NFL Thanksgiving football games 2026: schedule, times, How to watch
The NFL Thanksgiving Day games are one of the league’s longest-running holiday traditions, dating back to 1920. Each season, football fans gather on Thanksgiving to watch a special slate of regular-season matchups. In the 2026 NFL season, the Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys, and Buffalo Bills will host the Thanksgiving Day games.
Three games will be played on Thursday, November 25, 2026. The first of three games will begin at 1:00 p.m. ET. The Chicago Bears will host the Detroit Lions in the first game, The Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys in the second, and the Kansas City Chiefs play against the Buffalo Bills in the third and final game.
Here’s the 2026 NFL thanksgiving games TV schedule with start times, channels, locations, how to watch or stream all three NFL thanksgiving football games online, and more.
When are the 2026 NFL games on Thanksgiving?
The NFL on thanksgiving football games 2026 takes place on Thursday, November 26.
What NFL football teams are playing on Thanksgiving Games 2026?
The 2026 NFL teams playing on Thanksgiving Day are Bears, Lions, Eagles, Cowboys, Chiefs, and Bills.
Thanksgiving NFL Games Schedule 2026
- Bears at Lions (1:00 p.m. ET on CBS)
- Eagles at Cowboys (4:30 p.m. ET on FOX)
- Chiefs at Bills (8:20 p.m. ET on NBC)
How to watch the 2026 NFL Thanksgiving games live online?
All three Thanksgiving football games in 2026 can be watched live stream online with an active subscription to Hulu + Live TV, fuboTV, YouTube TV, or DIRECTV STREAM.
Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, and fuboTV offer free trials for subscribers.
Bears vs Lions: With a valid cable login, watch on the CBS website or CBS app. You can also stream via Paramount+. Paramount+ plans: Essential at $4.99/month or $49.99/year, and Paramount+ with SHOWTIME at $12.99/month or $119.99/year.
Eagles vs Cowboys: With a valid cable login, watch on FOX, the FOX website, or the FOX Sports app.
Chiefs vs Bills: Watch on the NBC website, Peacock Premium, NBC Sports app, NBC Sports website, or the NBC app.
History of the NFL Thanksgiving Day games
The Thanksgiving Day concept began in the NFL in 1876. Eighteen years after the NFL league’s inception and teams have regularly played thanksgiving games. The first Thanksgiving match between the Buffalo Prospects and the Rochester Jeffersons was a scoreless draw, and a rematch is scheduled for next Sunday for the league championship.
The Lions started the tradition of the Thanksgiving game in 1935, and games were also played by the American Football League and All-America Football Conference later. The Dallas Cowboys hosted their first Thanksgiving games in 1966, six years after their founding, and they started regularly hosting in 1978. The cowboys and Lions have hosted Thanksgiving games every year since 1978.
The Dallas will air in the late afternoon, while Detroit will air in the early hour, to ensure that the that both the AFC and the NFC get one game each at least. The third game has been played in primetime Since 2006. As a part of its Thursday Night Football package, it streams the NFL Network.
In 2020 primetime game was postponed after several Baltimore players tested positive for COVID-19. As a result, a primetime game was canceled for the first time since 2005.
Who won the 2025 NFL Thanksgiving games?
The Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys, and Cincinnati Bengals all picked up wins in the 2025 NFL Thanksgiving Day games.
Green Bay beat Detroit 31-24 behind a strong performance from Jordan Love, who threw four touchdown passes.
Dallas edged Kansas City 31-28, holding on despite two late touchdown passes from Patrick Mahomes.
Cincinnati pulled off a 32-14 upset over Baltimore, with Joe Burrow leading the Bengals with two touchdown passes in the second half.
