New York, May 11, 2026, 08:09 (EDT)
The NFL kicked off 2026 schedule-release week by dropping Dallas at the New York Giants for the first “Sunday Night Football” matchup—an NFC East showdown at MetLife Stadium, 8:20 p.m. ET on Sept. 13, airing on NBC and NFL+. Nfl
The timing is key here: the league is turning the schedule rollout into a multi-day media event leading up to Thursday’s 8 p.m. ET publication of all 272 regular-season games. Some matchups will go public early, filtered out by broadcast partners, and the international games get their own spotlight Wednesday morning.
Networks and streaming services get a first look at the league’s top programming—think prime-time slots, special holiday games, and overseas showdowns. For this season, the NFL is rolling out a record nine games beyond U.S. borders, spreading across four continents, seven countries, and eight stadiums.
The opener carries extra weight for the Giants. According to Giants.com, John Harbaugh’s first game at the helm in New York comes in prime time against Dallas. The matchup lands in Week 1, marking the first time these teams square off to start a season since 2023.
One thing locked in: Dallas is set for a Sept. 27 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens in Rio de Janeiro, with Week 3 action at Maracanã Stadium. It’s technically a home date for the Cowboys, but they’ll still play eight games at AT&T Stadium and hit the road for eight more, per the team.
Cowboys owner, president and general manager Jerry Jones said Dallas was “thrilled and honored” for the chance to play the NFL’s first game in Rio. Steve Bisciotti, who owns the Ravens, described the league’s international growth as “remarkable.” Over in Brazil, NFL general manager Luis Martinez noted the matchup only fueled the event’s buzz. Nfl
Week 1 brings an early international twist: the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers head to Melbourne for the NFL’s first regular-season matchup in Australia, set for Sept. 10, with the Rams listed as the home side. “An incredible NFL experience for our fans down under,” said Charlotte Offord, who runs NFL operations for Australia and New Zealand. Rams president Kevin Demoff said the team hopes to “deepen our connection with the Melbourne community.” Nfl
Key 2026 matchups—Rams at Seahawks, Chiefs at Bills, Packers at Bears—are still missing dates. NFL.com analyst Eric Edholm named them among the must-watch games, calling these tilts early building blocks for the season, but the league hasn’t slotted them into weeks or TV windows yet.
Seattle, last season’s Super Bowl winner, is locked in to kick off the Wednesday night opener on Sept. 9. The Seahawks’ opponent is still under wraps. That same league announcement slotted the Rams-49ers game in Melbourne for the following evening, setting up a rare two-night launch ahead of the opening Sunday schedule.
Bits of the schedule are trickling out thanks in part to the network upfronts, those yearly ad showcases where broadcasters roll out their fall lineups. CBS Sports’ John Breech pointed out the presentations are set for May 11 to May 13, so expect some early game reveals before the whole slate drops.
The uncertainty lies in the gaps. Few games come with locked-in dates so far, and what seems like a marquee showdown in May can lose its shine thanks to injuries, tough travel, or teams sputtering mid-season. NBC Sports pointed out that more matchups should surface ahead of Thursday’s complete schedule drop, with the international games slated for announcement Wednesday.
The path to Super Bowl LXI is now clear: the game kicks off Feb. 14, 2027, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. ABC and ESPN will handle the broadcast for the championship.
