American football fans are counting down to the return of the NFL, with the 2026 regular season set to begin on September 9.
The season will open on Wednesday, September 9, when the New England Patriots travel to face the Seattle Seahawks in a highly anticipated matchup.
Kickoff is scheduled for 8:20 p.m. ET at Lumen Field in Seattle.
The matchup is a rematch of Super Bowl LX, giving the new season an interesting start. The Seahawks return as the defending Super Bowl champions, while the Patriots will be looking to make a strong opening statement.
The opening game will be followed by a full slate of Week 1 fixtures, with the remaining teams taking to the field from Thursday through Sunday before the first week concludes on Monday.
NFL Week 1 schedule
Week 1 features 16 games, with the opening fixture between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks on September 9.
Below is the full NFL Week 1 schedule, including the dates and kickoff times.
Wednesday, September 9
New England Patriots vs Seattle Seahawks — 8:20 p.m. ET
Thursday, September 10
San Francisco 49ers vs Los Angeles Rams — 8:35 p.m. ET
Sunday, September 13
Chicago Bears vs Carolina Panthers — 1:00 p.m. ET
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Cincinnati Bengals — 1:00 p.m. ET
New Orleans Saints vs Detroit Lions — 1:00 p.m. ET
Buffalo Bills vs Houston Texans — 1:00 p.m. ET
Baltimore Ravens vs Indianapolis Colts — 1:00 p.m. ET
Cleveland Browns vs Jacksonville Jaguars — 1:00 p.m. ET
Atlanta Falcons vs Pittsburgh Steelers — 1:00 p.m. ET
New York Jets vs Tennessee Titans — 1:00 p.m. ET
Arizona Cardinals vs Los Angeles Chargers — 4:25 p.m. ET
Miami Dolphins vs Las Vegas Raiders — 4:25 p.m. ET
Green Bay Packers vs Minnesota Vikings — 4:25 p.m. ET
Washington Commanders vs Philadelphia Eagles — 4:25 p.m. ET
Dallas Cowboys vs New York Giants — 8:20 p.m. ET
Monday, September 14
Denver Broncos vs Kansas City Chiefs — 8:15 p.m. ET
Also Read: Champions league 2026/27 fixtures: Full Schedule Revealed
NFL makes history in Australia
The 2026 season will also mark a major milestone for the NFL outside the United States.
The Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers will meet at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Australia in the league’s first-ever regular-season game in the country.
The game is scheduled for Friday, September 11, in Australia, with kickoff at 10:35 a.m. AEST. For fans in the United States, the game falls on Thursday, September 10 because of the time difference.
The NFL sees the Australian game as part of its wider international expansion, with the league looking to establish Australia as a regular destination for NFL games.
Where to watch the NFL
NFL fans in the United States will have several options for following the 2026 season, with games spread across major television networks and streaming platforms.
The Patriots-Seahawks season opener will be broadcast on NBC, while the 49ers-Rams international game will be available on Netflix. Other Week 1 games will be shown on networks including FOX, CBS, NBC and ESPN, depending on the matchup.
Fans can also use streaming services such as NFL+, Peacock, Paramount+, ESPN, Amazon Prime Video and Netflix, depending on the game and broadcast rights.
For the latest viewing information, fans should check the NFL’s official schedule and broadcast listings before each game.
The 2026 NFL season begins September 9.
Uncovered UG will continue bringing you NFL schedules, results, player news, injury updates and other major developments throughout the season.
written by @enock katamba
- Enock Katamba is a Ugandan Journalist and Founder of Uncovered UG, an independent digital news platform covering Uganda and international developments. He reports on politics, national affairs, entertainment, sports, business, education and other stories of public interest.
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