Football is finally back on our screens for the 2025 NFL season. Historically an underperforming franchise, the Detroit Lions have become back-to-back NFC North champions and Super Bowl contenders thanks to an aggressive, never-say-die mentality instilled by head coach Dan Campbell, as well as excellent draft selections from general manager Brad Holmes.
Many football fans are looking to watch the Lions’ high-powered offense in action each week. The trouble is that blackouts and other geographic restrictions make it difficult for football fans to follow their favorite NFL teams. Below, we’ll explain exactly how you can use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to watch the Lions online from anywhere.
We’re only recommending official streaming sources for watching Detroit Lions games online. Unlicensed streams are of poor quality with many taken offline without warning, leaving you without a way to watch. With numerous quality official sources available and VPNs offering generous money-back guarantees, there’s no need for unauthorized streams.
How to watch Detroit Lions games online from anywhere
A VPN is your tool for bypassing NFL blackouts and sidestepping geo-blocking so you can watch Detroit Lions games online from anywhere. By connecting to a server in the location of your chosen streaming platform, you’re assigned a new IP address, allowing you to spoof your location. You can then access content as normal, regardless of your location.
Here’s how you can live stream Detroit Lions games with a VPN:
- Sign up with a streaming VPN that’s capable of bypassing blackouts and geo-blocking. We recommend NordVPN, but Surfshark and IPVanish are good value alternatives.
- Download the VPN software on your streaming device, and then follow the installation instructions provided on-screen. This should only take a minute or two in all.
- Open the VPN app and log in using the credentials you created when signing up with the VPN provider.
- Connect to a VPN server in your preferred location. For example, a server in the US for FOX or a UK server for Sky Sports.
- Go to the streaming platform showing the Detroit Lions game and start streaming. If it’s still blocked, clear your cookies and reload your browser.
Detroit Lions games air live, so test your new VPN with your chosen streaming platform ahead of kickoff. If you do have any trouble, you then have time to contact your VPN’s support to further troubleshoot the issue.
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How to stream Detroit Lions games live online
The NFL has a growing fanbase around the world, and this is reflected in the fact that Detroit Lions games are available to stream in many countries worldwide. Here’s how and where you can watch the Detroit Lions online in your country:
How to watch Detroit Lions games in the USA
Football fans in the US face a more complicated situation than fans in other countries, with broadcasting rights shared between many networks and streaming platforms:
- CBS (Paramount+): AFC games
- FOX: NFC games
- ESPN: Monday Night Football
- Amazon Prime Video: Thursday Night Football
- NBC (Peacock): Sunday Night Football
- NFL Network: International games
- Netflix: Christmas Day games
Here’s the Detroit Lions’ full US broadcast schedule for the 2025 NFL season:
- Week 1: Packers vs Lions on CBS
- Week 2: Lions vs Bears on FOX
- Week 3: Ravens vs Lions on ESPN and ABC
- Week 4: Lions vs Browns on FOX
- Week 5: Bengals vs Lions on FOX
- Week 6: Chiefs vs Lions on NBC
- Week 7: Lions vs Buccaneers on ESPN and ABC
- Week 8: Bye
- Week 9: Lions vs Vikings on FOX
- Week 10: Commanders vs Lions on FOX
- Week 11: Eagles vs Lions on NBC
- Week 12: Lions vs Giants on FOX
- Week 13: Lions vs Packers on FOX
- Week 14: Lions vs Cowboys on Prime Video
- Week 15: Rams vs Lions on FOX
- Week 16: Lions vs Steelers on CBS
- Week 17: Vikings vs Lions on Netflix
- Week 18: Bears vs Lions on TBD
You’d need access to all of the above to watch every single Detroit Lions game for the 2025 NFL season. If you have a cable TV subscription, you probably already have access to ESPN, CBS, FOX, and NBC, and maybe even NFL Network as well.
Amazon Prime Video and Netflix subscriptions are required to catch Thursday Night Football and NFL Christmas Gameday. US Netflix subscription prices start from USD $7.99 a month. A Prime Video subscription costs $8.99 monthly.
