NFL announces schedule release date for 2026 season

The 2026 NFL season is just around the corner

There has been plenty of chatter about adding an 18th game to the regular season, and while that's not going to happen overnight, it wouldn't be crazy to think that could be the case for the 2027 campaign.

Also, the NFL will continue to expand the game all across the globe, with international matchups scheduled for Mexico City, London, Munich, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro, and Melbourne.

The Seattle Seahawks will enter the campaign as defending champions, with the Los Angeles Rams, Philadelphia Eagles, and Chicago Bears as their main challengers in the NFC.

On the other side of the bracket, the New England Patriots will look to prove that last year's success wasn't a fluke, while the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals will look to return to the playoffs. 

The regular season will begin on Wednesday, Sept. 9, with the Seahawks hosting the season opener at Lumen Field. 

The season will run through Jan. 10, 2027, with the playoffs beginning on Jan. 16, 2027, and continuing through Super Bowl LXI on Feb. 14, 2027, at SoFi Stadium.