Jason Kelce commentating for Monday Night Football broadcast on ESPN of January 13, 2025 NFL Playoff NFC wildcard game between the Los Angeles Rams and the — Photo: James Larrison from Scottsdale, AZ, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 (cropped, sureno.ai mark added)

Who Plays Monday Night Football? How to Find the Game

The October 5 game featured the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints; the matchup and viewing options change each week.

SportsOctober 6, 20263 min readHow Sureno writes this

The short version

On Monday, October 5, 2026, the Atlanta Falcons played the New Orleans Saints in Week 4 of Monday Night Football ¹.
The game began at 8:15 p.m. Eastern and was shown on ESPN and ESPN2, as well as NFL+ ¹.
ABC was not showing that game, although it was scheduled to carry some Monday Night Football games during the 2026 regular season ¹.
Monday Night Football is the NFL’s name for games broadcast on Monday nights; ESPN2’s ManningCast is an alternate broadcast for selected games ².

Who played Monday Night Football on October 5?

The Week 4 matchup was the New Orleans Saints hosting the Atlanta Falcons at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. Both teams entered the game with records of 1-2, according to the report published the day of the game ¹.

That makes the direct answer depend on the date. For October 5, 2026, it was Falcons versus Saints. The supplied reporting does not establish who plays in later Monday night games, so readers should check a current schedule for another date.

What is Monday Night Football?

Monday Night Football, often shortened to MNF, is the branding for National Football League games broadcast on Monday nights ². It is a television presentation of a regular NFL game, rather than a separate competition.

The broadcast has aired on different networks over time. The supplied background source says it began on ABC in 1970, moved to ESPN alone for a period, and later returned to ABC for selected broadcasts alongside ESPN ².

What channel was the October 5 game on?

The October 5 Saints-Falcons game was scheduled for ESPN and ESPN2 at 8:15 p.m. Eastern. NFL+ was also listed as a way to watch ¹.

ABC was not carrying that particular game. The report said ABC was set to show ten Monday Night Football games during the 2026 regular season, while seven others would air only on ESPN ¹. So the ABC listing alone does not tell you where every Monday game will appear.

Can you watch Monday Night Football without cable?

The source lists NFL+ as a viewing option for the October 5 game and gives ESPN and ESPN2 as its television channels ¹. It does not provide enough detail to verify all available streaming services, their prices, or whether a particular plan carries the game.

If you are choosing a service, check its current channel lineup and the game listing before subscribing. Availability can differ by service, location, and game; the supplied sources do not settle those details for every viewer.

Is there a ManningCast on Monday Night Football?

The ManningCast is an alternate telecast shown on ESPN2 for selected Monday Night Football games, according to the background source ². It is not described as being available for every game.

The available report about the October 5 matchup does not say whether that game had a ManningCast. Check the listing for the specific game rather than assuming the alternate broadcast is scheduled.

What we don't know yet

The supplied sources do not confirm whether the October 5 game had a ManningCast.
They do not give full details on all streaming services, prices, or regional availability.
They do not establish the Monday Night Football matchup for dates after October 5, 2026.

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Questions people ask

Who played MNF on October 5, 2026?

The Atlanta Falcons played the New Orleans Saints in the Week 4 Monday Night Football matchup. New Orleans hosted the game at the Caesars Superdome ¹.

What time did Monday Night Football start?

The October 5, 2026, game was scheduled to start at 8:15 p.m. Eastern time ¹. Start times can vary by game, so check the listing for the date you mean.

What channel was Falcons vs. Saints on?

The game was listed on ESPN and ESPN2, with NFL+ also named as a viewing option ¹. ABC was not airing that matchup ¹.

Is Monday Night Football on ABC every week?

No. For the 2026 season, the supplied report said ABC would simulcast ten Monday Night Football games and that seven would air only on ESPN ¹. The channel depends on the particular game.

Is the ManningCast on every Monday Night Football game?

No. The ManningCast is an ESPN2 alternate telecast for selected games ². The sources provided do not confirm whether it was offered for the October 5 matchup.

Sources

‘Monday Night Football’ schedule: Who’s playing ‘MNF’ tonight? Where to watch, free streaming info — Decider, 2026-10-05
Monday Night Football — Wikipedia

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