2026 NFL Schedule Released for Official Regular-Season Slate

Joseph ZuckerMay 14, 2026

Football fans can begin making their fall plans as the NFL released its full schedule for the 2026 regular season.

In a departure from the norm, the Seattle Seahawks will begin their title defense on a Wednesday night. They host the New England Patriots on Sept. 9.

The NFL moved up its official kickoff by a day because the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco are battling in Australia in Week 1. That game will be broadcast in prime time on Sept. 10 but get underway at 10:35 a.m. in Melbourne.

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Regardless of when each team is beginning the season, all roads will converge on SoFi Stadium next February.

Key Dates

Sept. 9, 2026: Season opener

Sept. 13 and 14, 2026: Kickoff weekend

Jan. 16 and 17, 2027: NFL Wild Card Round

Jan. 23 and 24, 2027: NFL Divisional Round

Jan. 31, 2027: Conference Championship Games

Feb. 14, 2027: Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California

Team-by-Team Schedules

AFC East

AFC North

AFC South

AFC West

NFC East

NFC North

NFC South

NFC West

Division to Watch: AFC North

The AFC North boasts two franchises that parted ways with successful, long-tenured coaches. A franchise quarterback is aiming to contend and could evaluate his options if his team falls short of that. And the Cleveland Browns are still around too.

The Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers adopted much different strategies when they conducted their coaching searches.

Jesse Minter was one of the stronger candidates on the market thanks to the work he did as defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers. Poaching offensive coordinator Declan Doyle from the Chicago Bears was exciting as well.

After 18 years of John Harbaugh on the sideline, the Ravens needed a refresh, and that's exactly what they got. Now, the fanbase can only wait and see if Minter is the coach who can help get Lamar Jackson over the top.

The Steelers couldn't have gone in a more opposite direction as they tabbed Mike McCarthy to succeed Mike Tomlin.

Even more concerning, they're once again making Aaron Rodgers their No. 1 priority at quarterback. Rodgers didn't perform badly overall, but he showed his age as the 2025 season unfolded, culminating in a forgettable loss to the Houston Texans in the Wild Card Round.

Rather than fully embracing change, Pittsburgh clearly felt an overhaul wasn't needed in the offseason.

Down in Southwest Ohio, the Cincinnati Bengals haven't made a ton of upgrades.

Defensive linemen Boye Mafe and Jonathan Allen and safety Bryan Cook arrived for basically what it cost for the Ravens to sign Trey Hendrickson. Looking at the roster top to bottom, it's difficult to say the Bengals are meaningfully better.

If Cincinnati doesn't make much noise in the postseason, how much longer with the patience of star quarterback last?

Even the Browns aren't without their subplots as they also have a star (defensive end Myles Garrett) who's probably sick of losing. Given how the team is handling the position, Cleveland is also setting the stage for Shedeur Sanders to have a full year at the helm or for Deshaun Watson try to resurrect his career.

Most Anticipated Matchup

Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks

One could argue the NFC West is the NFL's most compelling division, and you wouldn't be totally wrong. The Seahawks, Rams and 49ers are among the five or six best teams in the league.

The Seahawks and Rams split their regular-season series, and the two matchups were decided by three total points.

Their battle in the NFC title game was just as competitive. Seattle twice led by 11 in the third quarter, only to see Los Angeles score a touchdown and trim the gap to four points. Puka Nacua's 34-yard grab made it a 31-27 game with 2:06 left in the third, and that score held.

The Seahawks will have to fight a Super Bowl hangover, and they had to replace Mafe, Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III and cornerback Riq Woolen. Talent retention was the major priority for general manager John Schneider. Cornerback Noah Igbinoghene is the biggest outside addition so far.

Los Angeles, by contrast, made a big play for 2023 All-Pro Trent McDuffie and reunited him former Kansas City Chiefs teammate Jaylen Watson. That was the extent of the Rams' notable business, but trading a first-round pick for McDuffie and handing him a massive extension was vintage Les Snead.

L.A. is clearly aiming for a Super Bowl, and the title runs through Seattle until the Seahawks are dethroned.