When Does the 2026 NFL Regular Season Start? Date, Schedule, Times, and More for Season Opener and Week 1

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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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.

This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.