How To Watch the St. Louis Cardinals
Will the Cardinals end their three-year playoff drought?
The St. Louis Cardinals have a history dating back to the 1880s and have won several titles. But watching the Cardinals the past few seasons hasn’t been very satisfying.
The team hasn’t reached the postseason since 2022, when it suffered a Wild Card exit to the Philadelphia Phillies. Since then, the Cardinals have found themselves stuck in a frustrating middle ground, consistently sitting on the outside looking in.
But 2026 brings a fresh start, with a new TV channel in Cardinals.TV. Expectations may be a little low, but sports are all about defying the odds. In this guide, I outline exactly how fans can watch every Cards game during the 2026 season.
Spring into baseball with DIRECTV!
DIRECTV has the most MLB games, including Spring Training, period.* Not only that, but this season you can catch the World Baseball Classic and tons of college ball streaming on your favorite devices. With so much live action on deck, it's time to get your game together by scouting DIRECTV's packages today.
*Claim based on total games carried on Nat'l and combined local Regional Sports Networks. RSNs avail. with CHOICE package or higher. Avail. of RSNs varies by ZIP code and pkg. Blackouts apply.
Where to watch the Cardinals—local TV breakdown
The St. Louis Cardinals have a broadcast territory that spans ten states: Arkansas, Iowa, and Oklahoma, as well as parts of Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, Indiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Mississippi. If you live in any of those areas, your new home for Cardinals baseball is Cardinals.TV.
Fans living outside of that massive coverage area aren’t left out. You’ll simply need an out-of-market subscription to catch the daily action. Cord-cutters can subscribe directly to MLB.TV to stream the games, while traditional cable and satellite viewers can add the MLB EXTRA INNINGS package to their existing TV plan.
| Channel | Starting price | Coverage | Available on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinals.TV | $19.99/mo. | Most in-market games | DIRECTV, Spectrum, AT&T U-verse, Fubo, Xfinity |
| MLB.TV | $29.99/mo. | Most out-of-market games | MLB and ESPN apps |
| MLB EXTRA INNINGS | $149.99/season | Most out-of-market games | Cable and satellite services |
Where to watch the Cardinals—national TV breakdown
| Network | Coverage | Available on |
|---|---|---|
| Apple TV | Friday Night Baseball exclusive games | Apple TV subscription ($12.99/mo.) |
| ESPN | Select regular-season games | Cable, satellite, live TV streaming services |
| FOX | Saturday MLB games, select primetime matchups, All-Star Game, World Series | Cable, satellite, live TV streaming services |
| FS1 | Saturday regular-season games, select postseason games (Division Series, League Championship Series) | Cable, satellite, live TV streaming services |
| MLB Network | Regular-season national games, simulcasts, showcase matchups | Cable, satellite, select live TV streaming services |
| NBC | Select Sunday MLB games | Cable, satellite, live TV streaming services |
| Netflix | Exclusive events (Home Run Derby, MLB at Field of Dreams) | Netflix subscription ($9.99–$26.99/mo.) |
| Peacock | Exclusive Sunday MLB games | Peacock Premium subscription ($10.99–$16.99/mo.), NBCSN (simulcasts) |
| TBS | Regular-season Tuesday night games, select postseason games (Division Series, League Championship Series) | Cable, satellite, live TV streaming services |
Best TV plans for watching the St. Louis Cardinals
Cardinals fans will need more than one service to watch all 162 regular-season games and any playoff matchups. But don’t worry, I’ve got you covered with a few reliable recommendations.
You’ll definitely need DIRECTV for the bulk of the games, as it includes the necessary regional and national channels. For the streaming exclusives, you’ll want to look into Apple TV and Peacock Premium to make sure you don’t miss those national showcase games.
Best Overall
DIRECTV has a dedicated Cardinals.TV network on Channel 672 and includes almost every national channel the team will appear on.
Exclusive Games
The Cardinals will have multiple games streaming exclusively on the platform, which features Friday Night Baseball doubleheaders.
Exclusive Games
Any Cardinals games broadcast on NBC will also stream on Peacock Premium. Plus, several other games will stream exclusively on the platform this season.
Out-of-Market Coverage
Fans outside of the broadcast territory can watch Cardinals games live and on demand on MLB.TV.
Watch the Cardinals with a free trial
Watching the Cardinals will eventually cost you some money. But there are several ways to get limited free trials from live TV streaming services or Cardinals.TV, but those trials typically last around five days.
| Packages | Price | ESPN | FOX | FS1 | NBC | TBS | MLB Network | RSNs* | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIRECTV | Five days free, then $89.99–$169.99/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | View Plans for DIRECTV STREAM |
| Fubo | Five days free, then $14.99–$94.99/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | — | — | ✔ | ✔ | View Plans for FuboTV |
| YouTube TV | Varies, then $82.99/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | — | — | View Plans for YouTube TV |
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
*Avail. of RSNs varies by zip code and pkg.
Get tickets to see the Cardinals!
Buy St. Louis Cardinals tickets through our partner, StubHub—your source for the best deals on Cardinals games and more.
How to watch the St. Louis Cardinals FAQ
What channel are the Cardinals on?
You can watch the St. Louis Cardinals on Cardinals.TV if you live in the team's broadcast territory. Select games will be on national channels like FOX, NBC, FS1, ESPN, Apple TV, and Peacock.
Can I stream Cardinals games without cable?
Yes, there are several ways to stream the Cardinals. Cardinals.TV is available as a standalone streaming service. Several games will stream exclusively on Apple TV and Peacock Premium. Plus, you can get a live TV streaming service like DIRECTV or Fubo for national and regional broadcasts.
Why are Cardinals games blacked out in my area?
If you're in the team's broadcast area and trying to use MLB.TV, games will be blacked out. In-market fans need to use Cardinals.TV for live games.
Can I watch the St. Louis Cardinals for free?
The Cardinals will have a few games on FOX and NBC, which you can watch free with an over-the-air antenna. Also, Gray Media will air 10 games on local affiliates for free in 2026. Aside from that, a free trial for a live TV streaming service will get you some Cards action for free.
Why you should trust us
Our CableTV.com junior sports writer, Alex Vejar, reviewed the details of the 2026 St. Louis Cardinals schedule. He then researched which TV and streaming providers offered the most channels to watch Cardinals games. Using that information, he made a recommendation that he feels is best for Cardinals fans.
Check out our How We Rank page to learn more about our review methods.
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