Live sports coverage on Paramount Plus pulls from a robust catalog from CBS, including NFL games, Notre Dame football, Big Ten sports, SEC Football and UEFA Champions League.
Paramount Plus says it carries more than 1,000 live games and matches per year. You can watch more than 100 regular season NFL games.
CBS Sports HQ and Golazo Network carry game highlights and analysis.
Subscribers get an on-demand library of movies and TV shows from Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, CBS, MTV, BET and Smithsonian Channel. I have been an annual subscriber to Paramount Plus since March 2021 back when the service was called CBS All Access.
A subscription to Paramount Plus with Showtime is $12.99 per month following a free trial. The majority of sports come with the Showtime plan and air on the network CBS. Subscribers get a local CBS channel, NFL games, UEFA Champions League and coverage of some live sporting events on CBS Sports Network.
How to Watch Sports on Paramount Plus
Cord-cutters need the Paramount Plus with Showtime plan to watch college football games. You can sign up, pay only $11.99 per month, and cancel whenever you want.
Paramount Plus has a cheaper subscription called the Essential plan, which costs $7.99 per month. But sports fans only get NFL games, UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League for sports.
Subscribers can watch Paramount Plus on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast with Google TV, Apple TV, NVIDIA Shield and Xfinity Flex.
You can watch on Smart TVs by LG, Samsung, Sony, and Vizio. Smart TVs running on Android TV and Google TV are likewise supported. Game consoles including XBox and PlayStation support watching live sports as well.
Sports fans can watch on more than just your TV. You can use iPhones and iPads with current iOS. Android mobile devices and tablets are supported.
How much is Paramount Plus?
The Essential plan costs $7.99 per month. You will not get a local live CBS network station, but you can watch live NFL games, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League.
For soccer fans, Paramount Plus is the exclusive home of English-language coverage for every UEFA soccer club. An annual subscription is $59.99.
Paramount Plus with Showtime (formerly the ad-free Premium Plan) cost $12.99 per month. Subscribers get access to all live sports available on CBS along with a live local CBS station. An annual subscription is $119.99.
Live sports under the Showtime plan includes:
- College football on CBS
- NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship
- PGA TOUR
- The PGA Championship
- The Masters
- Combate Global MMA
How to sign up for Paramount+
With all of the above devices, you just need to take the following steps:
- Sign up for Paramount Plus with Showtime online
- Download the the Paramount Plus app from the app hub of your Smart TV or streaming device
- Launch the app on your TV, and sign in with your account
Fans using a PC, Chromebook and Mac computer to watch games can watch their subscription through a current web browser.
NFL
CBS will broadcast more than 100 regular season games during the 2023 season along with 9 doubleheaders and Super Bowl 58 from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The NFL on CBS schedule is below.
CBS broadcasts NFL games on Sunday afternoon during the regular football season. There are a number of ways
You can watch NFL games on CBS through five live TV streaming services or for free by using a TV antenna. The Paramount+ Essential plan is the cheapest way to watch NFL games on CBS at $7.99 per month following a free trial.
Paramount Plus only carries games that air on CBS.
To watch every NFL game this season, you would still need ESPN, NBC, FOX, ABC, and Amazon Prime Video for Thursday Night Football.
The streaming service NFL+ allows you to watch games in your area, you need the premium plan to watch on a TV. A subscription is $14.99 per month.
You can read my 2023 guide on how to watch NFL games for a broader look on the topic.
Soccer
Soccer fans will find comprehensive coverage on Paramount+ that comes from CBS and CBS Sports Network. Paramount+ has the exclusive rights on UEFA Champions League in the U.S.
Fans of Italian soccer matches can watch more than 400 matches, including all 380 Serie A matches and at least 25 Coppa Italia matches, according to Paramount+.
