NFL Season Opens: Week 1 Schedule Features Historic Australia Game and Wednesday Kickoff
The 2026 NFL regular season begins Wednesday, September 9, with a Super Bowl LX rematch between the Patriots and Seahawks, while the week also brings a historic game in Australia and a full Sunday slate.
Season opens with an unusual schedule
Week 1 of the 2026 NFL regular season kicks off on Wednesday, September 9, unusual since the season typically opens on a Thursday. The opener pits the New England Patriots against the Seattle Seahawks — according to NFL.com, a rematch of last season's Super Bowl LX, which the Seahawks won. The game airs on NBC at 8:20 p.m. ET.
Historic game in Australia
On Thursday, September 10, another marquee matchup follows: the San Francisco 49ers face the Los Angeles Rams in an NFC West clash held in Melbourne, Australia, streaming on Netflix. As Yahoo Sports reports, both teams have already arrived in Australia to prepare; the 49ers arrived earlier, while the Rams opted for a different travel strategy.
Much attention ahead of the game centers on Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who came out of retirement over the summer. Per reporter Ian Rapoport, as cited by Yahoo Sports, his availability for the Week 1 game against the 49ers remains "TBD," even though head coach Sean McVay has confirmed he expects the entire roster to travel to Australia.
Sunday and Monday slate
Most games take place Sunday, September 13. Per NFL.com's schedule, eight games kick off at 1 p.m. ET, including Chicago Bears vs. Carolina Panthers, Buffalo Bills vs. Houston Texans, and Baltimore Ravens vs. Indianapolis Colts. Four more games follow at 4:25 p.m. ET, including Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings and Washington Commanders vs. Philadelphia Eagles. The Sunday night game at 8:20 p.m. ET features the Dallas Cowboys against the New York Giants, airing on NBC. Week 1 concludes with a Monday night game on September 14 between the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs, airing on ESPN and ABC.
Context: an offseason full of change
Several teams hired new head coaches during the offseason, including the Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders, Baltimore Ravens, and New York Giants. A number of players, including Myles Garrett, A.J. Brown, Trey Hendrickson, and Kenneth Walker III, changed teams. Fans can follow the games through an NFL+ subscription, as well as services such as Fubo and Sling.
