CBS and Paramount+ are the same broadcasting house, but the live sports rights split between them in ways that confuse first-time subscribers. The CBS broadcast network airs the AFC NFL slate (the lead-out from FOX’s NFC schedule), the SEC Game of the Week on football Saturdays, the NCAA Tournament’s Final Four and the Championship Game, the Masters golf, and the Super Bowl on the network’s three-year rotation. Paramount+ takes the streaming-only football rights — UEFA Champions League and Europa League, Serie A, NWSL, the EFL — plus the cable-tier CBS Sports Network’s college football and basketball.
The two services are complementary, not redundant. CBS broadcast network is free over the air. Paramount+ is the streamer that carries everything CBS Sports rights to but doesn’t air on the broadcast network. The bar regular’s setup: free CBS for AFC NFL games, $7.99 a month Paramount+ for the Champions League midweek nightcaps and any Serie A match.
What CBS and Paramount+ carry in the US
NFL AFC Sunday slate — CBS broadcast network. AFC games and the doubleheader window when CBS draws it. Free over the air, included in any cable or streaming-cable bundle.
Super Bowl — CBS rotates with FOX and NBC every three years. Paramount+ simulcasts the CBS Super Bowl broadcasts as part of the standard subscription.
UEFA Champions League (Paramount+ exclusive through 2030. Every match. The CBS Sports broadcast crew) Kate Abdo, Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher, Micah Richards — runs the studio show. The final airs on CBS broadcast network with a simultaneous Paramount+ stream.
UEFA Europa League and Conference League — Paramount+ exclusive through 2030. Tuesday and Thursday matchnights respectively.
Serie A (Italian top flight) — Paramount+ has most matches. A handful land on CBS Sports Network cable. The deal runs through 2026-27.
NWSL (National Women’s Soccer League) — Paramount+ for half the league’s matches. The other half splits across ESPN+, ABC, and Amazon Prime under the league’s recent four-network deal. The NWSL Championship rotates between CBS and ABC.
EFL (English Football League (Championship, League One, League Two)) Paramount+ has the streaming rights. ESPN+ briefly held them, lost to Paramount+ in 2024.
SEC Game of the Week — CBS broadcast network for the headline SEC football fixture each Saturday. CBS Sports Network covers the secondary windows. This package ends after 2024-25 — ESPN takes the SEC headline starting 2025-26 under the new Disney conference deal.
March Madness Final Four and the Championship Game — CBS broadcast network. The early rounds split with Turner (TBS, TNT, truTV) under the long-running joint deal.
The Masters — CBS broadcast network for the third and fourth round, with ESPN covering the first two days. Paramount+ simulcasts.
Paramount+ tiers
Paramount+ Essential is $7.99 a month — ad-supported, includes the live CBS broadcast feed and the streamer’s full library. Paramount+ with Showtime is $12.99 a month, ad-free with Showtime’s premium content and additional NFL on CBS games. The Showtime tier matters for cord-cutters who want the AFC playoff games without a cable bundle.
What Paramount+ doesn’t carry
Premier League (Peacock), La Liga (ESPN+), Bundesliga (ESPN+), MLS (Apple TV+), NBA (split across ESPN, NBC, Amazon), MLB (FOX, ESPN, MLB Network, Apple TV+), NHL (ESPN, TNT), NFL Sunday Ticket (YouTube TV), Thursday Night Football (Amazon).
What it costs
Paramount+ Essential at $7.99 a month covers the Champions League and Serie A. CBS broadcast is free over the air. The Showtime tier at $12.99 adds the NFL AFC playoff games via streaming for cord-cutters. The bar-friendly setup: $7.99 a month plus an antenna for the AFC NFL games, plus YouTube TV ($82.99) or Hulu + Live TV ($76.99) if you want a full streaming-cable bundle that includes ESPN, FOX, NBC.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Champions League in the US? Paramount+ exclusive through 2030. $7.99 a month. CBS broadcasts the final on linear with a simultaneous Paramount+ stream.
Does Paramount+ carry every NFL game? No. Paramount+ Essential at $7.99 includes only the local CBS market AFC games. Paramount+ with Showtime at $12.99 includes the full national CBS NFL package, including marquee playoff games.
What’s the difference between CBS and Paramount+? CBS is the broadcast network, free over the air. Paramount+ is the streaming service. Some content overlaps (live NFL AFC games, the Super Bowl when CBS broadcasts), but Paramount+ carries streaming-exclusive content like the Champions League and Serie A.
Is the Final Four on CBS or Paramount+? CBS broadcast network for the Final Four and the Championship Game. The early rounds split between CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV.
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