Don’t have cable TV? You can find cable TV channels, including CBS and FOX on the following TV streaming platforms:
- FuboTV: $84.99/month and includes ABC, ESPN, CBS, FOX, NBC, and NFL Network
- Hulu + Live TV: $82.99/month and includes ABC, ESPN, CBS, FOX, NBC, and NFL Network
- Sling TV: $60.99/month(Orange & Blue)and includes ABC, ESPN, FOX, NBC, NFL Network
- YouTube TV: $82.99/month and includes ABC, ESPN, CBS, FOX, NBC, and NFL Network
FuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV offer every major cable channel showing the Lions. Sling TV is the most affordable of the bunch but doesn’t carry CBS. It’s also the only one of these four services not to offer a free trial to new customers.
Another option for watching Lions games is NFL+. The streaming platform shows live local and primetime regular season and postseason games, albeit only on mobile. The Lions have five Primetime games in the 2025 NFL season so it’s a chance to see some games at a lower cost.
NFL+ is a better deal if you live in Michigan however as the Lions will count as your local team. NFL+ Premium is required which costs $14.99 a month. Better still, it includes NFL RedZone, which is yet another way to keep up with the Lions Sunday games.
However you choose to watch Detroit Lions games in the US, you’ll need a VPN to access all of the aforementioned streaming options from abroad, as well as to bypass the NFL’s blackouts. NordVPN is fast, offers powerful unblocking, and has servers in 22 US cities. NordVPN also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, giving you plenty of time to try it risk-free.
How to watch Detroit Lions games in the UK
NFL fans in the UK can watch every Detroit Lions game live but this requires access to NFL Game Pass on DAZN and Sky Sports or Now TV.
Sky Sports has the first-pick exclusive game on Sunday at 6 PM, as well as the first pick for the Sunday 9 PM game. Sky will air a second 6 PM game for you to choose from each week and up to two additional 9 PM games. Sky is also home to NFL RedZone, Thursday Night, Sunday Night, and Monday Night Football, Thanksgiving games, the Playoffs, and Super Bowl. All London and Europe games will be broadcast live on Sky.
If you already have a Sky Sports subscription, then you can watch online at no extra cost via the Sky Go app. Otherwise, you have the option of Now TV. Its Sports Membership lets you watch Sky’s NFL coverage for GBP £34.99 for a month or £14.99 for a day.
Although NFL Game Pass on DAZN has every game of the 2025 NFL season, Detroit Lions games included, the first pick games from Sky will not be shown live, instead appearing after a 24-hour delay. Blackouts aside, NFL Game Pass on DAZN is showing the most NFL games. A Season Pro Regular plan costs £17.99 a month (12 installments) or a reduced £169.99 upfront.
5 will show two regular season NFL games every Sunday (6 PM and 9 PM). Best of all, it’s free to watch. You need to create a free account and have a UK TV license to watch live. We don’t know all the games 5 will have but it has already aired the Lions opening matchup versus the Packers, and will show the Lions game versus the Browns on Sunday, September 28.
If you do want to access any of the above while traveling outside the UK, you’d need a VPN to do so due to the geographic restrictions.
How to watch Detroit Lions games in Canada
NFL Game Pass is your best bet for watching the Detroit Lions or any other regular or postseason game in Canada. Prices start from CAD $24.99 a month or you can save by paying $249.99 upfront.
Cable TV subscribers have the option of watching some NFL games on TSN and CTV. You won’t find every Lions game however. It’s possible to watch TSN without cable on TSN+. You’ll then be able to watch all NFL primetime games including Monday Night Football, Sunday Night Football, and Thursday Night Football. It even includes access to NFL RedZone.
NFL Game Pass on DAZN and TSN+ become region-locked outside Canada. By using a VPN to get a Canadian IP address, you can watch them online from anywhere.
How to watch Detroit Lions games in Australia
NFL Game Pass on DAZN is the only way to watch every Detroit Lions game in Australia. You can choose between 12 monthly installments of AUD $32.99 or pay $319.99 upfront.
