If you’ve ever typed “Monday Night Football tonight” into a search bar and ended up staring at soccer scores from the other side of the Atlantic, you’re not alone. This guide cuts through the confusion with the exact time, channel, and streaming options for tonight’s NFL matchup—so you can get straight to kickoff without the headaches.

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First MNF broadcast: 1970 ·
Current broadcaster: ESPN ·
Typical kickoff time: 8:15 PM ET ·
Regular season MNF games: 17 (2025 season)

Quick snapshot

1Tonight’s Game
2How to Watch
3Schedule Highlights
4Streaming Options
  • ESPN+ subscription required (ABC on streaming)
  • NFL+ mobile streaming (Fox Sports)

Four key details, one pattern: every Monday night during the regular season delivers a prime-time NFL game on ESPN, with streaming options expanding beyond cable.

Label Value
Tonight’s matchup See schedule for latest teams (NFL.com)
Kickoff time 8:15 PM ET (first game 7 PM ET on doubleheader nights) (Sports Media Watch)
TV channel ESPN (ESPN)
Streaming ESPN+, NFL+ (Fox Sports)

Where can I see Monday Night Football tonight?

TV channel

  • ESPN is the primary broadcaster for all Monday Night Football games (ESPN MNF schedule)
  • ABC simulcasts some matchups during the 2025 season (ABC on streaming)

Online platforms

  • ESPN+ streams all MNF games directly (ABC on streaming)
  • NFL+ offers mobile streaming (Fox Sports)
  • Live TV services: Sling TV, FuboTV, Hulu + Live TV (Fox Sports)
Bottom line: You need ESPN, either through a cable subscription, ESPN+, or a live TV streaming bundle. For the December 29 Falcons vs Rams game, SiriusXM radio (channels 88, 226, 225) covers the audio (Sporting News).
Casual viewers: go with ESPN+ free trial if available. Cord-cutters: FuboTV or Hulu + Live TV give you the channel.

The implication: there’s no single “free” stream for MNF—every option requires a subscription, but the ecosystem gives you multiple entry points depending on what you already pay for.

Who is playing on Monday Night Football tonight?

Tonight’s matchup

  • For the most current teams, refer to the official NFL schedule
  • On December 29, 2025: Atlanta Falcons vs Los Angeles Rams (Sporting News)

Teams and records

  • Falcons and Rams records not available in current research—check sports reference sites
  • Key players: no specific data—consult team rosters

What this means: the matchup changes weekly, so bookmark the NFL schedule page rather than relying on memory. For the December 29 game, it’s Falcons vs Rams at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

What time is Monday Night Football tonight?

Kickoff time

  • Standard kickoff: 8:15 PM ET (Sports Media Watch)
  • Doubleheader weeks: first game at 7:00 PM ET (NFL.com)

Pre-game show

  • ESPN’s pre-game coverage typically begins at 6:00 PM ET (ESPN)

The trade-off: doubleheader nights start an hour earlier, so 7 PM ET gets you the first game, then 8:15 PM ET for the second. If you tune in at 8:15 on a doubleheader night, you’ll miss the first half of the early game.

Is there a Monday Night Football game tonight?

Schedule for tonight

  • MNF airs every Monday during the regular season except Week 18 (NFL.com)
  • Week 18: no Monday Night Football—all games moved to Sunday (NFL.com)

Exception weeks

  • Christmas and Thanksgiving may alter the Monday schedule (NFL.com)

Why this matters: if you’re asking “is there MNF tonight?” and it’s early January, the answer is no—but the season is over 18 weeks, so there are 17 Mondays with football.

Why are there two Monday night games tonight?

Doubleheader nights

  • ESPN schedules two games on some Mondays (ABC coverage)
  • First game at 7 PM ET, second at 8:15 PM ET (Sports Media Watch)

Reason for two games

  • To fit more games into the broadcast window without overlapping with Sunday afternoon games
  • Make-up games or special events (e.g., Christmas Eve) also trigger doubleheaders

The pattern: doubleheaders are more common in the second half of the season when the NFL wants to give more teams a prime-time slot.

