How to watch NFL Kickoff: Live stream Ravens vs. Chiefs football tonight

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After several weeks of preseason, the NFL season officially kicks off tonight with a game between the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs. Below, we've compiled everything you need to know about how to watch the NFL Kickoff, whether you have cable or are looking for a live streaming option.

Tonight's match-up will serve as a repeat of January's AFC Championship game, which saw the Kansas City Chiefs beat out the Baltimore Ravens 17-10, sending the Chiefs to the Super Bowl, which they went on to win for the second year in a row. The game will take place at the Chiefs' Arrowhead Stadium in Missouri, where Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce will attempt to lead their team to victory again this season. Although tonight is Thursday, the game doesn't air on the usual Thursday Night Football platform, so we've outlined everything you need to know about tuning in to the national broadcast, including several live streaming options.

The methods we highlight will also help you out for Sunday Night Football games, but you might need to add a streaming service or two to catch the rest of the season. Fortunately, you can find everything you need to know about how to watch NFL games in our comprehensive streaming guide. And don't forget to check out our best sports streaming services roundup, which includes almost every option we're recommending to you today. 

• See also: How to watch Sunday Night Football | How to watch Thursday Night Football | How to watch college football

How to watch NFL Kickoff in the US

The Ravens vs. Chiefs game will kick off on Thursday, September 5, at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC in the US. Coverage starts at 7 p.m. ET. If you don't have cable or a good antenna, there are several solid live streaming options that you can check out today, including Peacock, Sling TV, and Fubo.

The cheapest option will be Peacock, which offers on-demand TV and movies, along with live streams of NFL on NBC. Subscriptions start at $7.99/month or $79.99/year, but for a limited time only, you can get your first four months for $4.99/month using the promo code TGIF at checkout. This means you can catch almost all of Sunday Night Football this season for about $20. We have all the info in our best streaming deals and bundles guide. To live stream NBC beyond the NFL and unlock ad-free on-demand content, you can upgrade to Peacock Premium Plus for $13.99/month or $139.99/year.

Another way to live stream NBC is through a live TV package, like Sling TV or Fubo TV. Both options are solid cable alternatives with different perks. At $40/month, Sling is the cheaper option. Right now, you can get your first month for just $15. You'll need to subscribe to the Sling Blue plan for local channels, but the streaming service's local channel (including NBC) coverage is selective, so you should look up your zip code before subscribing to ensure that you're in one of the many regions that can live stream NBC.

Fubo is one of the most sports-friendly, all-encompassing cable alternatives, with over 180 channels (including broad NBC coverage) in its lineup. The service costs $79.99/month, but new customers can get a free one-week trial. Fubo carries several other necessary NFL channels to help you watch the league this season, including CBS, ESPN, FOX, NFL Network, and more.

You can also catch the game through NFL+, where subscriptions range from $6.99/month to $14.99/month. However, you can only watch the game through mobile devices since local and primetime games aren't available on TV through the app (just NFL Network games).

How to watch NFL Kickoff in the UK & other countries

NFL fans in the UK and several other countries outside the US and China can access the Ravens vs. Chiefs game with DAZN's NFL Game Pass. In addition to the NFL Kickoff game, the streaming service will offer coverage of every game in the 2024—2025 season in one place. Subscription prices vary depending on which region you're based in, but a UK subscription goes for £15.99/month in a 12-month contract. You can also get a no-commitment week-to-week contract for £14.99/week. 

How to watch NFL Kickoff from anywhere

If you'll be traveling away from home during the kickoff, you can still keep up with the game on your subscription services with the help of a VPN. Short for virtual private networks, VPNs let you temporarily change your device's virtual location so that you can still use your usual websites and apps from anywhere, even while abroad. This option will work best for those simply traveling away from home since the services we've outlined require country-specific payment methods.

ExpressVPN is our go-to VPN recommendation. It's easy to use and has a hassle-free 30-day money-back guarantee. Check out our ExpressVPN review for a full breakdown of the app, and keep reading to learn how to use a VPN.

How to watch NFL Kickoff with a VPN

• Sign up for a VPN if you don't have one.
• Install it on the device you're using to watch the game.
• Turn it on and set it to your streaming service's home location.
• If you don't already have an account, sign up for one of the above streaming services using a local payment method.
• Enjoy the game.

Note: The use of VPNs is illegal in certain countries, and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.