How to Watch AFL in the USA in 2026

There are a lot of us sitting in apartments across the US on a Friday night, wondering how to watch the footy. We get together all over the country for the Grand Final, but what about the rest of the season?

You’ve got two proper options: FOX Sports on TV, and Watch AFL for streaming. Here’s how each works, what it costs, and which one makes sense for you.

Prices last checked September 21, 2026.

Option 1: FOX Sports (FS1, FS2 and FOX One)

FOX Sports is the AFL’s official US broadcast partner for 2026. Matches go out on FS1 and FS2. This year’s preliminary finals, for example, aired on FS2 and FS1.

If you have cable, check your listings. For a game-by-game US TV guide, AFANA’s schedule has been tracking AFL on American television since 1996. Thanks to Wade in the comments for that one.

If you don’t have cable, there are a few ways to get FS1 and FS2:

• FOX One streams both channels for $19.99 a month or $199.99 a year, with a three-day free trial.
• YouTube TV, Fubo and Sling all carry FS1 and FS2 as part of their packages.

FOX is a good fit if you already pay for one of these services, or you mainly want the big games on a big screen.

Option 2: Watch AFL (every game, streamed)

Watch AFL is the AFL’s own international streaming service. It streams every game live and on demand, with replays and downloads for watching offline.

It works on your phone, tablet and computer. To get it on your TV, you can cast it with Chromecast or AirPlay. That’s also the answer for anyone who asked about Roku: cast from your phone.

There’s also a hide-scores setting. If you’re watching a replay the next morning, turn it on before you open the app.

As of September 2026, prices from the US are:

• Weekly: US$26
• Finals Pass: US$72
• 12 months: US$182

All three renew automatically, so cancel if you only want one round. When only a round or two is left, the weekly pass is the cheapest way in. For a full season, the 12-month subscription is the better value.

Watch AFL can be bought from anywhere, but it only works outside Australia. If you’re back home for a visit, it won’t stream.

If you run a bar and want to show games, you need Watch AFL’s separate business subscription. A personal account doesn’t cover a venue.

Sign up to Watch AFL

Which one should you choose?

Choose Watch AFL if you want every game, if you follow one club closely, or if you watch replays. It’s built for AFL fans, and it streams every game.

Choose FOX if you already have cable or a streaming TV service, and you mostly watch the headline games.

You can also use both: FOX for the big games on TV, and Watch AFL for everything else.

Can you watch AFL for free in the USA?

No. There’s no free, legal way to stream AFL live in the US.

The closest you’ll get is a free trial. FOX One, YouTube TV and Fubo all offer them, which can cover a single big game.

Channel 7’s free 7plus service is only available in Australia, so it won’t work from here.

Watching the AFL Grand Final in the USA

The 2026 Grand Final is Brisbane vs Fremantle, at 9:30pm Pacific on Friday, September 25. That’s 12:30am Eastern on Saturday. It’ll be on FS1 or FS2, and on Watch AFL.

It’s also the one game a year worth watching in a room full of Australians. There are 26 watch parties across the country this year, most run by local footy clubs. See the full list of 2026 AFL Grand Final watch parties across the USA.

Watching with other Australians

For the rest of the year, your best bet is your local USAFL club. There are clubs in dozens of US cities. Find yours on the USAFL club list, and ask where they watch.

Aussie Watch Party lists watch parties for big games, for AFL, NRL and more.

If rugby league is more your thing, we’ve got a separate guide to watching the NRL in America.

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