2026 NFL schedule: Everything we're hearing ahead ...
Key takeaways
- The Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks will open the season Sept. 9 against an unannounced opponent.
- The season is starting mid-week to accommodate for the first regular-season game in Melbourne, Australia.
- The first "Sunday Night Football" matchup was announced as coach John Harbaugh will make his New York Giants debut against the Cowboys.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
The Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks will open the season Sept. 9 against an unannounced opponent. Since 2004, 21 defending champs have played in the opener and have gone 16-5, including the Philadelphia Eagles' 24-20 win against the Dallas Cowboys to start the 2025 season, according to ESPN Research.
The season is starting mid-week to accommodate for the first regular-season game in Melbourne, Australia. The Los Angeles Rams play the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday, Sept. 10. Melbourne is 14 hours ahead of New York and 17 hours ahead of Los Angeles and San Francisco, meaning the game will kick off at 10:35 a.m. ET the next day in Australia. The NFL will play a record nine international games in 2026, across four continents and seven countries.
The first "Sunday Night Football" matchup was announced as coach John Harbaugh will make his New York Giants debut against the Cowboys.