The 2026 NFL season is almost here, and the wait is nearly over. After the Seattle Seahawks beat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX, the offseason delivered plenty of drama. From draft-day surprises to controversies, the NFL has rarely slowed down.
Now, with opening night less than a month away, let’s look ahead to Week 1.
Start of the 2026 NFL Regular Season
The 2026 NFL regular season officially begins Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026. This marks a major change from the usual Thursday night opener, as the league makes room for a packed international opening week.
The season opener will feature the defending Super Bowl LX champions, the Seattle Seahawks, hosting the New England Patriots at Lumen Field.
Although the Seahawks and Patriots play in different conferences and meet only once every few years during the regular season, their games have delivered memorable moments.
Seattle currently holds the edge in the all-time series, leading New England 12-9.
The game kicks off at 8:20 p.m. ET, and NBC Sports will broadcast the game.
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What Is the NFL Week 1 Schedule?
Soon after that, the league moves on to its next matchup on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026.
The San Francisco 49ers will face division rival the Los Angeles Rams in Australia as Week 1 continues. Netflix will exclusively broadcast the international matchup.
From there, it’s back to the regular NFL schedule. Here’s the lineup for the final two days of the first week of football, beginning on September 13, 2026.
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- Chicago Bears vs. Carolina Panthers
Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: Bank of America Stadium
Where to watch: FOX - Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: Paycor Stadium
Where to watch: FOX - New Orleans Saints vs. Detroit Lions
Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: Ford Field
Where to watch: FOX - Buffalo Bills vs. Houston Texans
Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: NRG Stadium
Where to watch: CBS - Baltimore Ravens vs. Indianapolis Colts
Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: Lucas Oil Stadium
Where to watch: CBS - Cleveland Browns vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: EverBank Stadium
Where to watch: CBS - Atlanta Falcons vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: Acrisure Stadium
Where to watch: FOX - New York Jets vs. Tennessee Titans
Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: Nissan Stadium
Where to watch: CBS - Miami Dolphins vs. Las Vegas Raiders
Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
Location: Allegiant Stadium
Where to watch: FOX - Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings
Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
Location: U.S. Bank Stadium
Where to watch: CBS - Washington Commanders vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
Location: Lincoln Financial Field
Where to watch: FOX - Arizona Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
Location: SoFi Stadium
Where to watch: CBS - Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants
Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
Location: MetLife Stadium
Where to watch: NBC
The slate for Week 1 concludes with another divisional game on Monday night, September 14, 2026, when the Denver Broncos travel to take on the Kansas City Chiefs.
The game will begin at 8:15 p.m. ET at Arrowhead Stadium, with ESPN providing live coverage.
