YOUTUBE is set to host a major sports event for free later this year in a global streaming exclusive. NFL fans will be able to stream a week 1 game on the platform without paying a penny. The

The Bucs paycheck was posted by an incredibly short-lived YouTube channel that showcased thrift store finds and was full of big numbers and, according to some fans, identifying information that pointed towards one player at the western Florida franchise and two-time Super Bowl champions.

The full NFL schedule will be released Wednesday night at 8 p.m. ET. There have been several games leaked already for the 2025 season, but the full slate of games for all 32 teams will drop Wednesday night. Typically, teams’ social media accounts will get creative with themed videos highlighting games each week.

However, the league announced a free streaming-only game. The game played in Week 1 in Sao Paulo, Brazil with the Los Angeles Chargers as the designated home team on Friday, September 5 will stream exclusively on YouTube. But this game will be free for everyone. It is the first free streaming-only game the league has ever had, which is exciting.

Putting a game on YouTube would help the league smash streaming audience records. If the NFL sees an opportunity to keep expanding its audience, that’s exactly what it’s going to do. That is a big reason why the league has been so enthusiastic about scheduling international games;