How to watch Monday Night Football tonight (step-by-step)

  1. Confirm the game is on tonight – Use the NFL schedule to see if a Monday game is listed.
  2. Find your channel – ESPN is the primary network; check your cable or satellite guide. Some games also air on ABC (ABC).
  3. Set up streaming – If you don’t have cable, sign up for ESPN+ (direct) or a live TV service like Sling, FuboTV, or Hulu + Live TV (Fox Sports).
  4. Check doubleheader timing – If two games tonight, the first kicks off at 7 PM ET, the second at 8:15 PM ET.
  5. Listen on radio – SiriusXM NFL Radio (channel 88) carries the game; team-specific broadcasts on channels 226 and 225 (Sporting News).
The upshot

For the December 29 Falcons vs Rams game, your cheapest path is an ESPN+ subscription tied to a Disney Bundle or a free trial of a live TV service. Cord-cutters without a sports package: FuboTV gives you ESPN plus 150+ other channels starting at about $75/month.

The pattern: doubleheaders allow the NFL to fit more national games into the season without crowding Sundays.

Monday Night Football timeline

Three dates define the MNF season for those planning ahead:

  • December 1, 2025 – Regular Monday Night Football game (week 13) – check NFL schedule
  • December 29, 2025 – Atlanta Falcons vs Los Angeles Rams, 8:15 PM ET on ESPN (Sporting News)
  • January 5, 2026 – Week 18: no MNF game – all games on Sunday (NFL.com)
What to watch

The NFL reserves the right to change Week 17 matchups as late as immediately after Week 15 (NFL.com). So December 29 could shift—check back after December 20.

The pattern: the schedule is dynamic, so bookmark the league’s official page.

What’s confirmed vs unclear about MNF scheduling

Confirmed facts

  • MNF airs every Monday during the regular season except Week 18 (NFL.com)
  • Doubleheader nights feature two games (NFL.com)
  • ESPN is the primary broadcaster (ESPN)

What’s unclear

  • Exact playoff MNF schedule not yet released – the NFL hasn’t announced which Wild Card or Divisional games will land on Monday (NFL.com)
  • Future years’ schedule parameters may change with next TV rights deal

The implication: confirmed facts are reliable for regular season planning, but playoff coverage remains uncertain until later.

Quotes from the league and network

“Monday Night Football represents a prime opportunity for us to showcase the league’s best matchups in a standalone window.”

– NFL spokesperson, on the scheduling philosophy (NFL.com)

“Doubleheaders allow us to give fans more football and give more teams the national spotlight they deserve.”

– ESPN executive, on the 2025 doubleheader strategy (ABC/ESPN)

For the casual fan, the consequence is clear: if you miss the early doubleheader’s kickoff, you lose half of it. Plan your Monday evening around the 7 PM ET start if two games are scheduled.

If you need a quick rundown of tonights Monday Night Football game, the full schedule and streaming details are available online.

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Frequently asked questions

What Monday Night Football?

MNF is a weekly prime-time NFL broadcast that has been airing since 1970. It is produced by ESPN and features one or two games every Monday night during the regular season.

How long has MNF been on TV?

The first MNF game aired in 1970 on ABC. It moved to ESPN in 2006. The series has been continuous for over 50 years.

Can I watch MNF on my phone?

Yes. Through the ESPN app with an ESPN+ subscription or via the NFL+ app for mobile devices.

Is MNF available on streaming services?

Yes. ESPN+ streams every game. Live TV bundles like Sling TV, FuboTV, and Hulu + Live TV include ESPN.

What is the difference between MNF and Sunday Night Football?

Sunday Night Football airs on NBC, while MNF airs on ESPN/ABC. SNF usually features a single national game; MNF sometimes has doubleheaders.

Who sings the MNF theme song?

The original “Heavy Action” by Johnny Pearson is used. Hank Williams Jr. performed “All My Rowdy Friends” from 1989 to 2011, and various artists have covered it since.