5 scores FTA NFL deal in UK
August 28, 2025
By Nik Roseveare
5 and Paramount UK have announced a new multi-year partnership with the NFL and CBS Sports to bring live coverage of the NFL season free-to-air to viewers across the UK.
Every week through the NFL season, two Sunday evening games will be broadcast; the first at 6pm on 5 and the second at 9pm on 5ACTION – which will be branded as 5NFL for game nights. Both games will also be streamed live. 5 will also show the Super Bowl free-to-air in the UK. In addition, it will broadcast the NFL London and Dublin Games, as well as Thanksgiving Day specials and three playoff games.
NFL coverage on 5 will kick off at 5:30pm on game nights with studio show NFL: Big Game Night, hosted by Dermot O’Leary, with Sam Quek, double-Super Bowl winner Osi Umenyiora, and weekly special guests.
5 is also partnering with entertainment producer, Hungry Bear Media, on a new play-along entertainment format which will air around the 6pm games. Whenever the NFL game stops in the US, 5 will keep going with the fun and games – in the form of a ‘game within a game’. Two teams of friends and family in the UK will battle for prizes in a series of games. They will be representing the two teams playing that night and can only score points when their team has the ball. The winning team on the night will play one final game where they have the chance to win a holiday to an NFL city in the US.
In addition to the live game coverage and new entertainment format, there will be supporting programming across the wider Paramount UK family of brands. This includes the return of the kids and family NFL show, Slimetime UK (Season 3) on Nickelodeon in 2026.
O’Leary commented: “I’m really excited about hosting Big Game Night – the show combines two of my big loves: entertainment television and American football. I think it will be a really fun, silly and brilliant way to watch the game so I hope people enjoy it.”
Quek said: “I can’t wait to kick off this new adventure with the NFL on 5! Sharing that excitement every Sunday night with Dermot and Osi is going to be brilliant. The mix of top-class sport and big entertainment is the perfect way for families, fans and newcomers to get involved. I’m so excited to get started.”
Umenyiora added: “The NFL is growing faster than ever in the UK and I’m thrilled to continue playing a part in that expansion by bringing it to a new home on 5. These shows will give returning fans the insight they love while introducing viewers to the excitement of the game. It’s incredible to see the NFL becoming a truly global sport and inspiring more fans than ever.”
The NFL 2025/26 season kicks off on September 5th.
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