NFL Week 1 — 2026 Complete Schedule
Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season runs from Wednesday, September 9 through Monday, September 14, 2026, with 16 games. The season opens with the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks hosting the New England Patriots, followed by the first NFL regular-season game in Australia: 49ers vs. Rams in Melbourne.
Week 1 Schedule
| Date | Matchup | U.S. Kickoff |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 9 | New England Patriots vs Seattle Seahawks | 8:20 PM ET |
| Sep 10 | San Francisco 49ers vs Los Angeles Rams | 8:35 PM ET |
| Sep 13 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Cincinnati Bengals | 1:00 PM ET |
| New Orleans Saints vs Detroit Lions | 1:00 PM ET | |
| Atlanta Falcons vs Pittsburgh Steelers | 1:00 PM ET | |
| Chicago Bears vs Carolina Panthers | 1:00 PM ET | |
| New York Jets vs Tennessee Titans | 1:00 PM ET | |
| Baltimore Ravens vs Indianapolis Colts | 1:00 PM ET | |
| Cleveland Browns vs Jacksonville Jaguars | 1:00 PM ET | |
| Buffalo Bills vs Houston Texans | 1:00 PM ET | |
| Green Bay Packers vs Minnesota Vikings | 4:25 PM ET | |
| Arizona Cardinals vs Los Angeles Chargers | 4:25 PM ET | |
| Miami Dolphins vs Las Vegas Raiders | 4:25 PM ET | |
| Washington Commanders vs Philadelphia Eagles | 4:25 PM ET | |
| Dallas Cowboys vs New York Giants | 8:20 PM ET | |
| Sep 14 | Denver Broncos vs Kansas City Chiefs | 8:15 PM ET |
The schedule and kickoff times are confirmed by the NFL/ESPN schedule data.
🔥 Biggest Week 1 Games
1. Patriots vs Seahawks — Season Opener
A Super Bowl LX rematch immediately starts the new season. Seattle enters as defending champion, while New England gets an immediate opportunity for revenge. Current betting markets have Seattle favored by around 3.5 points.
2. 49ers vs Rams — Melbourne, Australia 🇦🇺
This is the NFL’s first regular-season game in Australia, played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. It is also a major NFC West matchup.
3. Bills vs Texans
One of the most intriguing AFC matchups of the opening Sunday, featuring two teams with serious playoff ambitions. ESPN’s Week 1 betting preview identifies Houston-Buffalo as one of the headline early-window games.
4. Commanders vs Eagles
An NFC East battle in Philadelphia and one of the most attractive late-afternoon games.
5. Cowboys vs Giants — Sunday Night Football
The classic NFC East rivalry gets the Week 1 Sunday-night spotlight, with Dallas entering as a road favorite.
6. Broncos vs Chiefs — Monday Night Football
Patrick Mahomes is expected to return from the knee injuries that ended his 2025 season. Kansas City hosts Denver at 8:15 PM ET on ESPN/ABC.
📺 How to Watch
For U.S. viewers, Week 1 uses the NFL’s normal broadcast mix, including ESPN/ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and Netflix depending on the game. The Melbourne 49ers-Rams game is on Netflix, while the Patriots-Seahawks opener and Broncos-Chiefs are carried by ESPN/ABC.
For out-of-market Sunday games in the U.S., NFL Sunday Ticket provides access through YouTube/YouTube TV.