If you woke up today—January 14, 2026—hoping to catch the Gunners, you've probably realized that being an Arsenal fan in the States is a bit like playing a game of digital hide-and-seek. One week you’re on NBC, the next you’re digging through Peacock, and occasionally you're staring at a "USA Network" logo wondering if you need a cable log-in or just a prayer.
Honestly, it’s a lot.
We’re currently in the thick of the 2025/26 season. As of this morning, Arsenal is literally playing Chelsea in the Carabao Cup semifinals. If you’re looking for that specific game on your TV guide, stop scrolling through the 400s. It isn’t there. For the League Cup (Carabao), Paramount+ has the exclusive lock.
But for the bread and butter—the Premier League—things get even more fragmented. Between the NBC "Gold" days being long gone and the rise of Peacock, navigating Arsenal on USA TV requires a bit of a roadmap.
💡 You might also like: Sidner Ice Arena: Why This Fremont Rink Almost Disappeared (and Why It Matters)
The Premier League Hierarchy: NBC, USA, and Peacock
The biggest misconception is that one subscription covers everything. It doesn’t. NBC Sports holds the rights through 2028, but they split the 380-match season across three distinct pillars.
The NBC Broadcast Channel
This is your over-the-air, "free" option if you have an antenna. These are usually the "Match of the Week" slots—think Saturday 12:30 PM ET or big Sunday showdowns. For example, the upcoming match against Nottingham Forest on January 17 is slated for NBC. If you have Peacock, you can usually simulcast these specific NBC broadcast games there too.
USA Network
This is the "cable" workhorse. When a big game isn't on the main NBC channel, it’s usually here. If you’ve cut the cord, you need a live-streamer like Fubo, Sling Blue, or YouTube TV to get this. USA Network handles the bulk of the Saturday morning 10:00 AM ET kickoffs and the mid-week "festive period" madness.
Peacock Premium
Then there's the "Peacock exclusives." About 175 matches per season live only on Peacock. You won't find these on a traditional TV channel. If Arsenal is playing a lower-table side on a Saturday morning, there’s a 90% chance it’s a Peacock exclusive.
Upcoming Arsenal TV Schedule (Early 2026)
- Jan 14 vs. Chelsea (Carabao Cup): Paramount+ (Streaming Only)
- Jan 17 at Nottingham Forest: NBC / Peacock / Universo
- Jan 24 vs. Manchester United: NBC / Peacock (Expect this to be the big "televised" game of the weekend)
- Feb 11 vs. Brentford: Peacock (Midweek games are often split, but this looks like a streaming exclusive)
- Feb 22 at Tottenham (North London Derby): USA Network (The high-intensity cable slot)
Why is it so hard to find the Gunners?
It’s basically a math problem. NBC wants you to pay for a cable bundle (via USA Network) and a streaming service (Peacock). If they put every Arsenal game on one or the other, they’d lose half their leverage.
The "Big Six" teams like Arsenal are the primary drivers for these subscriptions. You’ll notice that a team like Ipswich or Brentford might be on Peacock eight weeks in a row. Arsenal? They get moved around because their viewership numbers are high enough to "anchor" whatever platform needs a boost that week.
What about the Champions League and FA Cup?
This is where your remote gets a workout.
If Arsenal is playing in Europe—and let's be real, they're heavy hitters in the Champions League this year—you have to switch to Paramount+. CBS Sports owns those rights. Occasionally, a massive semifinal might show up on the local CBS affiliate, but 95% of the "League Phase" and knockout rounds are behind the Paramount+ paywall.
📖 Related: Kansas City quarterback Alex Smith: The Man Who Saved the Chiefs (Before Mahomes)
The FA Cup is a different beast entirely. That belongs to ESPN+.
So, if you want the "Full Arsenal Experience" in 2026, you're looking at:
- NBC/USA Network (via cable or YouTube TV/Fubo)
- Peacock Premium
- Paramount+ (for Champions League and Carabao Cup)
- ESPN+ (for FA Cup)
It’s expensive. It’s annoying. But it's the only way to ensure you don't miss a Bukayo Saka masterclass because you were looking at the wrong app.
The Spanish Language Factor
Here’s a pro tip most people ignore: Telemundo and Universo.
If you have a basic cable package but don't want to pay for Peacock, check the Spanish listings. Often, games that are "exclusive" to Peacock in English are broadcast on Universo or Telemundo in Spanish. The energy is usually better anyway, even if your Spanish is limited to ordering a burrito.
Actionable Steps for the American Gooner
Don't wait until 7:25 AM on a Saturday to figure out where the game is. The "Where to Watch" section on the official Arsenal app is actually fairly reliable for US fans, as it localizes based on your IP.
Check your subscriptions now.
If you're missing Paramount+, you're missing the Chelsea cup tie today. If you don't have Peacock, you're going to miss roughly one out of every three Premier League games.
Get a "Multisport" app.
Apps like LiveSoccerTV or FotMob are lifesavers. They don't just tell you the score; they list the specific US channel for every single match. Set a notification for Arsenal, and it’ll tell you "USA Network" or "Peacock" about 24 hours before kickoff.
Find a local Arsenal branch.
If the cost of four streaming services is too high, find an official Arsenal America pub. They pay the commercial "Premium" fees so you don't have to. Plus, watching a 7:30 AM kickoff with fifty other people screaming at a VAR decision is way better than doing it alone on your couch.
The 2026 landscape is messy, but once you realize that Arsenal on USA TV is actually a code for "check three different apps," it becomes a lot easier to manage. Just keep your chargers handy.