How to watch Cubs on TV in 2026 with and without cable: full streaming guide

After an exciting offseason headlined by the additions of Alex Bregman and Edward Cabrera, among others, Chicago Cubs fans are eagerly anticipating the start of baseball season. The team is projected to be a serious contender again this year with hopes of finally surpassing the Milwaukee Brewers and making a deep playoff run. As always, Wrigley Field is the place to catch the action, but, for those at home, Marquee Sports Network still offers one of the better broadcast experiences in the game.

Last year marked the first time Jon "Boog" Sciambi got to call a postseason-clinching team alongside Jim Deshaies since taking over for Len Kasper in 2021. That appears likely to happen again in 2026, given a reinforced roster that also brings back much of their exciting young core, including Pete Crow-Armstrong, Michael Busch, Dansby Swanson, and, in perhaps their final Cubs seasons, Nico Hoerner, Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki. It'll be a long journey and, compared to past years, there have been a few key shakeups to that path.

Despite major staff cuts and a severely reduced spring training broadcast schedule, Marquee will still carry the vast majority of Cubs games. However, national broadcasts will be changing hands, as Sunday Night Baseball is moving from ESPN to NBC, while the sports network instead picks up a new mid-week package. Netflix is also getting a piece of the pie, and both FOX and AppleTV will remain involved with regular-season telecasts. Fortunately, there are a few options for all of this, and we have you covered on how to watch along this season.

How to watch the Cubs on cable in 2026

The baseball television landscape continues to evolve as the RSN bubble continues to burst. MLB recently took over the broadcast rights for six of the nine teams whose rights at Main Street Sports were terminated, including the Brewers, Marlins, Rays, Royals, Cardinals and Reds. The Cubs are yet to be affected, but that's not to say Marquee isn't without its faults. The network's existence has been plagued by carriage battles, in addition to the recent layoffs, creating doubts about its future.

None of that is a worry this year, as Chicagoland viewers will have full access to the Cubs whether you have DirecTV, Xfinity/Comcast, Astound Broadcast, or AT&T U-Verse. The official Marquee website also has a handy channel finder to check if an area carrier has the network included in its offerings. For the national games, ESPN, FOX, FS1, and TBS will all carry a select few throughout the season and postseason, with NBC now joining the fray as the new home of Sunday Night Baseball, Sunday Leadoff, and the Wild Card Series.

How to watch the Chicago Cubs without cable in 2026?

For cord-cutters, there are three in-market options and one out-of-market choice for catching the lion's share of Cubs games. FuboTV and DirecTV both carry Marquee over the internet, but the channel is also available through the standalone Marquee Sports Network app with a $20 per month subscription. The go-to out-of-network option, however, remains MLB.TV.

How to Watch the Cubs on FuboTV

• Price: $73.99/mo.
• Free Trial: 7 days ($25 off the first month)
• DVR: Unlimited

FuboTV includes just about everything fans need to follow along with the 2026 Cubs season, including Marquee, ESPN, FOX, and FS1 under its Pro, Elite, and Deluxe plans. However, the service is in the middle of a lengthy carriage battle with NBCUniversal, meaning NBC and its affiliates have been absent since November. No package carries TBS, either, but, as a nice touch, it does feature MLB.TV as an expansion for an extra $29.99 per month for those who want to catch all out-of-market games.

How to watch the Cubs on DirecTV?

• Price: $94.99/mo.
• Free Trial: 5 days ($10 off for the first three months)
• DVR: Unlimited

The DirecTV Stream name is no more, but the cable provider still offers a robust streaming package. To get Marquee, fans will want to subscribe to the Choice plan for the cheapest option, and, unlike Fubo, it will also come with NBC and TBS in addition to the other major sports channels.

How to watch the Cubs on the Marquee Sports Network app?

• Price: $19.99/mo.
• Free Trial: None

If you just need Marquee, the Marquee Sports Network app offers the most straightforward option for in-market fans. It may be best to wait, though, as the network does sometimes offer a free trial once Spring Training is underway. Subscribing gets not just Cubs games, but also plenty of Cubs-centric content like Cubs Live!, Road to Wrigley Live, and Cubs 360, as well as Bears coverage and more from Chicago sports.

How to Watch the Cubs on MLB.TV?

• Price: $149.99/yr.
• Free Trial: 7 days

The best, and really only streaming option for out-of-market viewers to catch the Cubs, MLB.TV offers access to all out-of-market broadcasts under one roof, not including streaming service-exclusive games. Currently, it also has offseason and MLB Network packages available that will give access to select spring training games and other coverage until the season begins.

To see every game, a subscription to the renamed AppleTV (formerly TV+) is also necessary to pick up the few Friday night games featuring the Cubs. New users can get a free seven-day trial before paying $12.99 a month. For those without access to NBC, Peacock is also an option to catch the network's new slate, starting with the $10.99 per month Premium tier. Netflix will also be required for the T-Mobile Home Run Derby, the returning Field of Dreams Game, and a special Opening Night game, though none directly feature the Cubs. PCA, Matthew Boyd, Alex Bregman, Jameson Taillon, and Seiya Suzuki will all be competing in the WBC, though.