What NFL Sunday Ticket is and who can get it
NFL Sunday Ticket is a subscription service that lets you watch out-of-market NFL games on Sunday afternoons. If you live outside the home team's broadcast area, your local TV station shows only one or two games each Sunday — usually your regional team and one national matchup. Sunday Ticket fills that gap by showing all the other games happening that day.
As of 2024, YouTube TV and YouTube's standalone app are the only places to buy Sunday Ticket. You do not need cable or a YouTube TV subscription to purchase it on its own, though YouTube TV subscribers get a discount. The service is available to people in the United States, and availability in other countries depends on local broadcasting rights.
You must have a valid U.S. address to set up an account. YouTube verifies your address during signup. If you move during the season, you can update your address in your account settings.
Key Takeaways
- Sunday Ticket costs between $400 and $500 per season depending on whether you subscribe to YouTube TV, and the price changes each year.
- The service shows all out-of-market games on Sunday afternoons, but does not include Monday Night Football, Thursday Night Football, or playoff games on other networks.
- You can watch on phones, tablets, computers, and some smart TVs, but streaming quality and device support depend on your internet connection and which app you use.
- YouTube TV subscribers receive a discount on Sunday Ticket, and both services offer free trial periods that may or may not overlap.
- You can cancel at any time during the season, and refunds depend on when you cancel relative to the billing cycle.
Pricing and billing cycles
Sunday Ticket pricing changes each season. For the 2024 season, the standalone subscription (without YouTube TV) costs around $499 for the full season, and YouTube TV subscribers pay a lower rate. YouTube typically announces pricing for the upcoming season in the spring.
The service bills you upfront for the entire season rather than month to month. The season runs from early September through early January, covering all regular-season games and some playoff games. If you sign up after the season starts, YouTube charges a prorated amount based on how many weeks remain.
Payment is charged to the credit card or payment method on file in your YouTube account. You can update your payment method in your account settings at any time.
What games and content are included
Sunday Ticket shows all NFL games broadcast on Sunday afternoons in your market, except the one or two games your local station already shows. This means you see games from every team, not just your favorite, as long as they are not the local broadcast.
The service does not include Monday Night Football (ESPN), Thursday Night Football (Amazon Prime Video and other networks), or Sunday Night Football (NBC). It also does not include playoff games that air on CBS, Fox, or other networks — only playoff games that would normally air on Sunday afternoon in your region.
Sunday Ticket includes the RedZone channel, which cuts between games to show scoring plays and key moments across all games at once. This is useful if you want to follow multiple teams in a single afternoon.
Devices and streaming quality
You can watch Sunday Ticket on phones and tablets running iOS or Android, computers running Windows or Mac, and select smart TVs including Samsung, LG, and Roku devices. YouTube maintains a full list of compatible devices on its website.
Streaming quality depends on your internet connection. YouTube recommends at least 5 Mbps for HD video and 25 Mbps for 4K video. If your connection is slower, the app will automatically lower the quality to prevent buffering. You can also manually adjust quality settings in the app.
You can watch on multiple devices at the same time if you are logged into the same YouTube account, though simultaneous streams may be limited depending on your subscription type. Check YouTube's terms for current limits.
Trial periods and cancellation
YouTube offers a free trial period for Sunday Ticket, though the length and terms change each season. In recent years, the trial has lasted one week. You must provide a payment method to start the trial, and YouTube will charge you if you do not cancel before the trial ends.
You can cancel Sunday Ticket at any time through your YouTube account settings. Cancellation takes effect immediately, and you lose access to the service right away. Refunds are not automatic — YouTube's refund policy depends on when you cancel relative to your billing date and your reason for canceling. Contact YouTube support if you believe you are may have access to to a refund.
If you also have a YouTube TV subscription, canceling Sunday Ticket does not cancel YouTube TV, and vice versa. The two subscriptions are separate and bill independently.
Comparing Sunday Ticket to other ways to watch
If you have cable or satellite TV, your provider may offer NFL RedZone as an add-on channel, which costs less than Sunday Ticket but shows only highlights and key plays, not full games. Some cable packages include RedZone at no extra cost.
YouTube TV itself includes some out-of-market games depending on your location and the time of year, but it does not include all Sunday afternoon games the way Sunday Ticket does. If you already pay for YouTube TV for other channels, adding Sunday Ticket may cost less than buying it standalone.
Local broadcast stations show one or two games free each Sunday, and some games air on national networks (ESPN, Amazon Prime Video, NBC) that you may already subscribe to. Sunday Ticket is most useful if you want to watch multiple teams or follow a team that rarely gets local broadcast coverage in your area.
Technical issues and customer support
If you experience buffering, freezing, or picture quality problems, first check your internet speed using a speed test tool. If your connection meets YouTube's minimum requirements, try restarting the app or your device. Clear the app cache in your device settings and try again.
If the problem persists, contact YouTube support through your account settings. YouTube offers chat and email support, though response times vary. You can also check YouTube's status page to see if there are known outages affecting the service in your area.
For billing problems, payment failures, or refund requests, YouTube support can review your account and transaction history. Keep records of your purchase confirmation and any communications with YouTube in case you need to dispute a charge with your credit card company.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I watch Sunday Ticket outside the United States?
Sunday Ticket is only sold in the United States. If you are outside the U.S., you cannot purchase it through YouTube. Some countries have their own NFL streaming services or broadcast agreements, so check what is available in your location.
Do I need YouTube TV to buy Sunday Ticket?
No. You can buy Sunday Ticket as a standalone subscription without YouTube TV. YouTube TV subscribers receive a discount, but the service works independently. You can have one without the other.
What happens to my Sunday Ticket if I move during the season?
Update your address in your YouTube account settings as soon as you move. The games you see may change based on your new location's broadcast market. YouTube uses your address to determine which games are considered local in your area.
Can I share my Sunday Ticket subscription with family members?
You can watch on multiple devices logged into the same YouTube account, so people in your household can watch simultaneously on different devices. YouTube's terms limit account sharing to your household. Sharing login credentials with people outside your home may violate the terms of service.
What if I only want to watch a few games, not the whole season?
Sunday Ticket is sold as a full-season subscription only. You cannot purchase it for individual games or weeks. However, you can cancel anytime and receive a prorated refund based on the remaining weeks in the season, depending on YouTube's refund policy at the time.