The NFL Week 1 Schedule 2026 is finally here, and the new regular season is set to begin with several exciting matchups. Week 1 features a Super Bowl rematch, an international game in Australia, major division rivalries and a highly anticipated Monday Night Football matchup.
The 2026 NFL regular season begins with the Seattle Seahawks hosting the New England Patriots on Wednesday, September 9. The Seahawks enter the season as the defending Super Bowl champions after defeating New England in Super Bowl LX.
For NFL fans, Week 1 is more than just the opening week. It is the first opportunity to see how teams have changed during the offseason, how new players fit into their systems and which teams could emerge as early contenders.
NFL Week 1 Schedule 2026
Here is the complete Week 1 schedule according to the official NFL schedule.
One of the biggest games on the NFL Week 1 Schedule 2026 is the Patriots vs. Seahawks matchup. The game is especially interesting because it brings the two teams together again after their Super Bowl LX meeting. If you want a closer look at the key players, storylines and battles to watch, check out our Patriots vs. Seahawks Week 1 preview before kickoff.
Wednesday, September 9
New England Patriots at Seattle Seahawks
8:20 p.m. ET — NBC
The 2026 NFL season opens with a Super Bowl rematch. Seattle will begin its championship defense at home against New England.
This matchup should attract plenty of attention because the two teams met in the Super Bowl only months earlier.
Thursday, September 10
San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams
8:35 p.m. ET — Netflix
The 49ers and Rams will meet in an international NFC West matchup in East Melbourne, Australia.
The game gives NFL fans an early look at one of the league’s most competitive divisions while also bringing regular-season football to Australia.
Sunday, September 13
Sunday brings the biggest collection of Week 1 games.
1:00 p.m. ET games:
- Chicago Bears at Carolina Panthers
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Cincinnati Bengals
- New Orleans Saints at Detroit Lions
- Buffalo Bills at Houston Texans
- Baltimore Ravens at Indianapolis Colts
- Cleveland Browns at Jacksonville Jaguars
- Atlanta Falcons at Pittsburgh Steelers
- New York Jets at Tennessee Titans
These afternoon games feature several teams with playoff ambitions. The Bills-Texans matchup, in particular, could be an important early AFC contest.
Sunday Afternoon Games
At 4:25 p.m. ET, four more games are scheduled:
- Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Chargers
- Miami Dolphins at Las Vegas Raiders
- Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings
- Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles
The Packers-Vikings and Commanders-Eagles games could be especially interesting because NFC playoff positioning will eventually depend on results in these types of divisional and conference matchups.
Sunday Night Football
Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants
8:20 p.m. ET — NBC
Sunday Night Football features a classic NFC East rivalry as the Dallas Cowboys visit the New York Giants.
The Giants will host the Cowboys at MetLife Stadium. This is also a familiar opening-week matchup, with the two division rivals having met to start the season multiple times in recent years.
Because Cowboys-Giants games traditionally generate significant attention, this should be one of the most-watched games of Week 1.
Monday Night Football
Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs
8:15 p.m. ET — ESPN/ABC
Week 1 concludes with an AFC West matchup between the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs.
The game is particularly interesting because Denver ended Kansas City’s long run as AFC West champion, making this an important early division matchup.
Another major storyline is the quarterback situation. Patrick Mahomes is expected to be a major focus after recovering from knee surgery, while Denver’s Bo Nix is also returning from an injury suffered during the previous postseason.
Biggest NFL Week 1 Games to Watch
There are several games that stand out on the NFL Week 1 Schedule 2026.
The Patriots-Seahawks matchup is arguably the biggest because it is a Super Bowl rematch. Seattle will immediately begin its title defense against the same team it defeated in February.
The 49ers-Rams game is another major attraction because it combines an NFC West rivalry with an international setting.
Cowboys vs. Giants should receive plenty of attention on Sunday Night Football, while Broncos vs. Chiefs gives fans a strong AFC West rivalry to close the opening week.
What to Watch in Week 1
Week 1 will provide the first meaningful answers to several questions surrounding the 2026 NFL season.
Fans will be watching new additions, rookie performances, quarterback changes and injury recoveries. Teams that looked strong during training camp will finally have to prove themselves in regular-season action.
However, Week 1 results should not be treated as a complete prediction of the season. NFL teams can change dramatically between September and January, and one game rarely tells the entire story.
Still, the opening week can establish early momentum and reveal which teams may be ready to compete for the playoffs.
Final Thoughts
The NFL Week 1 Schedule 2026 gives football fans plenty to look forward to, from the Patriots-Seahawks Super Bowl rematch to the international 49ers-Rams matchup and the Cowboys-Giants Sunday Night Football game.
The week finishes with Broncos vs. Chiefs on Monday Night Football, giving fans a major AFC West battle right from the start.
With the regular season finally underway, Week 1 will be the first real test for every team and the beginning of the long road toward the playoffs and Super Bowl LXI.9 Remarkable Facts About Pat O’Connor’s Emotional NFL Retirement
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