by The 2026 NFL regular season does not start on Sunday.
It starts Wednesday night.
First game: Patriots at Seahawks, Sept. 9, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC / Peacock. Full Week 1 slate is below.
When does the 2026 NFL regular season start?
Wednesday, Sept. 9.
Kickoff is 8:20 p.m. ET at Lumen Field in Seattle. NBC and Peacock have the window.
That is the first NFL game of the season. Not preseason. The defending champions host the club they beat when the last trophy was handed out.
NFL Week 1 schedule: all 16 games
Times Eastern. TV windows can shift by market. Official slate: NFL Week 1 schedule.
| Date | Matchup | Time | TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wed, Sept. 9 | Patriots at Seahawks | 8:20 p.m. | NBC / Peacock |
| Thu, Sept. 10 | 49ers vs Rams (Melbourne) | 8:35 p.m. | Netflix |
| Sun, Sept. 13 | Bears at Panthers | 1:00 p.m. | FOX |
| Sun, Sept. 13 | Ravens at Colts | 1:00 p.m. | CBS |
| Sun, Sept. 13 | Bills at Texans | 1:00 p.m. | CBS |
| Sun, Sept. 13 | Saints at Lions | 1:00 p.m. | FOX |
| Sun, Sept. 13 | Jets at Titans | 1:00 p.m. | CBS |
| Sun, Sept. 13 | Falcons at Steelers | 1:00 p.m. | FOX |
| Sun, Sept. 13 | Browns at Jaguars | 1:00 p.m. | CBS |
| Sun, Sept. 13 | Buccaneers at Bengals | 1:00 p.m. | FOX |
| Sun, Sept. 13 | Cardinals at Chargers | 4:25 p.m. | CBS |
| Sun, Sept. 13 | Packers at Vikings | 4:25 p.m. | CBS |
| Sun, Sept. 13 | Dolphins at Raiders | 4:25 p.m. | FOX |
| Sun, Sept. 13 | Commanders at Eagles | 4:25 p.m. | FOX |
| Sun, Sept. 13 | Cowboys at Giants | 8:20 p.m. | NBC / Peacock |
| Mon, Sept. 14 | Broncos at Chiefs | 8:15 p.m. | ESPN / ABC |
NFL Week 1 scores and results
No finals yet. Scores go here after each game.
- Wed, Sept. 9 — Patriots at Seahawks
- Thu, Sept. 10 — 49ers vs Rams (Friday morning, Sept. 11, in Melbourne)
First NFL game of the season
New England at Seattle.
Wednesday night has one game. There is nowhere else to look.
This page is the map. The rematch write-up is here: Patriots vs Seahawks Week 1 kickoff.
If Seattle looks like a title team for three hours, Week 1 has an answer before most clubs have dressed. If New England leaves with a win, or a near miss that feels like one, the rematch was not a reunion.
Thursday in Melbourne: 49ers vs Rams
Thursday night in the U.S.; Friday morning, Sept. 11, in Melbourne.
Kickoff is 8:35 p.m. ET on Netflix. The field sits inside the Melbourne Cricket Ground. This is the first regular-season NFL game in Australia.
The 49ers planned to fly early. The Rams planned to arrive later. That is not trivia. The travel schedule is part of the preparation for a game on the other side of the world.
Aaron Donald is back in a Rams uniform, but his Week 1 status remains a storyline heading into the opener.
What to watch Sunday and Monday
Sunday is when the schedule becomes real.
Baltimore plays at Indianapolis at 1 p.m. ET on CBS. Daniel Jones starts for the Colts. Anthony Richardson is the backup. What that job means is here: Anthony Richardson named Colts QB2.
If Jones stays upright, Richardson watches. If he does not, Week 1 in Indianapolis stops being a depth-chart note.
Sunday night is Dallas at the Giants. Monday is Denver at Kansas City.
What to watch in Week 1
In order
- Wednesday in Seattle. One game. The rematch.
- Thursday night in the U.S., Friday morning in Melbourne. Travel, and whether Donald plays.
- Sunday afternoon. First real injury list of the year.
- Monday in Kansas City. The AFC does not get a quiet open.
What it means
The answer is short. Patriots at Seahawks, Wednesday, 8:20 p.m. ET. Then Australia. Then Sunday.
The schedule does not change. The scores will.
Desk note. Times and TV windows checked against the official 2026 Week 1 schedule as of Sept. 5, 2026. Local blackouts can move. Scores will be added here after each final.
More: Patriots vs Seahawks · Richardson, QB2 · Analysis
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