Can You Watch NFL Games in Canada?
When it comes to sports, nothing beats NFL games. Watching those games at home or on the big screen with friends and family is a wonderful experience! Unfortunately for us Canadians, the question of can you watch NFL games in Canada is a tricky one.
First and foremost, the NFL and major networks keep a strong grip on broadcasting rights within America and overseas, making it tough for us Canucks to get our American football fix. Out of desperation, we hunt down any and all means to streaming those games live or get a glimpse of an archived game… and whether it’s legal or not depends on the means.
For one thing, American sports coverage is really hard to find in the Canadian market. Even if the game (or maybe just the highlights) does make it across the border, the networks they air on are usually exclusive. And of course, everything is in English so those of us who don’t speak it have to depend on other means of watching.
The good news is, in the era of the information superhighway, there’s always a back door. Ultimately, the only way to know for sure if a particular game or broadcast will be made available for viewing in Canada is if you do your research. Depending on your cable setup, many of the main pay-TV services for NFL games are not accessible in Canada. Services like DirectTV or ESPN are only available to U.S. customers.
So what options do Canadians have? Well, the answer is mixed — much of the coverage will depend on your cable provider and probably involves some extra fees or extra hardware. Some popular choices include Yahoo Sports, FuboTV, or DAZN. Services such as these have special agreements in place that allow streaming both live and archived games to you.
In addition, some Canadian networks also hold broadcast rights such as TSN, which will occasionally air games of the most popular NFL teams — the Vancouver Canucks, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, the Calgary Stampeders and Montreal Alouettes. Plus there’s Sunday Night Football on Global TV.
I’ve heard of some people who get creative and set up Virtual Private Network (VPN) networks to access restricted game coverage from U.S. networks, but that’s a risk I’m personally not willing to take.
At the end of the day, we all have our preferred gaming and sports media setup, however, getting that access to NFL games in Canada is a little trickier. With a bit of determination and research, most viewers will eventually find some way to access NFL games in Canada.
So, if you’re desperate enough, there are ways. You could try searching for US satellite networks that are available in your area. Or subscribe to a streaming service that provides NFL games. Or, you could always find a way to get coverage of the game on international sports websites, even if you have to pay a small fee. There’s always good old YouTube, too, which may or may not have archived games available to view.
Then, there’s always the possibility of watching the game on a sports bar or restaurant. The downside is you’re not surrounded by friends and family in the comfort of your own home. But on the bright side, at least the food and drinks tend to be top notch!
Finally, you could also consider subscribing to an online NFL streaming service such as NFL Sunday Ticket. This service allows you to watch live out-of-market games from anywhere, whenever, on any device. It does come with a substantial price tag but, if you’re an NFL lover like me, it may well be worth it.