Why You Can Trust CNET Chiefs vs. Chargers Livestream: How to Watch NFL Week 18 Online Today
Want to watch the Kansas City Chiefs play the Los Angeles Chargers? Here's everything you need to stream Sunday's 1:25 p.m. PT game on CBS.
The Kansas City Chiefs have already locked up the AFC West title and the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoffs. With no chance at improving their positioning, star quarterback Patrick Mahomes has already been announced as out for the contest against the Chargers. Travis Kelce, meanwhile, may still play as he's just 16 yards away from posting an eighth straight 1,000-yard season.
At 5-11, the Chargers similarly enter Week 18 with nothing to play for outside of draft positioning.
Kickoff is called for 4:25 p.m. ET (1:25 p.m. PT) on CBS. We'll show you how you can watch, even if the game isn't available on your local CBS channel.
The game will be shown on TV in the Kansas City and LA areas (according to 506 Sports) on live TV streaming services, but there may be cases where you're blocked because of an internet location glitch or just want an added layer of privacy for streaming. One option doesn't require subscribing to something like NFL Sunday Ticket or NFL Plus, or searching the internet for a sketchy website: You can use a virtual private network, or VPN.
Here's how you can watch the game from anywhere in the US with a VPN.
Read more: NFL 2023: How to Watch and Stream Games and RedZone With or Without Cable
Travis Kelce is close to another 1,000-yard season so he could play in this Sunday's relatively low-stakes game for the Chiefs.
Chiefs vs. Chargers game today: When and where?
This Week 18 NFL game sees the Chargers host the Chiefs at 1:25 p.m. PT (3:25 p.m. CT, 4:25 p.m. ET) on Sunday. The contest will take place at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, home of the Chargers.
How to watch the Chiefs vs. Chargers game online from anywhere using a VPN
If you find yourself unable to view the game locally due to incorrectly applied blackout restrictions, you may need a different way to watch the game and that's where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic. It's also a great idea for when you're traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.
With a VPN, you're able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. If your internet provider or mobile carrier has stuck you with an IP address that incorrectly shows your location in a blackout zone, a VPN can correct that problem by giving you an IP address in your correct, non-blackout area. Most VPNs, like our Editors' Choice, ExpressVPN, make it easy to do this.
Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US and Canada, as long as you've got a legitimate subscription to the service you're streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.
Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the other great VPN deals taking place right now.
ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. It's normally $13 a month, and you can sign up for ExpressVPN and save 49% plus get three months of access for free -- the equivalent of $6.67 a month -- if you get an annual subscription.
Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
How to watch Chiefs vs. Chargers in the US
This week's Chiefs-Chargers game is on CBS, so in addition to a VPN you'll need a live TV streaming service that carries a local CBS affiliate that's broadcasting the game. The good news for football fans is that CBS is available on most of the major streaming services. The least expensive option is Paramount Plus.
Those looking for CBS' Sunday games will be able to stream them on Paramount Plus with its $6-a-month Essentials tier. You can check for yourself if your area has live CBS streaming here.
Numerous other live TV streaming services carry local CBS stations as well, namely YouTube TV, Hulu Plus Live TV, DirecTV Stream and Fubo. These cost far more than Paramount Plus, but they also carry many live channels, including football broadcasting channels like Fox and ESPN. Check out our live TV streaming services guide for details.
If you live in an area where the game is being broadcast, an over-the-air antenna connected to your TV provides another option for CBS. The best part about antennas is that there are no streaming or monthly fees required, though you will need to make sure you have good reception.
Quick tips for streaming the Chiefs vs. Chargers game using a VPN
- With four variables at play -- your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN -- experience and success may vary.
- If you don't see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the "search for city or country" option.
- If you're having trouble getting the game after you've turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs -- like Roku -- don't have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you'll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you're using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
- All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a cable network's sports app, you'll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.
- And remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you're using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We normally recommend Brave.