Safe and legal Streameast alternatives to get you through the NFL and college football seasons

It’s been an entire sports calendar year since Streameast, once the world’s largest, illegal live sports streaming network, was shutdown.

Yet searches for Streameast, which had millions of users across the globe, have spiked since the start of the NFL and college football seasons.

Through its 80 associated domains, Streameast logged more than 1.6 billion visits before its 2025 shutdown, according to The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment, the world’s leading anti-piracy coalition. In July, two operators of the illegal streaming service were found guilty of copyright infringement and each sentenced to two years of imprisonment.

If you are looking for safe and legal streaming options to get you through the football season, we’ve compiled a helpful guide below.

Best legal Streameast alternatives for football fans

Fubo

Fubo is a great option for sports-first households and includes a five-day free trial so you can decide if the streaming service is best for you.

You can watch college football and NFL games on a variety of channels, including ESPN, ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, FS1 and more.

DIRECTV

DIRECTV also offers a five-day, free trial to explore everything the streaming service has to offer. You’ll have access to ESPN networks, regional sports and local channels.

You can also try the DIRECTV MySports Genre Pack, which includes ESPN, NFL Network, FS1, TNT, Big Ten Network and more.

Sling TV

If you have a specific game circled on the NFL or college football calendar that happens to air on ESPN, then the Sling Orange Day Pass is a great option.

A one-day Sling Orage Day Pass costs just $4.99. You can also sign up for a 3-day, 7-day or monthly plan.

Sling has a variety of affordable options, including the Sling Select package, starting at $20 a month, which includes the NFL Network.

YouTube TV

YouTube TV is the exclusive home of NFL Sunday ticket, which broadcasts out-of-market, regular season Sunday afternoon games.

The streaming service also offers an unlimited DVR.

Hulu + Live TV

A Hulu + Live TV plan allows you to watch live sporting events and more, including unlimited DVR. You can sign up for a three-day trial of Hulu (With Ads) + Live TV here.

You can also save with a Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited bundle, starting at $40 per month which gives you access to all of ESPN’s networks.

Can you watch football for free legally?

Yes, there are several ways to watch football games for free legally, though there aren’t any options available that will get you every game throughout an entire season.

You can take advantage of free trials when available in addition to any new promotional offers that may pop up over time:

How to get Peacock for 30 days for just $1

A current promotional offer would allow you to stream any college football and NFL games that air on Peacock for just $1 for 30 days.

Pick up an OTA antenna

You can also make a one-time investment in an indoor antenna to watch games that air on your local affiliate networks like ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC.

Which streaming service is best for NFL games?

Several streaming services have added benefits when it comes to watching NFL games, but we’ve listed some of the best streaming options when it comes to both the day of the week and the time of day.

Which streaming service is best for college football?

Avid college football fans know that when it comes to watching their favorite teams, streaming channels tend to be all over the place. But if your team often competes on both ESPN networks and the ACC or SEC Network, an ESPN Unlimited Plan is the best bang for your buck