If you don't have cable, it can be tough figuring out how to stream the Super Bowl. Airing on Sunday, February 7, this year's game has the Tampa Bay Buccaneers facing off against the Kansas City Chiefs at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. It's time to break out the chip dips, don your favorite jersey, and maybe win big in a betting pool. If you don't care about either team and are just here for the party, we've included two fluffier alternatives for your viewing pleasure. Below is the WIRED guide to streaming all the Bowls.
Be sure to check out our full list of the Best TV and Soundbar Deals for the Super Bowl (it might not be too late to grab a new TV!), and if you're in the mood, peruse our other buying guides too.
Kitten Bowl VIII (2 pm ET): The eighth annual Kitten Bowl will kick off at 2 pm Eastern time on the Hallmark Channel, hosted by Beth Stern. It features a ton of adorable kittens competing for the "Feline Football trophy" and a fur-ever home. All of the cuddly critters are up for adoption.
Puppy Bowl XVII (2 pm ET): The 17th Puppy Bowl also begins at 2 pm ET—a departure from previous years, when beastie bowl starting times were staggered. It airs on Animal Planet and will be hosted by Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart. Judging from the schedule, you can pretty much tune into Animal Planet anytime on Sunday and see some sort of puppy-related content. The Puppy Bowl XVII starting lineup includes 70 puppies and pits Team Ruff against Team Fluff. They all are also available for adoption.
Super Bowl LV (6:30 pm ET): Kickoff for the 2021 Super Bowl is on Sunday, February 7, at 6 pm ET, with pregame coverage starting earlier that afternoon. It airs live on CBS. Jazzmine Sullivan and Eric Church will sing the national anthem, and The Weeknd will perform at the halftime show. The TL;DR method to get the game is to watch free on CBSsports.com or via the CBS Sports app or CBS All Access app. You'll find more details further down this page.
How to Stream the Kitten Bowl
There are a few easy ways to watch the Kitten Bowl online. All of these services essentially offer live TV channels via the internet. Most of them have a website you can use to watch. Alternatively, the services tend to work on Roku and most of the best streaming devices.
- Philo's $20 Plan Has the Puppy Bowl and Kitten Bowl: Philo is a live TV service that skips the big networks to deliver a cheap price. Its plan has Animal Planet and the Hallmark Channel, so you're in luck if you hate football that doesn't revolve around cute pets. Philo works on Apple TV, Fire TV, and Roku, and it also has iPhone/Android apps. New users can get a free seven-day trial—just remember to cancel before you're charged if you don't want to pay the monthly cost.
- Sling TV's $35 Plan Is Kitten-Friendly: Order the $35 Orange package (with a three-day free trial) and add the $6 Lifestyle package to get the Hallmark Channel. Sling TV is compatible with most devices. Sadly, it does not have Animal Planet.
- FuboTV's $65 Plan Is Pro-Puppies, Kittens, and Humans: This plan has 115 channels, including Animal Planet, Hallmark, and CBS. That means you can watch all three bowls. There's a free week-long trial. FuboTV works on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, iOS, Android, and more.
- Hallmark Channel's Site Also Works—With a Cable Login: If you have a cable login (or know somebody who might share their credentials), you can watch the Kitten Bowl here.
How to Stream the Puppy Bowl
You hardly belong on the internet if you hate cats, but there's nothing wrong with being pro-pupper too. The services below offer live TV channels via the internet. Most of them can be watched via desktop and smartphone app, and they work on Roku (plus our other favorite streaming devices).
Services With the Kitten and Puppy Bowl: Philo's $20 Live TV service has Animal Planet and the Hallmark Channel, along with dozens of other channels, decent device support, and a free trial. FuboTV's $65 plan has about 115 channels, including the three you'll need to watch the respective events on Sunday, as well as a free seven-day trial.
Services With the Puppy and People Bowl (but No Kittens): You can watch the Puppy Bowl via YouTube TV, which also has the CBS Sports channel, which has the Super Bowl. It typically costs $65 per month, but a two-week trial is free for new customers. Hulu + Live TV has a similar channel list, including CBS Sports, and costs $65 per month. It also has a free trial. Remember to cancel before your trial period ends if you are not interested in subsequent charges. We suggest setting a reminder on your phone or calendar.
Services That Only Carry the Puppy Bowl: If you don't care about the footballers or the felines, Discovery+ gets you access to Animal Planet, aka the home of the Puppy Bowl. It includes a handful of other channels and costs $5 per month. There is a seven-day free trial available.
How to Stream the Super Bowl
If you aren't feeling cuddly and want to get straight to Chiefs vs. Buccaneers, there are a lot of options for you. Like we said in other sections, the services below offer on-demand programming and live TV channels via the internet. Most of them have a website livestream and work on Roku and more of the best streaming devices.
The Super Bowl starts at 6:30 pm ET Sunday, and the ★ CBS Sports App is the best way to watch it if you don't have cable. You can get it for Android, iPhone, Apple TV, Roku, and Fire TV devices, among others. Here's a list of all the supported devices. You'll also be able to stream it at CBSSports.com, including pregame coverage, the halftime show, and more.
For those of you who subscribe to ★ CBS All Access for Star Trek or another series, it will also have the game live. It's available online and via apps on most platforms—and has a free trial.
If you want another option, there are a couple of online live TV services that have CBS Sports and a free trial. They're available on a wide variety of devices.
- FuboTV costs $65 after a free trial (115+ channels)
- Hulu Live TV costs $65 after a free trial (65+ channels)
- YouTube TV costs $65 after a free trial (60+ channels)
These will all work, but again, you can just stream it for free via the CBS Sports website rather than signing up for a trial.
The NFL GamePass will let you watch the game after it's over (possibly starting around midnight) at your convenience on most major devices. It also has a free trial. Just be sure to put your phone away, and stay away from every screen and person you know until you watch it.
If moving pictures aren't your thing, or you're going to be out somewhere, you can listen to the Super Bowl live in a few ways: SiriusXM, NFL GamePass, and Westwood One radio stations.
If none of these solutions work, you may need a new TV or a new TV streaming device. (Just buy a Roku.) You could just order cable, but with so many options available for streaming content online, that should be a last resort.
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