Paramount+ subscribers can watch coverage of:
- UEFA Champions League
- UEFA Europa League
- UEFA Europa Conference League
- Concacaf Nations League
- Scottish Professional Football League
- Argentine Primera División
- Argentina Liga Professional de Futbol
- National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL)
- Italian Serie A Matches
- Campeonato Brasileirão Série A
- Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL)
You will find competitions from across South America, Europe and Asia.
College Football
College football fans can watch 27 games from SEC, Big Ten and Mountain West conferences during the 2023 NCAA football season.
Paramount Plus has 16 SEC games during the 2023 NCAA football season, including the SEC Championship game.
The new Big Ten on CBS brings 7 total games with games from Penn State and Ohio State. The Mountain West schedule has 4 games total.
A subscription to Paramount Plus with Showtime gives you lots of college football coverage. You can read my guide on how to watch college football on Paramount+ for a full schedule and other details.
PGA Tour Golf
While ESPN+ has locked up much of the streaming rights to the PGA Tour, CBS still maintains weekend coverage which streams on Paramount+. CBS carries weekend rounds of the PGA Championship and The Masters, which means you can watch the coverage through a Paramount Plus subscription.
College Basketball
College basketball fans should keep in mind that a subscription to the Showtime plan now includes a live stream of a local CBS station.
That means you get the broadcasts CBS airs for several college basketball conferences. Big Ten, Missouri Valley, Atlantic 10, Southeastern, Big 12, Big East, Mountain West, and the Pac-12 are among the conferences carried on CBS. Paramount+ subscribers can watch the men’s Final Four, NCAA March Madness Tournament and the NCAA Championship Game.
Boxing
Heavyweight boxing is featured regularly on Showtime Championship Boxing. These matches are either included with a subscription, or available as a pay-per-view (PPV) event depending upon the bout.
The next fight happening on Showtime is on September 30, 2023, 8 p.m. ET at T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, featuring:
- Canelo Alvarez Vs Jermell Charlo
- Jesus Ramos Vs Erickson Lubin
- Yordenis Ugas Vs Mario Barrios
- Elijah Garcia Vs Armando Resendiz
Some of these fights are carried as PPV events through PPV.com as well.
Other live sports
Big 3 Basketball, Bellator MMA, Combate Global MMA, Professional Bull Riding, and World Series of Poker bracelet events are on Paramount+ as well.
How to Watch Live Sports on Paramount Plus FAQs
These are questions readers ask when researching which sports are available on Paramount Plus.
How do I watch live TV on Paramount Plus?
Paramount Plus has a “Live TV” tab under the main menu where you will find NFL games, SEC on CBS and the PGA Tour.
But it’s not the only place for live sporting events. You can find soccer matches under the Sports tab under the main menu. Premium plan subscribers will find a live local CBS station under the Live TV tab.
Is there a Paramount Plus Sports Package?
There is not a specific sports package or sports channels with Paramount Plus. But the two Paramount Plus plans have different levels of access to live sports.
How can I watch NFL games on Paramount Plus?
Paramount Plus subscribers get a live stream of NFL games that air on CBS. NFL games are available to Essential plan and Premium plan subscribers.
Here is how to watch NFL games:
- Sign up for a free trial to Paramount Plus online and choose a plan if you don’t already have one.
- Download and open the Paramount Plus app on a Smart TV, Chromecast, Roku, Amazon Fire TV or Apple TV.
- Under the main menu, go to the “Live TV” tab to start watching the NFL game when game time begins.
Can I stream NFL games live with the Essential plan?
Yes. The Essential Plan lets you watch live NFL games without a cable subscription. When the game starts, you can head over to the “Live TV” tab, and start watching a football game.
Once the game is over, you will no longer have access to the live CBS broadcast. Only Premium plan subscribers get a CBS live stream with NFL games.
Can I watch CBS Sports Network on Paramount Plus?
CBS Sports Network is not on Paramount Plus as a live cable TV channel. But there are some live sports that are broadcast on CBS Sports Network, which also stream live on Paramount Plus.
UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League are available on Paramount Plus with the Essential plan.
