In a historic first for sports broadcasting, YouTube will stream the National Football League’s Week 1 matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers for free on Friday, September 5, 2025, the company announced on Tuesday.
The game, which will take place in São Paulo, marks the NFL’s first regular season opener in Brazil and the first time a complete NFL game will be broadcast for free globally on YouTube.
Unprecedented Global Access
The livestream will be available to users on both YouTube and YouTube TV across the world, with the exception of Canada and select restricted regions. Additionally, fans in the Kansas City and Los Angeles markets will be able to watch the game on traditional local broadcasts.
“Streaming the Friday night game to fans for free around the world will mark YouTube’s first time as a live NFL broadcaster,” said Mary Ellen Coe, Chief Business Officer at YouTube. “We’ll do it in a way that only YouTube can — with an interactive viewing experience and creators at the center of it.”
Digital Innovation Meets Football Tradition
According to YouTube, over 350 million hours of official NFL content were consumed on the platform in the past year, demonstrating the growing convergence between traditional sports and digital streaming ecosystems. This initiative underscores the NFL’s strategy to expand its reach through tech partnerships and non-traditional broadcast formats.
YouTube currently holds exclusive rights to NFL Sunday Ticket, the league’s out-of-market games package, which is available via subscription. Sunday Ticket costs $480 annually for non-YouTube TV users and $378 for subscribers. However, this Week 1 game will be accessible for free, offering broad exposure and potentially boosting subscription interest ahead of the regular season.
NFL Expands Global Footprint
The decision to host the game in Brazil aligns with the NFL’s broader effort to strengthen its international presence, particularly in South America. The matchup between the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and division rival Los Angeles Chargers is expected to draw massive viewership and live attendance.
The game will also showcase some of the league’s top talent, including Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, in what analysts consider a marquee opener for the 2025 season.
Schedule Release and Industry Impact
The announcement comes ahead of the official release of the full 2025 NFL schedule, which is slated for Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. ET. The free YouTube stream is expected to be a highlight, particularly as major platforms compete for live sports content rights in an increasingly fragmented streaming market.
YouTube is currently the most-watched streaming platform in the United States, capturing 12% of all digital viewership as of March 2025, according to Nielsen.
Key Details
-
Matchup: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Chargers
-
Date: Friday, September 5, 2025
-
Venue: São Paulo, Brazil
-
Broadcast: Free on YouTube and YouTube TV (global), local TV (team markets)
-
Streaming Restrictions: Excludes Canada and select countries
Conclusion
The NFL’s collaboration with YouTube marks a turning point in sports media distribution. With one of the most-watched games of the year being made freely accessible online, the event will serve as a major test for the future of sports broadcasting — one driven not by cable contracts, but by global reach, interactive features, and digital-first audiences.
