Best Streaming Services for Sports 2026: ESPN+, DAZN, Peacock and More Compared

Sports broadcasting has undergone a seismic transformation in 2026. The traditional cable sports bundle — the model that built ESPN into a $20+ billion business — has accelerated its collapse as cord-cutting reaches a critical mass and the major sports leagues negotiate increasingly platform-diverse media rights deals. Today, if you want to watch every major sport without cable, you need to navigate a fragmented landscape of streaming services, each holding exclusive rights to specific leagues, sports, or events. The good news is that the streaming sports ecosystem has matured considerably, and with the right combination of services, you can watch virtually every sport at a lower total cost than a full cable package.

This guide breaks down every major sports streaming service in 2026 — what sports they carry, what they cost, their streaming quality, and how to build the most cost-effective combination for your specific sports interests.

The State of Sports Streaming in 2026

The fragmentation of sports rights across streaming platforms has been the defining media story of recent years. The NFL’s Sunday Ticket moved to YouTube TV/YouTube Primetime Channels. Amazon Prime Video secured Thursday Night Football. Apple TV+ has MLS Season Pass for all Major League Soccer matches. ESPN+, ESPN’s standalone streaming service, now holds rights to a significant portion of college sports, some international soccer, UFC fights, and a rotating roster of other sports. Meanwhile, traditional broadcasters like NBC (Peacock), CBS (Paramount+), and Fox maintain streaming arms with their respective sports rights.

In 2026, no single streaming service provides comprehensive sports coverage — but the right combination can get you very close. The challenge for consumers is understanding which service holds the rights to the sports they care about and avoiding paying for services that duplicate coverage they already have.

ESPN+: Best for College Sports and UFC

ESPN+ is Disney’s standalone sports streaming service, distinct from the broader ESPN cable channel. In 2026, ESPN+ holds exclusive streaming rights to a substantial volume of sports content including select out-of-market MLB games, NHL games, and college sports across multiple conferences. Its most compelling exclusives in 2026 are UFC Pay-Per-View events and live fights (UFC on ESPN+), Top Rank Boxing, a significant volume of international soccer including Bundesliga and LaLiga matches, and College Football and Basketball across the ACC, SEC, Big 12, and other conferences (supplementing what is available on broadcast ESPN).

ESPN+ costs approximately $11.99/month as a standalone service in 2026, making it one of the more affordable dedicated sports services. It also forms part of Disney’s bundle (Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+), which at approximately $24.99/month provides substantial value for households that also use Disney+ or Hulu for entertainment content. The main limitation of ESPN+ is that it does not carry live NFL games (those are on broadcast ESPN, which requires cable or a live TV streaming service like YouTube TV or Hulu with Live TV) or NBA games. For fans of combat sports, college athletics, and European soccer, ESPN+ is close to essential.

DAZN: Best for Boxing and International Football

DAZN is a global sports streaming platform whose North American offering is primarily focused on boxing and MMA, but which holds broader rights in other markets. In the United States and Canada in 2026, DAZN’s primary value proposition is live boxing, including a significant roster of championship fights across multiple weight classes and promotions. DAZN Canada is more comprehensive, carrying NFL Game Pass (for out-of-market NFL content), some Champions League coverage, and additional soccer content.

DAZN’s pricing varies by market and has been restructured multiple times — in 2026, US monthly pricing is approximately $19.99/month with an annual option at a reduced rate. The quality of DAZN’s streaming delivery has improved significantly, with reliable 1080p60 output for major fight events and solid multi-platform support. For boxing fans, DAZN is often non-negotiable given its exclusive rights to major promotions. For casual sports fans, it is too specialized to justify as a primary sports service.

Peacock: Best for Premier League and NBC Sports

Peacock, NBCUniversal’s streaming platform, is the home of NBC’s sports rights in 2026. Its most valuable sports exclusive for US audiences is the Premier League — Peacock carries exclusive live streaming rights to select EPL matches not on NBC broadcast, plus a comprehensive replay library. For Premier League fans, Peacock is mandatory viewing. Beyond soccer, Peacock carries Sunday Night Football (NFL), the Olympics (when NBC holds rights), NASCAR Cup Series coverage, and some Big Ten conference sports content through its NBC Sports studio.

Peacock Premium costs approximately $7.99/month, making it one of the most affordable premium sports streaming services. The NFL Sunday Night Football coverage alone makes it worthwhile for NFL fans who do not have cable, since Sunday Night Football is one of the most-watched broadcasts each week. For the value-to-content ratio, Peacock is one of the strongest sports streaming propositions in 2026, particularly for soccer and NFL fans.