How to sign into CBS Sports app with Paramount Plus
One perk I recently discovered is that you can sign in to the CBS Sports app with a Paramount Plus account. You just need to scroll to the bottom of the screen to find the tab for signing in with Paramount Plus.
When you log in with Paramount Plus, it’s basically adding all of the coverage you already have to the CBS Sports app.
You won’t be able to get a live stream of the CBS Sports Network by signing in with a Paramount Plus account. You still need either a cable TV provider or a live TV service such as DIRECTV STREAM, fuboTV or YouTube TV.
When are Champions League replays available on Paramount Plus?
After a live Champions League match ends on Paramount Plus, you can watch a match replay.
- Head over to the shows tab, and click the tab for UEFA Champions League. You can do the same for UEFA Europa League, or UEFA Europa Conference League.
- Scroll down below the “Live Schedule” queue and find “Match Replays”.
- Click on the soccer match you want to watch.
Can I Watch NBA games on Paramount Plus?
No. CBS and its parent company, Paramount Global, currently do not have rights to NBA games in the U.S.
Nationally televised games air on ABC, ESPN, and TNT. You can also stream games with a subscription to NBA TV.
Depending on the team you follow, regional NBC Sports networks, Bally Sports networks, YES Network, Altitude, and MSG Network will be crucial for you to live stream NBA games all season.
Is Paramount Plus worth it for sports?
Paramount Plus is an affordable way to get sports coverage from local CBS stations and soccer from CBS Sports. NFL and soccer fans can watch live games for $7.99 per month, but most sports are now with the Showtime plan for $12.99 per month.
| STREAMING SERVICE | MONTHLY PRICE | LIVE GAMES | MOVIES |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paramount+ | $7.99-$12.99 | 1,000+ | Yes |
| ESPN+ | $10.99 | 27,000+ | No |
| Peacock | $7.99 | YES | Yes |
| Sling TV (Orange+Blue) | $55 | YES | Yes |
College football and golf fans will have to spend a little more to get their live sports. But it’s a solid option for the price.
I didn’t even dive into TV shows or the thousands of movies Paramount Plus has been adding to its service since last year.
There are a couple of similarly priced streaming services that stream live sports.
ESPN Plus now costs $10.99 per month as of Oct 12, 2023. The service streams popular college football games from Big 12 and Ohio Valley.
Soccer coverage on ESPN Plus includes LaLiga, MLS, Bundesliga and EFL Championship. ESPN Plus has full coverage of the PGA Tour. There are also UFC Fight Night, PPV fights and Top Rank boxing. Daily MLB and NHL games are part of any subscription.
Peacock costs $7.99 for the Premium plan (with ads). The service has Premier League, MLB games every Sunday, Sunday Night Football, horse racing, WWE, Indycar, Tennis, Motorsports, and Rugby are included in the Premium plan. Peacock has a free 7-day trial for new subscribers. You can read about watching college football on Peacock.
By comparison, Paramount Plus may have fewer live sporting events than ESPN+, but a couple of core must-haves that make it worthwhile.
A subscription is $12.99 per month. Subscribers to the Paramount Plus with Showtime get a local CBS station, the full Showtime library, and 4K HDR streaming.
The streaming service has a growing library of movies, live news, and full seasons of TV shows from CBS, BET, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon and Smithsonian Channel. There are a number of Paramount+ Originals such as Special Ops: Lioness, Tulsa King and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.
You can sign up for a free trial, and cancel your subscription whenever you like.
- Paramount Plus: Latest offers and free trials
Methodology
I spend hundreds of hours throughout the year conducting hands-on testing of streaming services, including Peacock, DIRECTV STREAM, Fubo, Sling TV, YouTube TV, Hulu Live TV. I do the same rigorous testing for TV antennas and TV-related hardware. Check out the review policy to see how I compare products and services. The Cord Cutting Report is a reader-supported publication, and may earn affiliate commissions when you pick a streaming service through a recommendation. Read our affiliate policy for more information.
