NFL releases 2026 schedule May 14

The NFL published its 2026 regular-season schedule on May 14, ending a week of staggered network reveals with the full 272-game slate. The league said the season will open on Wednesday, Sept. 9, with the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks hosting the New England Patriots at Lumen Field. One day later, the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers are set to play in Melbourne, Australia, in the NFL’s first regular-season game there. Pittsburgh’s full schedule was released at the same time, with the Steelers opening Sept. 13 at home against the Atlanta Falcons. NFL.com and CBS Sports both list Cleveland as Pittsburgh’s Week 8 opponent at Acrisure Stadium on Nov. 1, followed by a Week 9 bye. ### When does the 2026 NFL season start, and who plays first? The NFL said the regular season begins on Wednesday, Sept. 9, with Seahawks-Patriots at 8:20 p.m. (media.nfl.com) ET on NBC. The game is a rematch of Super Bowl LX, according to the league’s schedule announcement. Thursday, Sept. 10, brings the Week 1 international game, with the Rams facing the 49ers at Melbourne Cricket Ground at 8:35 p.m. (nfl.com) ET, the league said. NFL Football Operations said the matchup is part of a record nine-game international slate for 2026. ### What stands out in the leaguewide release? The NFL said the 2026 schedule covers 18 weeks and 272 regular-season games, with each team playing 17 regular-season games and three preseason games for the sixth straight year. (media.nfl.com) Week 18 will close with 16 division games, including three on Saturday, Jan. 9, and 13 on Sunday, Jan. 10. NFL Football Operations said the international package includes games in Australia, Brazil, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Germany and Mexico. (media.nfl.com) The league listed nine games across four continents and eight stadiums, with stops in Melbourne, Rio de Janeiro, London, Paris, Madrid, Munich and Mexico City. ### How does Pittsburgh open the season? (media.nfl.com) Pittsburgh is scheduled to host Atlanta on Sunday, Sept. 13, at 1 p.m. ET at Acrisure Stadium, according to NFL.com and CBS Sports. The Steelers then travel to face New England on Sept. 20 before returning home for Cincinnati on Sept. 27. Week 4 sends Pittsburgh to Cleveland for a Thursday night game on Oct. 1 at 8:15 p.m. (operations.nfl.com) ET, and Week 7 sends the Steelers to Paris to face New Orleans at Stade de France on Oct. 25 at 9:30 a.m. ET, according to CBS Sports. The club’s bye falls in Week 9. ### When do the Steelers play Cleveland, Baltimore and the rest of the AFC North? Cleveland appears twice on Pittsburgh’s schedule before midseason ends: Oct. 1 on the road and Nov. 1 at home in Week 8. (nfl.com) Cincinnati is scheduled for Sept. 27 in Pittsburgh and Nov. 15 in Cincinnati on Sunday Night Football. Baltimore is set for the Steelers’ final two division games, with the Ravens visiting Acrisure Stadium on Dec. 20 and hosting Pittsburgh in Week 18 on Jan. 10, with the kickoff time still listed as to be determined. (cbssports.com) ### Which Steelers games are in prime time or on national windows? CBS Sports lists four Steelers games in standalone or nationally featured windows as of the May 14 release: at Cleveland on Thursday night in Week 4, at New Orleans in Paris on NFL Network in Week 7, at Cincinnati on NBC in Week 10, and home games against Denver and Houston on Amazon and NBC in Weeks 12 and 13. (cbssports.com) Week 14 at Jacksonville is also listed for ESPN on Monday night. (nfl.com) The NFL said some late-season kickoff times remain flexible, including Week 17 and Week 18 windows. NFL.com’s team schedule page for Pittsburgh lists Week 16 against Carolina and Week 18 at Baltimore without finalized network and kickoff details. ### Where can fans find the full schedule now? NFL.com said the complete 2026 regular-season schedule is available by week and by division, and ESPN has also posted the full league schedule page. (cbssports.com) Pittsburgh’s team-by-team slate is live on NFL.com and CBS Sports with dates, kickoff times and broadcast windows. Sept. 9 is the first on-field date on the new calendar, with Seattle and New England opening the season in prime time and Pittsburgh beginning four days later against Atlanta at Acrisure Stadium. (nfl.com) (media.nfl.com)