A collage of four different images featuring scenes from various football-related movies and shows, including dramatic character portraits, a press conference, a stadium crowd, and a smiling player holding a young girl.

The Ultimate American Football Fan Guide: Watch College Football, NFL & More

17 September 2026

Discover iconic football movies and shows like Chad Powers to watch between games, plus learn how to stream college football and follow the NFL on Disney+

American football season starts now! We’ve got details on how to watch college football and the NFL. Between kick-offs, Disney+ has a wide selection of sports movies and shows to hold you over until the next game. This American football Watch Guide has important live schedule information, comedies like The Waterboy for a laid-back evening after the game, and shows with American football legends like Eli Manning to reignite old debates before the next kickoff.

Follow The 2026 NFL & College Football Seasons With ESPN on Disney+

We’ve pulled the key 2026 football dates and viewing details together below, so you can spend less time hunting and more time watching.

How To Watch NFL & College Football With ESPN & Disney+

Disney+ is home to ESPN programming, including live sports, for all subscribers. You can also access NFL RedZone, full and condensed game replays, and more NFL programming.

College Football: College GameDay, Rivalry Week & CFP

Throughout the season, Disney+ subscribers can stream college football games each week as part of their subscription.

Notable weeks to look forward to this season:

November 27–29, Rivalry Week: The final regular-season weekend features many of college football’s traditional rivalry games and can have major consequences for conference championships and the College Football Playoff.
December 5–6, Conference Championships: The major conferences stage their championship games, helping determine the final College Football Playoff (CFP) field.
December 7, CFP Selection Day: The 12-team playoff field is announced, and the bracket becomes official.
December 19–January 16, 2027, College Football Playoff: Six playoff games air across ESPN on Disney+, including the National Championship. Check the schedule for each round to see when your game airs.
January 26, 2027, CFP National Championship: The season concludes in Las Vegas.

NFL Opening Week, Monday Night Football & Playoffs

Pro football returned September 10 in Australia. ESPN on Disney+'s first Monday Night Football game of the 2026 season follows on September 15 AEST, when Denver visits Kansas City. Stream Monday Night Football every week with ESPN on Disney+.

Watch the 2026/27 NFL Season on Disney+ now

Football Movies To Watch On Disney+

Some are inspiring true stories, others lean into comedy, but each captures the spirit of the game.

A Remarkable Story Of Courage & Perseverance: Remember the Titans

An image featuring a series of vertical panels that showcase portraits of several men looking in different directions, all cast in a warm, sepia-toned light. — Remember the Titans, Disney+

Two coaches with little reason to trust each other must lead a newly integrated Virginia high school football team through its first season. Denzel Washington’s Herman Boone and Will Patton’s Bill Yoast turn an uneasy partnership into a championship run in this big-hearted movie based on real events.

Stream Remember the Titans on Disney+ now

A Quarterback Meets His 8-Year-Old Daughter: The Game Plan

Joe Kingman (Dwayne Johnson), a smiling American football player wearing a maroon jersey, holds a young girl named Peyton Kelly (Madison Pettis) while red and white confetti falls around them in a scene from the Disney comedy movie The Game Plan. — The Game Plan, Disney+

Joe Kingman can handle a stadium, but an 8-year-old daughter he never knew existed is another matter. Dwayne Johnson portrays his character’s superstar ego as Joe’s championship chase collides with school routines and the realities of parenting.

Stream The Game Plan on Disney+ now

The Bartender Who Made The Eagles: Invincible

A split-image poster shows a man running down a city street on the left, juxtaposed next to a close-up of the same man wearing a green and white Philadelphia Eagles football jersey on the right. — Invincible, Disney+

Imagine walking into an NFL open tryout at 30, with no college football experience on your résumé. Mark Wahlberg plays Vince Papale, a substitute teacher and part-time bartender who takes his shot when Eagles coach Dick Vermeil opens the gates in 1976. The city is hungry for a turnaround, and Papale gives it someone to believe in.

