We’ve known for several months who each NFL team will play in the 2026 season. But this week, we’ll learn when all 272 games will be played in the upcoming regular season.
The NFL will unveil the entirety of the 2026 regular-season schedule on Thursday. However, the league is announcing the dates of several games before then, like marquee matchups in Week 1.
So, as you get your calendars out to prepare for what you’ll be doing this fall, here’s a look at which games we know will be played and when ahead of Thursday’s schedule release.
Week 1: Seahawks to Open 2026 NFL Regular Season on Wednesday 9/9
The Seattle Seahawks will open the 2026 season on a Wednesday, marking the first time the NFL has opened a regular season on a Wednesday since 2012. Still, it marks the continuation of the tradition of the defending champion playing in the game’s season-opener.
As of Tuesday morning, there are four potential opponents the Seahawks could face in the season-opener. One of those includes the New England Patriots, which would be a rematch of Super Bowl LX. The other potential opponents for the Seahawks are the Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Chargers and Arizona Cardinals.
Week 1: 49ers, Rams to Play in NFL’s First Game in Australia
The Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers will play their opener on Sept. 11 in Melbourne. The game is expected to kick off at about 10:35 a.m. that Friday in Australia, which is 8:35 p.m. ET on Thursday night (Sept. 10) in the United States.
Week 1: Giants Open Up John Harbaugh Era with Home Matchup vs. Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are set to visit the New York Giants in the first Sunday night game of the 2026 NFL season on Sept. 13. It’ll mark the eighth time in the past 15 years that the Cowboys and Giants are opening the season against each other.
Dallas is always a national television draw as “America’s Team,” and New York could get more prime-time exposure with Super Bowl winner John Harbaugh coaching and Jaxson Dart established as the franchise quarterback coming off his eventful rookie year. It is set to be Harbaugh’s Giants debut.
If healthy, it would also be the first meaningful game between Dart and Dak Prescott. While each started the season finale on Jan. 4, the teams were eliminated from playoff contention by then.
This also could be the NFL debuts for a pair of former Ohio State teammates: Giants linebacker Arvell Reese, taken with the fifth pick, and Cowboys safety Caleb Downs, drafted not long after at No. 11.
Week 1: Chiefs, Broncos to Face Off in First Monday Matchup of the Season
While it’s unclear whether Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes will be back from ACL and LCL tears by the first game of the season or not, what is known is that he will have an extra day to prepare for that possibility: the Chiefs and Denver Broncos play each other in the first Monday Night Football game of the 2026 season, on Sep. 14. Also unclear at this early stage is which team this is a home game for, but the full schedule release on Thursday will answer that question well before we know what’s going on with Mahomes’ recovery plans.
Week 2: Bills to Open New Stadium vs. Lions
The Buffalo Bills’ first game at the new Highmark Stadium will be against the Detroit Lions on a Thursday night in Week 2. It’ll mark the start of a new era in Buffalo, as the Bills played the vast majority of their home games from 1973 to 2025 at the stadium previously nicknamed The Ralph. It’ll also mark the start of a new era for the Bills on the field, as it’ll be Joe Brady’s first home game as their head coach.
Week 3: Ravens, Cowboys to Play in Brazil
The Baltimore Ravens have been chosen to play the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL’s inaugural game in Rio de Janeiro this season. That game will be played on Sunday, Sept. 27.
The NFL previously made a multi-year commitment to bring at least three regular-season games to Rio de Janeiro over the next five years. The NFL has previously played two games in Brazil — Packers-Eagles in 2024 and Chiefs-Chargers in 2025 at São Paulo’s Corinthians Arena — but this will be the first in Rio.
Week 9: Bengals, Falcons to Play in Madrid
The NFL’s second-ever game in Madrid will feature a pair of high-flying offenses. The Cincinnati Bengals will take on the Atlanta Falcons in Spain in Week 9, the NFL announced on Tuesday.
This will be Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow’s first international game, as Cincinnati hasn’t had an international game since 2019. As for the Falcons, they played the Indianapolis Colts in Germany last season. However, the Falcons were the designated road team for that game, but will be the designated home game for the Week 9 matchup against the Bengals.
Week 12: Eagles, Cowboys to Play on Thanksgiving on FOX
One of the NFL’s best rivalries will be featured on Thanksgiving Day and will air on FOX. The Philadelphia Eagles will meet up with the Cowboys in Dallas on the holiday this year as the two NFC East rivals go head-to-head on Thanksgiving for the first time since 2015.
Here are five storylines to know ahead of the matchup.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
