How to watch Cowboys vs Seahawks on August 15th for free
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The Dallas Cowboys open their 2026 preseason on the road against the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on Saturday, August 15th, with kickoff at 8:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM PT. The game airs nationally on NFL Network, and fans in Dallas and Seattle can watch free over the air on CBS 11 and KING 5. Outside the US, DAZN streams the game free through NFL Game Pass, no season-long subscription required.
Seattle opens its title defense at home for the first time since winning Super Bowl LX in February, while Dallas begins its second season under head coach Brian Schottenheimer with roster questions of its own to sort out.
DAZN streams Cowboys vs Seahawks for free through NFL Game Pass, no season-long subscription required, in most countries outside the United States, Canada, and China. DAZN is geo-restricted, so if it's blocked or paywalled where you are, a VPN connected to a country with the free offer unlocks the stream. We recommend NordVPN for reliable server access and smooth HD streaming.
Where to watch Cowboys vs Seahawks
Below is a full overview of where to watch the game and when it starts in your time zone.
| Country | Streaming service | Price | Kickoff |
| United States | NFL Network / NFL+ | NFL Network via cable or live TV bundle; NFL+ $6.99/month | 8:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM PT |
| United Kingdom | DAZN NFL Game Pass | Free | 1:00 AM BST, August 16th |
| Germany | DAZN NFL Game Pass | Free | 2:00 AM CEST, August 16th |
| Canada | DAZN NFL Game Pass | CA$24.99/month | 8:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM PT |
| Australia | DAZN NFL Game Pass | Free | 10:00 AM AEST, August 16th |
In the US, fans in Dallas and Seattle can also watch free over the air on CBS 11 and KING 5, respectively. DAZN's preseason free window does not apply in the US, Canada, or China. Note the late kickoff: this game crosses midnight in the UK and Europe, and airs Sunday morning in Australia.
How to use a VPN to watch the NFL preseason for free
DAZN streams Cowboys vs Seahawks free through NFL Game Pass in most countries outside the United States, Canada, and China. The free stream is geo-restricted to those eligible countries, but a VPN lets you watch from anywhere by connecting to a server where the offer applies.
- Choose a VPN with servers in a DAZN free-tier country. We recommend NordVPN for its fast servers and reliable unblocking
- Install the VPN app on your device
- Connect to a server in a confirmed free-tier country, such as the UK, Germany, or Australia
- Open DAZN and create a free account
- Find Cowboys vs Seahawks under NFL Game Pass
- Start the live stream shortly before kickoff, and switch servers if it doesn't load
DAZN requires a free account to watch. If registration asks for a local address or postal code, use any valid postal code from a country where the free offer applies (for example, a London postcode for the UK) to complete sign-up.
DAZN runs on mobile apps, desktop browsers, and most smart TV and streaming stick platforms. If your smart TV doesn't support a VPN app directly, NordVPN's Smart DNS feature or a router-level setup covers it. For a full breakdown of options across every device, see our guide to the best VPNs for streaming.
How to watch Cowboys vs Seahawks without cable in the US
With an NFL Network window, cord-cutters have a simple path: YouTube TV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, and Sling all carry NFL Network, and most offer a free trial or discounted first month for new subscribers. Verify the channel lineup for your market before signing up, since carriage can vary.
If you're outside both teams' home markets, NFL+ at $6.99/month streams out-of-market preseason games on mobile, though it's blacked out for in-market viewers in Dallas and Seattle, where the local broadcast takes priority. NFL Sunday Ticket also added out-of-market preseason coverage for the 2026 season, a first for the package. For readers who still have cable or satellite, NFL Network is included in most standard packages from DirecTV, Dish, Xfinity, Spectrum, and Verizon Fios.
How to listen to Cowboys vs Seahawks on the radio
In Dallas, the game airs on 105.3 The Fan (KRLD-FM), the flagship of the Cowboys Radio Network. In Seattle, the broadcast is on Seattle Sports 710 AM and KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM, the Seahawks' radio home.
Nationally, SiriusXM carries both teams' feeds, and NFL+ includes live audio of every game as part of its $6.99/month subscription, a solid fallback for out-of-market fans who'd rather listen than stream.
What's different about preseason football
Don't expect the stars for long, if at all. Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer has said publicly he's not a fan of sitting starters for the entire preseason, but his specific plan for this opener hadn't been announced at publish time. Defending champion Seattle has not confirmed how much, if anything, its starters will play.
The result itself doesn't count. Preseason games have no effect on the regular-season standings, so the scoreboard matters far less than the evaluations happening on the field. Every snap is an audition for players fighting to make the roster.
That process ends on Sunday, August 30th, 2026, when all 32 teams must cut their rosters to 53 players by 6:00 PM ET. The league moved the deadline up to the Sunday before Week 1 this season, so every preseason rep between now and then carries real weight for players on the bubble.
Cowboys vs Seahawks: roster battles and storylines to watch
The stage is the story for Seattle. This is the Seahawks' first game at Lumen Field since winning Super Bowl LX in February, and the preseason opener doubles as a homecoming for the defending champions, even with starters likely limited.
For Dallas, the quarterback depth chart behind the starter is the battle to track, with backup Steve Shimko publicly stating he's preparing like a starter this camp. Schottenheimer's stated preference for giving starters real preseason work makes the Cowboys' snap distribution one of the more interesting Week 1 watches, and no joint practices were held between these teams before this game.
Frequently asked questions
When is Cowboys vs Seahawks?
The game is on Saturday, August 15th, 2026, at 8:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM PT, at Lumen Field in Seattle.
Can I watch Cowboys vs Seahawks for free?
Yes. In the US, the game is free over the air on CBS 11 in Dallas and KING 5 in Seattle. Internationally, DAZN streams it free through NFL Game Pass in most countries outside the United States, Canada, and China, including the UK, Germany, and Australia.
Do NFL starters play in preseason games?
It varies by team and by week, with no league-wide standard. For this game, neither team had confirmed its starter plan at publish time, though Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer has said he prefers giving starters preseason snaps.
Do preseason games count toward the standings?
No. Preseason results have no impact on the regular-season standings. The real stakes are roster spots, with teams required to cut down to 53 players by August 30th, 2026.
Which VPN server location should I use for DAZN?
Connect to a server in a confirmed free-tier country, such as the UK, Germany, or Australia. A server in an excluded country, like the US or Canada, will not unlock the free stream.
Do I need cable to watch Cowboys vs Seahawks in the US?
No. Live TV bundles like YouTube TV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, and Sling carry NFL Network, and most offer free trials. Out of market, NFL+ at $6.99/month streams the game on mobile, though it's blacked out in the Dallas and Seattle markets.
Can I listen to Cowboys vs Seahawks on the radio?
Yes. The Cowboys' broadcast is on 105.3 The Fan, and the Seahawks' is on Seattle Sports 710 AM and KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM. Nationally, SiriusXM and NFL+ carry live audio of the game.
