NFL releases 2026 regular-season schedule

The NFL released its full 2026 regular-season schedule on May 14, laying out an 18-week, 272-game slate that opens on Wednesday, Sept. 9, with the Seattle Seahawks hosting the New England Patriots at Lumen Field. The league said the season will end in Week 18 with 16 division games, including three on Saturday, Jan. 9, and 13 on Sunday, Jan. 10. Each of the 32 teams will again play 17 regular-season games and three preseason games, the sixth straight year under that format. The opener pairs the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks with the Patriots in a rematch of Super Bowl LX. The NFL said the game will kick off at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC, and USA Today separately reported the matchup as the season opener after schedule-release leaks and announcements on Thursday. ### When does the season actually start, and why is Week 1 unusual? Wednesday, Sept. 9, is the start of the 2026 regular season, one day before the rest of the opening-week slate begins. (media.nfl.com) The NFL said its annual kickoff game will be followed the next night by the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the first regular-season NFL game played in Australia. Thursday, Sept. 10, gives Week 1 an international game immediately after the opener. The league listed Rams-49ers in Melbourne on Netflix at 8:35 p.m. ET, adding a second standalone window before the main Sunday schedule. ### How big is the international schedule this year? May 13 brought the NFL’s separate announcement of a record nine international games. The league said those games will be played across four continents, seven countries and eight stadiums, with first regular-season games in Melbourne, Rio de Janeiro and Paris. (media.nfl.com) London will host three straight weeks of games in October, according to the league’s international release. (media.nfl.com) The NFL said the Indianapolis Colts will face the Washington Commanders at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Oct. 4, the Philadelphia Eagles will play the Jacksonville Jaguars there on Oct. 11, and the Jaguars will then meet the Houston Texans at Wembley Stadium on Oct. 18. (media.nfl.com) Paris and Madrid are also on the 2026 map. The NFL said the Pittsburgh Steelers will play the New Orleans Saints at Stade de France on Oct. 25, and the Cincinnati Bengals will face the Atlanta Falcons at Bernabéu Stadium on Nov. 8. Munich will host the New England Patriots against the Detroit Lions later in the international run, the league said. (media.nfl.com) ### Which dates and TV windows stand out beyond opening week? Week 12 includes the NFL’s Thanksgiving stretch and Black Friday game. NFL.com said that five-game holiday run starts Wednesday, Nov. 25, with the Green Bay Packers at the Los Angeles Rams, continues on Thanksgiving Day with Chicago at Detroit, Philadelphia at Dallas and Kansas City at Buffalo, and ends with Pittsburgh at Denver on Black Friday. (media.nfl.com) Prime Video, NBC, ESPN/ABC, FOX, CBS, Netflix and Peacock all appear in the schedule framework released by the league. The NFL said NBC will carry Sunday night games in Weeks 1 through 17, while Prime Video will air 15 Thursday night games between Weeks 2 and 17, excluding Thanksgiving night. ### What is still not fully locked in? Week 16, Week 17 and Week 18 still contain flexible elements. (nfl.com) NFL.com said specific dates and start times for designated Week 16 matchups will be set no later than immediately after Week 14, Week 17 decisions will come no later than immediately after Week 15, and Week 18 dates, times and networks will be announced after Week 17 concludes. The team-by-team version of the schedule is already live. (media.nfl.com) CBS Sports and NFL.com both published full by-team listings with dates, kickoff times, TV assignments and opponents after the release Thursday night. ### Where can fans check the full slate now? NFL.com posted the full 2026 schedule by week and by team as part of the May 14 release. The league’s schedule hub also links to ticket information, streaming details and flexible-scheduling procedures for late-season games. (nfl.com) Sept. 9 is the next fixed date on the calendar, when New England opens at Seattle, and Sept. 10 follows with Rams-49ers in Melbourne. (cbssports.com) The remaining late-season TBD windows will be updated on NFL.com during the season under the league’s flexible-scheduling procedures. (media.nfl.com)