The 2026 NFL season will kick off with a Super Bowl rematch on September 9 when champions Seattle Seahawks open up against the New England Patriots.

The Seahawks dominated the Patriots in a 29-13 victory in February that secured the franchise’s second NFL title, with the 2026 season-opener – taking place on a Wednesday night in the USA – just the third time that the teams who contested the Super Bowl face off again in Week 1.

The NFL season will be opening on a Wednesday for just the second time in league history in a campaign which will feature nine international fixtures across four continents, starting with the Week 1 game in Melbourne, Australia between the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams on September 10.

The Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants meet in the first Sunday night game of the season while the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs go head to head in the first Monday night game.

On an immediate Week 1 match-up between the 2025 Super Bowl opponents, NFL executive Hans Schroeder said: “It was definitely a key data point for us.

“We saw what a big draw that was and so we just thought it was really fun. I think it’s been a decade since we did Denver and Carolina in Super Bowl 50 and came back in Week 1 the next year.

“We thought it was a fun way to start the season again with New England in Seattle, coming off that Super Bowl, certainly a ton to play for. Let our fans see if they play again.”

Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills host Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs on Thanksgiving night to complete a triple-header. The Bears-Lions and Eagles-Cowboys matchups were previously released.

Christmas Eve will see the Philadelphia Eagles host the Houston Texans, while the Christmas Day triple-header features the Green Bay Packers-Chicago Bears, Bills-Broncos and Rams-Seahawks.

The two games on Boxing Day have yet to determined.

See the full 2026 NFL schedule here

NFL 2026 schedule, selected weeks:

Week One

Wednesday September 9

New England Patriots @ Seattle Seahawks

Thursday September 10

San Francisco 49ers vs Los Angeles Rams – Melbourne, Australia

Sunday September 13

Baltimore Ravens @ Indianapolis Colts
Buffalo Bills @ Houston Texans
Cleveland Browns @ Jacksonville Jaguars
New York Jets @ Tennessee Titans
Atlanta Falcons @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Chicago Bears @ Carolina Panthers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Cincinnati Bengals
New Orleans Saints @ Detroit Lions
Arizona Cardinals @ Los Angeles Chargers
Green Bay Packers @ Minnesota Vikings
Miami Dolphins @ Las Vegas Raiders
Washington Commanders @ Philadelphia Eagles
New York Giants @ Dallas Cowboys

Monday September 14

Kansas City Chiefs @ Denver Broncos

Week Two

Thursday, September 17

Detroit Lions @ Buffalo Bills

Sunday, September 20

Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears
Philadelphia Eagles @ Tennessee Titans
Green Bay Packers @ New York Jets
Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons
New Orleans Saints @ Baltimore Ravens
Cincinnati Bengals @ Houston Texans
Cleveland Browns @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Pittsburgh Steelers @ New England Patriots
Las Vegas Raiders @ Los Angeles Chargers
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Denver Broncos
Washington Commanders @ Dallas Cowboys
Seattle Seahawks @ Arizona Cardinals
Miami Dolphins @ San Francisco 49ers
Indianapolis Colts @ Kansas City Chiefs

Monday, September 21

New York Giants @ Los Angeles Rams

Watch the 2026 NFL season live on Sky Sports, including every London and European game as well as every minute of the playoffs and Super Bowl; Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW.