tier allows for the quality you want (4K is available on Premium plans from Netflix).
• If the show is in 3-D or high-def, make sure your internet service can stream it; each service recommends at least 15 Mbps+ for a 4K image and 5 Mbps+ for HD.
• If you are in a market for a participating team, install an HD antenna as a backup option that is free of any lag.
• Get in early and employ “Watch From Beginning” or “DVR-style” controls if you join late.