NFL Releases 2026 Schedule, Starts Wednesday, 9 Intl
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- NFL will unveil the 2026 regular‑season schedule Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN and the ESPN App.
- NFL will start the regular season on a Wednesday for the second time ever, with defending champion Seattle Seahawks opening on September 9.
- Los Angeles Rams will travel to Melbourne, Australia, to face the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday, September 10, marking the league’s first regular‑season game on the continent and a kickoff at 10:35 a.m. local time.
- NFL will stage a record nine international games in 2026 across four continents and seven countries, including a Week 9 matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and Atlanta Falcons on November 8.
- NFL last opened a season on a Wednesday in 2012 to accommodate President Barack Obama’s DNC speech, highlighting the rarity of mid‑week starts.
Why it matters: Fans gain early access to travel plans for international games; broadcasters gain ad inventory; teams must adjust logistics for a mid‑week start; the record nine overseas games expand the NFL’s global market, potentially boosting international viewership and sponsorship revenue.
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