Amazon secures exclusive Thursday Night Football broadcast rights
Amazon Prime Video announced that it will become the exclusive broadcaster of the 2026 Thursday Night Football slate, delivering sixteen primetime matchups that begin in Week 2 of the NFL season. The agreement was revealed alongside the league’s schedule release on May 14, confirming the full slate of games that will air on Thursday evenings.
The first Thursday of the regular season will be marked by a historic kickoff in Australia, where the opening game will be played in Melbourne on September 10. That contest will set the tone for a global rollout of the Thursday night product, expanding the league’s reach beyond North America.
Global kickoff and marquee matchups
While NBC continues to hold the rights to the traditional Thanksgiving primetime game, the new deal reshapes the holiday schedule, with Amazon slated to broadcast a special Black Friday edition during Week 12, giving viewers a Friday night alternative to the usual Thursday slot.
Among the highlighted pairings are the Buffalo Bills taking on the Detroit Lions in Week 2 and the Philadelphia Eagles facing the Houston Texans on December 24, both of which promise high‑stakes competition and added visibility for the teams involved.
The arrangement underscores Amazon’s growing presence in live sports broadcasting and offers fans a centralized platform to stream all Thursday night games, reinforcing the company’s strategy to deepen its sports portfolio while delivering a consistent primetime experience across the 2026 season.