RESOLVING THE LEDGER
This is one outlet's own report from Yahoo Sports — the article as it was filed. Other outlets are covering the same event; open the full story to compare every source side by side.
See the full story · 1 sources
The Houston Texans visit the Carolina Panthers for their final NFL preseason game before the 2026 regular season. (Billy Cadden)
The Houston Texans close out the preseason Friday night against the Carolina Panthers, but fans should not expect to see C.J. Stroud or the rest of the team's top names on the field. Head coach DeMeco Ryans confirmed the Texans will sit their starters in the preseason finale, turning this game into one final audition for players fighting to make the 53-man roster. After a full week of joint work against Carolina, Houston appears comfortable letting the starters shift their focus toward Week 1.
That doesn't mean Friday night is meaningless. The final preseason game is where depth charts get settled, roster bubble players make their last push, and young guys try to give coaches one more reason to keep them around. For Texans fans, it's also one last chance to see where the back end of the roster stands before cutdown day and the real season arrives. The stars can wait, but with roster spots on the line, there should still be plenty of urgency in Charlotte.
The Texans' final preseason game kicks off at 6:00 p.m. CDT Friday evening, and fans here in Houston can tune in with Sling TV .
When is the Texans vs Panthers game?
What : Houston Texans at Carolina Panthers - Preseason Game
When : Friday, August 28, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. CDT
Where : Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
TV : ABC
How to stream the Texans vs Panthers game without cable
Here in the Houston area, the Texans vs Panthers game is airing locally on ABC, which makes Sling TV one of the first streaming options to check. The preseason matchup is not a national TV game, though, so fans outside the Houston metro area may have a harder time watching live.
Sling TV - sling.com
1.00 Shop Now Sling carries ABC13 here in town, so local Texans fans can stream Friday's preseason game with a Sling package that includes ABC, like Select or Blue. Sling TV also offers ABC in many other regions across the country, so fans outside Houston may still be able to watch if their local ABC affiliate is carrying the game. Just keep in mind this is still a regional preseason broadcast, so ABC availability through Sling does not automatically mean Texans vs Panthers will be available everywhere.
These are the Sling plans that carry ABC in the Houston area so you can tune in on Friday:
Sling Select ($24.99/month)
Sling Essentials & Select ($39.99/month)
Sling TV Blue ($49.99/month)
Sling TV Orange & Blue ($64.99/month)
While we always choose Sling as our top pick for these games, any of these other major streaming platforms will also get the job done:
fuboTV ($63.99 for the first month, then $88.99/month with a 5-day free trial)
DIRECTV STREAM ($59.99/month for the first month, then $89.99/month)
Hulu + Live TV ($89.99/month with a 3-day free trial; also includes Disney+ and ESPN Unlimited)
YouTube TV ($44.99/month for the first 6 months, then $64.99/month with a variable free trial)
Prices are accurate at the time of publication and subject to change.
This article originally published at How to watch the NFL Texans vs Panthers game without cable tonight .
AIPROPX is an independent multi-source news index — we track, compare, and connect coverage from across the web into one place you won't find anywhere else.