YouTube TV Channel Guide 2026 — Full Lineup, Packages & Pricing

Base Channel Lineup ($72.99/month)

These channels are included in the standard YouTube TV plan in most markets:

Local Channels by Market

YouTube TV carries local affiliates in over 200 markets across the US. Here's what you typically get:

• ABC — Available in 99% of markets
• CBS — Available in 98% of markets
• NBC — Available in 99% of markets
• FOX — Available in 97% of markets
• PBS — Available in 85% of markets (varies by region)
• The CW — Available in 70% of markets
• MyNetworkTV — Available in 60% of markets

Check your ZIP code: Before subscribing, enter your ZIP code on the YouTube TV website to see exactly which local channels are available in your area. Availability varies significantly in rural markets.

Add-On Packages & Premiums

Sports Channel Coverage

YouTube TV is one of the best streaming services for sports fans:

• NFL: NFL Network, NFL RedZone (Sports Plus add-on), local games on CBS/FOX/NBC/ESPN
• NBA: NBA TV, TNT, ESPN, ABC, local RSNs
• MLB: MLB Network, ESPN, FS1, TBS, local RSNs
• NHL: NHL Network, ESPN, TNT, local RSNs
• College: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS Sports
• International: beIN Sports (add-on), Fox Soccer Plus (add-on), TUDN

Channels NOT on YouTube TV

No streaming service has every channel. Here is what YouTube TV is missing:

• A&E — Not available (carried on Hulu + Live TV)
• History Channel — Available (included in base plan)
• Lifetime — Available (included)
• MLB Network — Available (included)
• NBA TV — Available (included)
• NHL Network — Available (included)
• PBS Kids — Available in most markets
• NFL RedZone — Available via Sports Plus add-on only
• Hallmark Movies & Mysteries — Not available on YouTube TV

Channel Categories — A Closer Look at What You Actually Get

When I first signed up for YouTube TV, I was impressed by the raw number — 250+ channels sounds like an endless buffet. But I've learned that the real value isn't in the count, it's in how well each category covers what you actually watch. Let me break down the categories I use most and where YouTube TV really shines.

News Channels

YouTube TV's news lineup is the best I've seen from any live TV streamer. You get CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, CNBC, and BBC World News in the base plan — that covers the political spectrum plus solid international coverage. What I didn't expect to use as much: Cheddar and Newsy. Cheddar is great for business and tech news during market hours, and Newsy delivers straight-facts national news without the partisan spin. If you're a news junkie like me, you'll also appreciate the cloud DVR — I record Morning Joe, PBS News Hour, and BBC World News every day, and YouTube TV keeps them for nine months. That's huge when you want to skip commercials.

Sports Channels

For sports, YouTube TV is hard to beat. The base plan includes ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, FS2, NFL Network, NBA TV, MLB Network, NHL Network, CBS Sports, NBC Sports, Golf Channel, and Olympic Channel. That's every major sports network without a single add-on. I watch Premier League matches on NBC Sports, Monday Night Football on ESPN, and NBA playoffs on TNT — all included. The one gap is NFL RedZone, which requires the Sports Plus add-on ($10.99/month). I've found it's worth it if you're an NFL fan, but casual viewers can skip it and still catch every game on the broadcast networks.

How to Customize Your YouTube TV Guide

One feature I wish I'd known about sooner is the custom channel guide. YouTube TV lets you hide channels you never watch and reorder the rest. Here's how I set mine up: I went into Settings → Live Guide → Custom, unchecked the 60+ channels I never touch (sorry, Telemundo and TBN), and dragged my most-watched channels to the top. Now my guide shows about 40 channels instead of 250, and I can find what I want in seconds. I also set up the "Top Picks" row on the home screen, which learns from what I record and watch. After a few weeks, YouTube TV's recommendations got eerily good — it surfaces new shows I'd actually like rather than just pushing whatever's popular.