How to Watch Lions vs. Panthers on Sunday Night Football on DIRECTV
The Detroit Lions (2-1) visit the Carolina Panthers (1-2) on Sunday, October 4, at 8:20 p.m. ET at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. It's the Week 4 edition of Sunday Night Football on NBC, so DIRECTV customers watch it on their local NBC station. Football Night in America starts at 7 p.m. ET.
It's Carolina's first time hosting a Sunday night game since the 2015 season. Here's how to find it on DIRECTV and your streaming and Spanish-language options.
Quick answer
- Date and time: Sunday, October 4, 2026, 8:20 p.m. ET (7:20 p.m. CT). Pregame starts at 7 p.m. ET.
- Network: NBC, nationally, with Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth and Melissa Stark.
- DIRECTV channel: your local NBC station. The number depends on your market. It's WDIV Local 4 in Detroit and WCNC in Charlotte.
- Spanish: Universo, DIRECTV channel 410.
- Streaming: Peacock, the NBC Sports app with a DIRECTV login, and NFL+ on phones and tablets.
Lions vs. Panthers: date, time and channel
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Date | Sunday, October 4, 2026 |
| Kickoff | 8:20 p.m. ET (local) / 7:20 p.m. CT |
| Pregame | Football Night in America, 7 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock |
| Stadium | Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, N.C. |
| TV | NBC (national) |
| Detroit TV | WDIV Local 4 |
| Charlotte TV | WCNC (channel 36) |
| Spanish TV | Universo (DIRECTV channel 410) |
| Broadcast crew | Mike Tirico (play-by-play), Cris Collinsworth (analyst), Melissa Stark (sideline), Terry McAulay (rules analyst) |
| Streaming | Peacock; NBC Sports app and NBC app with a TV provider login; NFL+ (mobile) |
What channel is Lions vs. Panthers on DIRECTV?
Sunday Night Football airs on NBC, and DIRECTV delivers NBC through your local NBC affiliate. There's no single national NBC channel number, because DIRECTV assigns local stations by market. Local channels come with DIRECTV's core packages wherever they're available.
Press Guide and look for your NBC station's call letters, or check DIRECTV's channel lineup for your ZIP code. In the two home markets:
- Detroit: NBC station WDIV Local 4.
- Charlotte: NBC station WCNC, channel 36 over the air.
Because it's a national game, every NBC station in the country carries it. If you removed local channels from a satellite package, you can add them back in your DIRECTV account, and the guide can take up to 24 hours to update. Our guide to adding local channels on DIRECTV has the steps.
Watching in Spanish
Telemundo Deportes has the Spanish-language call on Universo, which is DIRECTV channel 410 in ULTIMATE and higher packages. See Universo on DIRECTV for more.
Watching Lions vs. Panthers with DIRECTV streaming
You don't need a satellite dish. DIRECTV's streaming service (DIRECTV STREAM) includes your local NBC station where local channels are available.
| Option | Local NBC? | Advertised price (new customers) |
|---|---|---|
| ENTERTAINMENT | Yes, where available | $89.99/mo |
| CHOICE | Yes, where available | $94.99/mo |
| ULTIMATE | Yes, where available | $124.99/mo |
| PREMIER | Yes, where available | $169.99/mo |
| MySports Genre Pack | Yes, where available | $64.99/mo ($44.99/mo for 6 months for qualifying new customers through Oct. 3) |
Prices are before taxes and fees, and a regional sports fee may apply to CHOICE and higher depending on your ZIP code. The MySports Genre Pack is DIRECTV's sports-focused streaming plan. It pairs your local channels, where available, with national sports networks such as ESPN, FS1 and NFL Network. Local channel availability depends on your address, so check before you sign up or call 1-855-690-9884.
Other ways to stream Lions vs. Panthers
- NBC Sports app and NBC app: NBC says every Sunday Night Football game streams there for TV-provider customers. Sign in with your DIRECTV account at no extra cost.
- Peacock: streams every NBC game, including this one, plus the Football Night in America pregame. Peacock Premium is $12.99 a month and can be added through an eligible DIRECTV account. See Peacock's 2026 prices before you sign up.
- NFL+: live local and prime-time games on phones and tablets.
Is Lions vs. Panthers on NFL Sunday Ticket?
You don't need it for this game. NFL Sunday Ticket, which is sold through YouTube and YouTube TV rather than DIRECTV for homes, covers out-of-market Sunday-afternoon games on CBS and FOX. This game is a national broadcast on NBC, so it's available everywhere without Sunday Ticket.
For bars and restaurants, DIRECTV for Business again offers NFL Sunday Ticket for the 2026 season through an agreement with EverPass, the league's commercial distributor.
Lions vs. Panthers storylines
- A matchup of No. 1 picks: Jared Goff (2016) and Bryce Young (2023) were both first overall selections. Young leads the NFL with 939 passing yards this season.
- Detroit (2-1) beat the Jets 31-24 last week. Jahmyr Gibbs piled up 164 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns, and Amon-Ra St. Brown caught his fifth touchdown pass of the season.
- Carolina (1-2) lost 28-21 at Cleveland. Young threw for 291 yards, and Chuba Hubbard added 110 scrimmage yards.
- Prime time returns to Charlotte: the Panthers last hosted a Sunday night game on October 25, 2015, a 27-16 win over the Eagles. Their last SNF appearance of any kind was in 2016 at Seattle.
- Series: Carolina leads 8-4 and is 6-1 at home against Detroit. The Lions won the last meeting 42-24 in 2023.
Want to confirm you have your local NBC station before Sunday night? Call American TV at 1-855-690-9884.
Frequently asked questions
What channel is Lions vs. Panthers on DIRECTV?
It's on NBC, so tune to your local NBC station. The channel number varies by market. In Detroit, it's WDIV Local 4. In Charlotte, it's WCNC.
What time is Sunday Night Football tonight?
Kickoff for Lions vs. Panthers is 8:20 p.m. ET on Sunday, October 4, 2026. Football Night in America starts at 7 p.m. ET.
Can I stream Sunday Night Football with DIRECTV?
Yes. Sign in to the NBC Sports app or NBC app with your DIRECTV login, or use DIRECTV's streaming service, which includes your local NBC station where available. Peacock also streams the game.
Is Lions vs. Panthers on in Spanish?
Yes, on Universo, DIRECTV channel 410, from Telemundo Deportes.
Who is calling the game?
Mike Tirico on play-by-play, Cris Collinsworth as analyst and Melissa Stark on the sideline.
See every game this week in our NFL Week 4 TV schedule, or call 1-855-690-9884 with package questions.
Details reviewed October 2, 2026. Kickoff times, networks and local station assignments are set by the NFL, its TV partners and local stations and may change. Channel lineups, carriage, offers and package prices vary by address and may change. NFL, DIRECTV, NBC, Peacock, Universo and related marks belong to their respective owners. American TV is an independent dealer and resource site.