If you can live without seeing every Detroit Lions game, know that ESPN on Foxtel is showing roughly six regular season games each week, and is also home to Monday, Thursday, and Sunday Night Football. Cable TV subscribers with Foxtel can watch online via Foxtel Go. Don’t have cable? Foxtel Now costs AUD $25 a month but requires the $29 a month sports add-on.
Australia even has a free option with Seven showing Thursday night games, two Sunday afternoon games each week, the playoffs, and Super Bowl LX. To watch online, go to 7Plus and sign up for a free account. Remember you’ll need to connect to a VPN server in Australia if you’re accessing the above options from overseas.
How to watch Detroit Lions games in Germany
The NFL is growing in popularity in Germany which has hosted an NFL regular game every season since 2022. NFL Game Pass on DAZN is the only way to watch every Detroit Lions game. It’s still useful to know that RTL and Nitro are showing up to three live games each week, which may give you a way to watch some Detroit Lions games for free. A German IP address via a VPN is required to watch outside Germany.
How to watch Detroit Lions games in other countries
Don’t worry if we’ve not mentioned your country. Here’s a list of current NFL broadcasters. For many countries, the best way to watch every Detroit Lions game is via NFL Game Pass on DAZN.
Detroit Lions 2025 schedule
| Game week | Date | Matchup |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Sunday, September 7 | AT Green Bay Packers |
| Week 2 | Sunday, September 14 | Chicago Bears |
| Week 3 | Monday, September 22 | AT Baltimore Ravens |
| Week 4 | Sunday, September 28 | Cleveland Browns |
| Week 5 | Sunday, October 5 | Cincinnati Bengals |
| Week 6 | Sunday, October 12 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| Week 7 | Monday, October 20 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| Week 8 Bye | N/A | N/A |
| Week 9 | Sunday, November 2 | Minnesota Vikings |
| Week 10 | Sunday, November 9 | AT Washington Commanders |
| Week 11 | Sunday, November 16 | AT Philadelphia Eagles |
| Week 12 | Sunday, November 23 | New York Giants |
| Week 13 | Thursday, November 27 | Green Bay Packers |
| Week 14 | Thursday, December 4 | Dallas Cowboys |
| Week 15 | Sunday, December 14 | AT Los Angeles Rams |
| Week 16 | Sunday, December 21 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| Week 17 | Thursday, December 25 | AT Minnesota Vikings |
| Week 18 | TBD | AT Chicago Bears |
Watch Detroit Lions FAQs
Can I use a free VPN to watch Lions games online?
No, free VPNs won’t work with most of the official streaming sources covered in this guide. The average free VPN provides only a small number of server locations and IP addresses. Shared by many users, the IP addresses are quickly blacklisted by streaming platforms. Besides, free VPNs throttle speeds which causes heavy lag when streaming. Your traffic may not be properly encrypted and there’s the risk your personal data is logged and sold.
Is there a way to stream Lions games for free?
There are no official sources for streaming every Detroit Lions game for the 2025 NFL season. Although some Lions games will be shown for free in certain countries (such as 5 in the UK), you’d need NFL Game Pass on DAZN or a mix of cable TV channels if you’re in the US to catch every game. Still, some US TV streaming services like YouTube TV offer free trials, giving you the chance to watch some Lions games at no cost.
What if I want to watch the Lions outside the US?
If you’re outside the US, the best option is NFL Game Pass on DAZN. It is available in most countries outside the US and shows every game live and on-demand, Detroit Lions matchups included. Just know that there are some blackout restrictions for the UK version of NFL Game Pass due to Sky owning the broadcast rights to some games.
Why are Detroit Lions games blacked out?
Blackouts happen because of NFL broadcasting rules and TV rights. CBS and FOX show different games in different markets so if the Lions aren’t assigned to your local area, you won’t see them. Out-of-market fans need NFL Sunday Ticket or an international service such as NFL Game Pass on DAZN to watch every game.
