The Ultimate Guide to Watching Out-of-Market NFL Games With a VPN in 2025
For dedicated NFL fans, there are few things more frustrating than eagerly settling in to watch your team play, only to be greeted by a disappointing blackout message. Whether due to local broadcast restrictions or because you live far from your favorite squad, NFL blackouts prevent millions of fans from catching every game.
But there‘s a powerful tool that can get you back in the game: a Virtual Private Network (VPN). By masking your real location and allowing you to connect via a remote server, a VPN can convincingly make it seem like you‘re tuning in from a different city or even country. This geographic sleight of hand is the key to unlocking out-of-market NFL games that would normally be off-limits.
In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll walk you through exactly how to use a VPN to catch every touchdown from your team, no matter where you live. We‘ll also highlight the best VPN services for streaming the NFL in 2024, helping you pick the optimal provider. And for international NFL fans, we‘ll show you how to pair NFL+ with a VPN for the ultimate football viewing experience. Get ready to never miss a snap again.
How NFL Blackouts Work (and How VPNs Beat Them)
The NFL‘s broadcast rules prioritize local and national TV deals, which is great for networks and advertisers but can leave fans on the outside looking in. Each week, certain games are designated for regional broadcasts on CBS and Fox, while others are earmarked for national broadcasts on Sunday, Monday, and Thursday nights.
If you live outside your favorite team‘s designated broadcast area, you‘ll often find yourself facing a dreaded blackout, unable to watch on TV or via streaming services. Even with comprehensive packages like NFL Sunday Ticket, local games are still susceptible to blackouts to protect regional broadcast rights.
That‘s where a VPN comes in. By tunneling your internet connection through a remote server, a VPN replaces your actual IP address—which reveals your location—with one in a different region. So if you want to watch a Chicago Bears game that‘s blacked out because you‘re in Miami, you just need to connect to a VPN server in Chicago. The NFL‘s streaming platforms will then think you‘re a local Chicago viewer and lift the blackout.
It‘s a crafty bit of digital sorcery, but one that‘s essential for NFL superfans who don‘t live in their team‘s home TV market. With a VPN in your starting lineup, you can follow your squad no matter where you roam.
Step-by-Step: How to Use a VPN to Watch Out-of-Market NFL Games
Overriding NFL blackouts with a VPN is easier than you might think. Just follow these simple steps:
-
Choose a reliable VPN service with ample servers in the US. We recommend NordVPN, Surfshark, or ExpressVPN (more on them below).
-
Download and install the VPN app on your preferred streaming device, be it a smart TV, computer, phone, or tablet. The top VPNs offer apps for almost every platform.
-
Launch the VPN app and sign in with your account credentials.
-
Select a server location where your desired NFL game is being broadcast. So if you want to watch a Los Angeles Rams matchup, choose a VPN server in LA.
-
With the VPN connected, go to your favorite streaming service, such as Hulu + Live TV, fuboTV, Sling TV, YouTube TV, Paramount+, or NFL+.
-
Navigate to the NFL game you want to watch—it should now be available without any blackout restrictions!
-
Kickoff and enjoy the game, secure in the knowledge that you won‘t miss a single play.
That‘s really all there is to it. The VPN handles all the complex encryption and IP address masking behind the scenes. You just need to pick a appropriate server and then stream as you normally would. Touchdown, you!
The Best VPNs for Streaming the NFL in 2024
Not all VPNs are created equal when it comes to streaming the NFL. You need a service with robust unblocking powers, blazing speeds, and plenty of US servers to choose from. Here are our top three picks for the 2024 NFL season:
1. NordVPN
Boasting over 5,500 servers across 60 countries, including more than 1,900 in the US alone, NordVPN is a powerhouse for streaming the NFL. It reliably unblocks all the major streaming platforms, from Hulu + Live TV to fuboTV, allowing you to catch every game.
NordVPN also delivers top-tier speeds, ensuring you won‘t miss a single play to buffering, even in the highest of high definition. Plus, its user-friendly apps are available on practically every device, from Windows and Mac computers to iOS and Android mobile devices, and even smart TVs and gaming consoles.
