The 2026 NFL season kicks off Wednesday night with a Super Bowl LX rematch, as the New England Patriots visit the defending champion Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Yes, a Wednesday — the league moved the opener up a day to make room for Thursday night's Los Angeles Rams-San Francisco 49ers matchup in Melbourne, the first regular-season NFL game played in Australia.
New England arrives in Seattle with unfinished business. It went from 4-13 to 14-3 last season, a 10-win improvement that tied an NFL record and delivered the Patriots their first AFC East title since 2019 with second-year quarterback Drake Maye at the helm.
Seattle's defense buried New England in the championship, sacking Maye six times and forcing three turnovers in a 29-13 Super Bowl victory. The Seahawks will hope for more of the same, currently 3.5-point favorites over the Patriots to kick off Week 1.
Where to watch Patriots vs. Seahawks in NFL season kickoff game
Patriots-Seahawks start time: 8:20 p.m. ETLocation: Lumen Field | Seattle
TV channel/live stream: NBC/PeacockFollow along with Yahoo Sports for live updates, highlights and more as the Patriots and Seahawks face off in a Super Bowl LX rematch to kick off the 2026 NFL season.