The North Carolina Tar Heels and TCU Horned Frogs will open the 2026-27 college football season on Saturday, Aug. 29, in a matchup played in Dublin, Ireland. Kickoff is set for 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET, with the game airing live on ESPN and simulcast on Disney+.
Viewers can stream the broadcast through any service that carries ESPN, including DirecTV, Fubo, Sling, and Hulu + Live TV. DirecTV offers a five-day free trial for new subscribers, and its Signature packages — Entertainment, Choice, Ultimate or Premier — include both ESPN and the Disney+ and Hulu bundle, giving fans a no-cost way to catch the Disney+ simulcast as well. DirecTV plans start at $19.99 per month for a custom channel lineup.
Fubo also carries ESPN and offers a one-day free trial; after that, subscriptions run $54.99 for the first month and $64.99 per month thereafter.
Sling includes ESPN across three tiers: the Essentials plan starting at $19.99 per month, the Orange plan starting at $45.99 per month or $4.99 per day, and the Orange & Blue plan starting at $60.99 per month.
Hulu + Live TV offers a three-day free trial and bundles in Disney+ and ESPN+, with subscriptions starting at $89.99 per month.
A photo accompanying the matchup preview, credited to Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images, shows TCU's Jonathan Bax (#10) sacking North Carolina's Gio Lopez (#7) and forcing a fumble during the second half of a game at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, on Sept. 1, 2025.
