NFL Unveils 2026 Schedule Tonight: Nine International Games, Week 1 Marquees Set

After months of speculation, the National Football League will finally reveal the full 272-game 2026 regular-season schedule Thursday evening, putting an end to one of sports' most anticipated annual reveals. The complete slate drops at 8 p.m. ET on NFL Network, ESPN2, the ESPN App, and NFL+, with additional coverage available on FAST platforms. The regular season itself kicks off Sept. 9, 2026, and concludes Jan. 10, 2027, setting the stage for playoffs beginning Jan. 16 and Super Bowl LXI on Feb. 14 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The league has already begun teasing marquee matchups ahead of tonight's full reveal. The Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos will face off in the season's first Monday Night Football game on Sept. 14 at 8 p.m. ET, though the game's location remains undisclosed until the official release. The New York Giants will host the Dallas Cowboys in a primetime Sunday Night Football clash in Week 1, renewing one of the NFL's fiercest rivalries to kick off the campaign. International games have become a centerpiece of the modern NFL schedule, and 2026 will shatter previous records with nine games spanning four continents and seven countries. London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will host two games: the Indianapolis Colts versus Washington Commanders on Oct. 4 in Week 4, and the Philadelphia Eagles versus Jacksonville Jaguars on Oct. 11 in Week 5. Both London kickoffs are set for 9:30 a.m. ET, or 2:30 p.m. local time. The league announced the remaining international matchups Wednesday morning on Good Morning Football, expanding the NFL's global footprint to unprecedented levels. The Cincinnati Bengals will face the Atlanta Falcons on Nov. 8 in Week 9 as part of the international slate, one of several showcase games woven throughout the season. The 2026 campaign marks only the second time in modern NFL history that the regular season begins on a Wednesday, adding another layer of scheduling intrigue to an already complex puzzle involving 32 teams, primetime windows, and broadcast partner requirements. Tonight's schedule release, powered by Amazon Web Services, will provide fans and teams with complete team-by-team and weekly breakdowns on NFL.com and the official NFL app. The staggered announcement approach—with broadcast partners revealing select games throughout the week—has become standard practice, building momentum toward the evening's comprehensive reveal that will finalize every opponent, site, and time for the 17-week regular season.