Paramount+: Best for Champions League and NFL on CBS

Paramount+ carries CBS Sports’ broadcasting rights in streaming form, which makes it particularly valuable for two categories of sports fan. Champions League fans in the US: Paramount+ holds exclusive streaming rights to UEFA Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League matches in the United States — the most prestigious club soccer competition in the world is a Paramount+ exclusive. NFL fans: Paramount+ streams live AFC playoff games and Super Bowl coverage when CBS holds the broadcast rights (which alternates annually). Additionally, CBS Sports golf coverage (including some PGA Tour events), college football, and the NFL on CBS regular season are available through the platform.

Paramount+ with Showtime runs approximately $11.99/month in 2026. For Champions League fans, this is a non-negotiable subscription for eight months of the year. Combined with Peacock for Premier League, you can get comprehensive soccer coverage for under $20/month combined — a remarkable value compared to what cable packages charged for equivalent sports access even five years ago.

Apple TV+ MLS Season Pass: Best for Major League Soccer

Apple TV+’s MLS Season Pass is one of the most significant structural changes in American soccer broadcasting. The deal — a 10-year, $2.5 billion partnership announced in 2022 — gives Apple exclusive rights to every MLS match, with no local blackouts and availability globally. Season Pass costs approximately $14.99/month (or $99/year) on top of Apple TV+ subscription, or is included in Apple One Premier bundles. For MLS fans, this is the only place to watch their team — there are no alternative streaming options or cable broadcasts. The production quality of MLS broadcasts on Apple TV+ has been praised, and the platform offers multiple language options and tactical camera angles for dedicated fans.

YouTube TV and Hulu with Live TV: Best for Comprehensive Sports Coverage

For fans who want comprehensive sports coverage equivalent to a full cable sports package without the cable contract, live TV streaming services are the solution. YouTube TV ($72.99/month in 2026) and Hulu with Live TV ($82.99/month) include all major broadcast and cable sports channels: ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, FS2, NBC Sports, CBS Sports, TNT, TBS, and the local broadcast networks in most markets. Both services also include regional sports networks (RSNs) in select markets, though RSN availability remains inconsistent due to ongoing carriage disputes.

The total cost of a live TV streaming service is higher than individual sport-specific streaming services, but for fans who watch multiple sports across multiple leagues and want a cable-equivalent experience with DVR functionality and consistent access, they represent strong value compared to traditional cable packages that cost $100-$150+/month for equivalent sports content.

Sports Streaming Service Comparison

• ESPN+ — $11.99/mo — UFC, college sports, international soccer, select NHL/MLB — Best for: UFC fans, college sports fans
• DAZN — $19.99/mo (US) — Boxing, MMA — Best for: boxing fans
• Peacock — $7.99/mo — Premier League, NFL Sunday Night, Olympics — Best for: EPL fans, NFL supplemental coverage
• Paramount+ — $11.99/mo — Champions League, NFL on CBS, UEFA tournaments — Best for: Champions League fans, NFL AFC viewers
• Apple TV+ MLS Season Pass — $14.99/mo — All MLS matches — Best for: MLS fans only
• Amazon Prime Video — $14.99/mo (Prime) — NFL Thursday Night Football, some tennis and rugby — Best for: TNF viewers
• YouTube TV — $72.99/mo — All major sports channels, broadcast + cable — Best for: comprehensive coverage, replacing cable

Building the Right Sports Streaming Stack

The optimal combination of services depends entirely on which sports you follow. An NFL fan who also watches Premier League and Champions League needs Peacock ($7.99), Paramount+ ($11.99), and Amazon Prime (which they may already have) — approximately $20-34/month total for comprehensive football and soccer coverage. A UFC/boxing fan needs ESPN+ and DAZN — approximately $32/month. A general sports fan who wants comprehensive multi-sport coverage including cable channels is best served by YouTube TV or Hulu with Live TV at $73-83/month, supplemented by specific add-ons for any sports those services do not include.

Also consider sports-specific annual subscriptions: NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube TV ($449/season) for out-of-market NFL games, NHL.TV for out-of-market hockey, and NBA League Pass for out-of-market basketball. These are most valuable for fans who follow a team that plays in a different market than where they live.

Conclusion

Sports streaming in 2026 has matured to the point where cable is genuinely optional for most sports fans — but navigating the fragmented rights landscape requires research and planning. The key is identifying the two or three sports you care most about, finding the services that exclusively hold those rights, and evaluating whether a live TV streaming service is more cost-effective given the breadth of sports you watch. For most fans, a combination of one or two sport-specific streaming services plus a live TV streaming service delivers complete coverage at a lower monthly cost than a traditional cable sports package.