NFL unveils full 2026 schedule with nine international games, holiday tripleheader

The National Football League released its full 2026 regular-season schedule on May 14, 2026, setting dates, kickoff times and broadcast partners for all 272 games. The campaign opens with a Super Bowl LX rematch in prime time.

Week 1 begins on Wednesday, September 9, with the New England Patriots visiting the Seattle Seahawks at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

A record international slate and holiday-focused programming headline a calendar built to reach fans across multiple countries and platforms.

The early weeks retain the traditional prime-time windows on Sunday and Monday nights, while Thursday night games remain on a dedicated streaming platform. The league also emphasized a broader global footprint, confirming neutral-site fixtures and select morning kickoffs outside the United States. Scheduling places marquee games around key holidays, adding new viewing windows without displacing the core Sunday lineup.

International slate spans seven countries

The 2026 schedule features a record nine international games staged in Australia, Brazil, France, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Germany and Spain. The slate blends neutral-site matchups with designated home dates to bring regular-season contests to major international venues and audiences.

Notable fixtures include San Francisco vs. Los Angeles in Melbourne on Thursday, September 10, with kickoff at 8:35 p.m. ET on Netflix. Later in the month, Baltimore faces Dallas in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, September 27, carried on CBS with streaming on Paramount+. Multiple London games are set for early Sunday windows at 9:30 a.m. ET, continuing the league’s recent tradition of morning kickoffs for viewers in Europe and North America.

Holidays and broadcast plan

Beyond the international schedule, the league added games on Thanksgiving Eve and Christmas Eve, plus a Christmas Day tripleheader designed for peak holiday viewing. Traditional Sunday night showcase games and Monday night broadcasts remain fixtures of the weekly cadence.

Broadcast partners and streaming access are set throughout the calendar. All games airing on CBS will stream on Paramount+. Select prime-time and national windows will air across NFL Network, Fox, NBC, ABC and ESPN, with those telecasts also available via fubo. Thursday Night Football continues in its streaming slot, while certain international games, such as the Melbourne opener, are carried by additional platforms.

Teams receive accompanying travel and recovery considerations around overseas trips, with bye weeks and kickoffs arranged to ease the impact of long-haul travel. The league indicated that exact local listings and any subsequent flex or timing adjustments will be communicated by rightsholders as the season approaches.

Preparation now turns to training camps and preseason as teams build toward kickoff on September 9 in Seattle. The expanded international slate and holiday programming will be focal points as the league counts down to Week 1.