The NFL’s full 2026 schedule will be released on Thursday, May 14, at 8 p.m. ET, but the league has already started dropping some matchups.
For example, the NFL’s 2026 international series games were announced earlier today, with a record nine international games being played across four continents, seven countries, and eight stadiums.
Several other matchups have also surfaced through reliable schedule-leak accounts that have proven accurate in previous years.
Confirmed Games Ahead of NFL Schedule Release
As more games are confirmed, we will update this section. Rumors and potential leaks can be found below.
Week 1:
9/9 (Wednesday): Seahawks-Patriots to open 2026 NFL regular season
9/10 (Thursday Night Football): Rams vs. 49ers in Melbourne, Australia
9/13 (Sunday 1 p.m.): Bears @ Panthers
9/13 (Sunday Night Football): Cowboys @ Giants
9/14 (Monday Night Football): Broncos @ Chiefs
Week 2:
9/17 (Thursday Night Football): Lions @ Bills
Week 3:
9/27 (Sunday): Ravens vs. Cowboys in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Week 4:
10/4 (Sunday): Colts vs. Washington Commanders in London, England
Week 5:
10/11 (Sunday): Eagles vs. Jaguars in London, England
Week 6:
10/18 (Sunday): Texans vs. Jaguars in London, England
Week 7:
10/25 (Sunday): Steelers vs. Saints in Paris, France
10/25 (Sunday 1 p.m.): Dolphins @ Jets
Week 9:
11/8 (Sunday): Bengals vs. Falcons in Madrid, Spain
11/8 (Sunday Night Football): Buccaneers @ Bears
Week 10:
11/15 (Sunday): Patriots vs. Lions in Munich, Germany
Week 11:
11/22 (Sunday): Vikings vs. 49ers in Mexico City, Mexico
Week 12:
11/25 (Wednesday, Thanksgiving Eve): Packers vs. Rams on Netflix
11/26 (Thanksgiving Day 1 p.m.): Bears at Lions
11/26 (Thanksgiving Day 4:30 p.m.): Eagles at Cowboys
11/26 (Thanksgiving Day 8:20 p.m.): Chiefs at Bills
11/27 (Black Friday 3 p.m.): Broncos at Steelers
Cowboys-Giants Will Headline Week 1 SNF
The league announced on Monday that the Dallas Cowboys will visit the New York Giants on Sunday Night Football in Week 1. It marks the eighth time in 15 seasons that the NFC East rivals have played their first game of the season against each other.
The matchup also marks head coach John Harbaugh’s first game with the franchise and the first meaningful meeting between Dak Prescott and second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart.
Both teams have made significant improvements in the offseason, and this will be an exciting matchup to watch on NBC in Week 1.
Thanksgiving Games and Black Friday Games Revealed
The Cowboys are also confirmed to host the Philadelphia Eagles on Thanksgiving. Dallas has now hosted a divisional opponent on Thanksgiving in four of the past five years, and the Cowboys-Eagles rivalry has historically delivered strong ratings.
The Bears and Lions will also face off on Thanksgiving Day in a fun NFC North clash.
We also got word that the Packers and Rams will play a special Thanksgiving Eve game on Wednesday night, which will be streamed exclusively on Netflix. On Black Friday, the Broncos and Steelers will face off at 3 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime Video.
Seahawks Still Await Opponent for Season Opener
The confirmation of the Giants-Cowboys and Chiefs-Broncos games narrows the field for the Seattle Seahawks’ season opener. The defending champions will host the kickoff game on Wednesday, September 9, but the opponent has not been announced.
Take a Quick Break. Run a Mock Draft!
Before you keep reading, jump into the shoes of the GM of your favorite team.
With the Chiefs, Cowboys, and Giants now booked, and the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers headed to Melbourne for the NFL’s first regular-season game in Australia on September 10, the remaining candidates are the Chicago Bears, New England Patriots, Arizona Cardinals, or Los Angeles Chargers.
NFL insider Mike Garafolo believes the Bears might face the Seahawks in Week 1, and if the league does put Chicago in the season opener, it will make for an exciting matchup.
9-Game International Series Announced
Here is the complete international series schedule for the 2026 NFL season:
- Week 1: San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia | Sept. 10 in the US/Sept. 11 locally
- Week 3: Baltimore Ravens vs. Dallas Cowboys at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Sept. 27
- Week 4: Indianapolis Colts vs. Washington Commanders at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England | Oct. 4
- Week 5: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Jacksonville Jaguars at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England | Oct. 11
- Week 6: Houston Texans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium in London, England | Oct. 18
- Week 7: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. New Orleans Saints at Stade de France in Paris, France | Oct. 25
- Week 9: Cincinnati Bengals vs. Atlanta Falcons at the Bernabéu in Madrid, Spain | Nov. 8
- Week 10: New England Patriots vs. Detroit Lions at the Allianz Arena (AKA FC Bayern Munich Stadium) in Munich, Germany | Nov. 15
- Week 11: Minnesota Vikings vs. San Francisco 49ers at Estadio Banorte in Mexico City, Mexico | Nov. 22
The NFL’s 2026 international slate is set. pic.twitter.com/huW4ywZzl7
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 13, 2026
The San Francisco 49ers and Jacksonville Jaguars will each play multiple games overseas. However, the Niners will face a unique challenge, as their schedule features the two international series games spaced more than two months apart.
This will mark the first-ever regular season NFL game in Paris, France, which is something the league is excited about.
“Bringing a regular season game to Paris in 2026 marks an exciting next step in the continued expansion of the league’s global footprint,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “Paris is one of the world’s greatest sporting and cultural cities with tremendous success in hosting global events that unite fans on the biggest stages.
“Playing our first‑ever regular season game at the impressive Stade de France, together with the New Orleans Saints, underlines our continued global growth ambitions and we look forward to bringing the NFL to our passionate fans in France.”