2. Surfshark
A rising star in the VPN world, Surfshark has quickly established itself as a go-to for streaming fans. It boasts an impressive network of over 3,200 servers in 100 countries, giving you ample options for catching out-of-market NFL games.
One of Surfshark‘s standout features is that it allows for unlimited simultaneous connections. This means you and your entire household can all stream different NFL games at the same time, on as many devices as you want. And with its speedy NoBorders Mode, you can slice through geo-restrictions like a hot knife through butter.
3. ExpressVPN
A long-time leader in the VPN industry, ExpressVPN pairs elite unblocking capabilities with blistering speeds, making it a top choice for streaming the NFL. Its vast server network spans 94 countries, providing comprehensive coverage of every NFL market.
ExpressVPN also offers best-in-class security and privacy features, including robust encryption, a strict no-logs policy, and an automatic kill switch. So not only can you catch every game, but you can do so with the peace of mind that your online activity is truly private.
Whichever VPN you choose, make sure to take advantage of their money-back guarantees to test their NFL streaming prowess risk-free. If you run into any hiccups, their round-the-clock customer support is always there to get you back on the gridiron.
Using NFL+ with a VPN for Total NFL Access
Starting in 2022, the NFL rolled out its own comprehensive streaming service: NFL+. For a annual fee, NFL+ provides access to nearly every NFL game, both live and on-demand, across all your devices.
The catch? NFL+ uses your location to determine which games you can watch, subjecting viewers to the same blackout restrictions as traditional broadcast TV. But pair NFL+ with a VPN and you‘ve got a game-changing combination.
When you connect to an appropriate VPN server and then log in to NFL+, the streaming service will think you‘re in the local broadcast area for your desired game and grant you unfettered access. It‘s like having your own personal stadium, beaming in every game no matter where you are.
This is a particularly powerful setup for international NFL fans. While NFL+ is available worldwide, the international version of the service doesn‘t allow live streaming of regular season games. But with a VPN, you can spoof your location back to the US and unlock the full NFL+ experience from abroad. It‘s a Hail Mary for fans outside America.
FAQs on Watching NFL Games with a VPN
What if I‘m still getting blacked out with a VPN?
If you‘re connected to a VPN and still seeing blackouts, there are a few quick troubleshooting steps:
- Double check that your VPN is properly connected and that you‘ve selected a server in the correct location for the game you want to watch.
- Try clearing your browser cache and cookies, then refreshing the page. This ensures the streaming service picks up your new VPN-provided location.
- If issues persist, try connecting to a different VPN server in the same location, or reaching out to your VPN‘s support team for assistance.
Is it legal to use a VPN to watch the NFL?
Yes, using a VPN to watch the NFL is completely legal. However, it may go against the terms of service of some streaming platforms, which could theoretically lead to your account being suspended. But the top VPNs are very adept at flying under the radar of streaming services, making this an unlikely scenario.
How can I watch NFL games from outside the US?
If you‘re outside the US but still want to catch every NFL game, you‘ll need a combination of NFL+ and a robust VPN. Here‘s how to do it:
- Sign up for a reputable VPN service, like NordVPN, Surfshark, or ExpressVPN.
- Download the VPN app on your device and log in.
- Connect to a VPN server located in the United States.
- Subscribe to NFL+ (if you haven‘t already).
- Launch the NFL+ app or go to the NFL+ website.
- Log in and enjoy live streaming access to every NFL game, no matter where you are in the world!
The Future of NFL Streaming
As the NFL continues its march towards a streaming-centric future, VPNs will only become more essential tools for football fans. With broadcast rights fracturing across different services and platforms striking exclusive deals, catching every game will require some digital maneuvering.
But a quality VPN puts the power back in the hands of fans. By allowing you to virtually teleport to any stadium in the league, a VPN ensures you‘ll never miss a game-winning drive or overtime thriller just because of where you live.
So whether you‘re a displaced fan living far from your hometown team, or an international supporter eager to tune into America‘s game, a VPN is your ticket to NFL nirvana. Suit up with one of our recommended providers and get ready for a front-row seat to every explosive play and dramatic finish, all season long. The future of football is here—and with a VPN, it‘s available at the click of a button.