Stream Invincible on Disney+ now

The Bourbon Bowl Gets Weird: The Waterboy

Bobby Boucher Jr. (Adam Sandler) standing in front of a cheering stadium crowd holding a sign that reads "GO WATERBOY." — The Waterboy, Hulu

Bobby Boucher spends Saturdays handing out water until Coach Klein discovers that he can hit like a truck. Adam Sandler’s Louisiana college football comedy makes no bid for realism, which is exactly the point. The Mud Dogs and the Bourbon Bowl provide the zany backdrop for this football parody where Bobby finally finds his confidence.

Stream The Waterboy on Disney+ now

Football Shows On Disney+

Football season isn't just about the games. These shows celebrate the personalities, traditions, history, and larger-than-life stories that make the sport what it is.

A Suspicious New Recruit On Campus: Chad Powers

Russ Holliday (Glen Powell) sits under a spotlight during a press conference while holding a mask of his own face, surrounded by cameras and photographers — Chad Powers, Hulu

Bad career move: Blow up your college football future. Worse recovery plan: Hide behind a fake identity and walk on somewhere else. In Chad Powers, Glen Powell plays disgraced quarterback Russ Holliday, who adopts the talented alter ego Chad Powers and joins the struggling South Georgia Catfish. The wins make his second chance sweeter, but every bit of attention puts the disguise at risk. Chad Powers Season 2 is now streaming.

Stream Chad Powers on Disney+ now

Eli Manning Goes Back To School: Eli’s Places

Eli Manning stacks rolls of toilet paper onto a wire shelf next to a shopping cart, presented as a featured image with the text "Eli's Places" on a blue background. — Eli's Places, ESPN

College football has local rituals and history all its own. Eli Manning visits major programs to meet the people who keep the culture alive, with enough mischief to keep the show entertaining. Eli’s Places also gave us Manning’s undercover Penn State walk-on sketch as Chad Powers, giving the fictional comedy its odd origin story.

Stream Eli’s Places on Disney+ now

Peyton Manning Goes Deep On Football Lore: Peyton’s Places

Peyton Manning stands on a football field talking to another man, presented as a featured image with the text "Peyton's Places" on a blue background. — Peyton's Places, ESPN

Don’t have much time before the next game? Drop into an episode with Peyton Manning as he visits the people and places behind memorable plays and football traditions. His curiosity makes football history fascinating, while the standalone format makes it easy to watch any episode any time.

Stream Peyton’s Places on Disney+ now

Football Through A True-Crime Lens: FX’s American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez

An American football player in a blue and white jersey dives through the air to catch a football during a game. — American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez, FX, Hulu

The first instalment of FX’s American Sports Story is based on the podcast Gladiator: Aaron Hernandez and Football Inc. from The Boston Globe and Wondery. The 10-episode limited series charts the rise and fall of NFL superstar Aaron Hernandez and explores the disparate strands of his identity, family, career, suicide, and legacy in sports and American culture.

Stream FX’s American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez on Disney+ now

Football Documentaries & Real Football Stories

Want the real stories behind the game? These documentaries explore legendary teams, unforgettable controversies, and the history that continues to influence football today.

A Snowy Call That Wouldn’t Go Away: The Tuck Rule

A promotional image for the ESPN 30 for 30 sports documentary The Tuck Rule featuring Tom Brady and Charles Woodson cast against a snowy backdrop. — The Tuck Rule, ESPN

If you can hear the words “Tuck Rule” without immediately choosing a side, then congratulations, you might be the ideal viewer for this one. The 51-minute 30 for 30 documentary reunites Tom Brady and Charles Woodson two decades after the snowy 2002 playoff matchup that changed both of their careers. The former Michigan teammates revisit the controversy alongside the people who were there.

Stream The Tuck Rule on Disney+ now

The Slogan Behind A Notre Dame-Miami Classic: Catholics vs. Convicts

An American football player from the Miami Hurricanes and a player from the Notre Dame Fighting Irish stand face-to-face on the field amidst their teammates. — Catholics vs. Convicts, ESPN

Notre Dame hosted top-ranked Miami on October 15, 1988, and won 31–30 in a game still argued over today. Patrick Creadon’s 30 for 30 examines the rivalry and the student-made slogan that attached itself to the matchup. It also asks what the provocative label said about perception, identity, and the rivalry itself.

Stream Catholics vs. Convicts on Disney+ now