Football is back. The 2026 NFL season opens in September and runs all the way to a Valentine's Day Super Bowl — with a record number of games played overseas along the way. Whether you follow one team or all 32, here's when everything happens and how to keep every score in front of you.
When the 2026 season kicks off
The season opens the week after Labor Day in September 2026 with the traditional NFL Kickoff Game, in which the reigning Super Bowl champions host the opener on prime time. From there, all 32 teams play a 17-game schedule across 18 weeks, with the regular season wrapping up in early January 2027. The playoffs run through January, leading to the big one.
2026 season key dates
- Kickoff Game: September 2026 (defending champions host).
- Regular season: 18 weeks, 17 games per team, into early January 2027.
- Playoffs: January 2027.
- Super Bowl LXI: February 14, 2027, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California — the latest date ever, on Valentine's Day.
A record year for international games
2026 is the NFL's most global season yet, with a record nine international games. That includes the league's first-ever games in Australia (Melbourne), France (Paris) and Brazil (Rio de Janeiro), plus a trio of games in London and one each in Madrid and Germany. For US fans, the upside is a run of games that kick off in the morning — turning ordinary Sundays into all-day football.
New for 2026
A couple of rule and schedule tweaks add spice this year: onside kicks are now permitted at any point in a game (not just late when trailing), and for the first time the league is playing a Wednesday-night game the eve of Thanksgiving, streaming on Netflix — extending the holiday football tradition by a day.
How to follow every game at once
The joy and the problem of an NFL Sunday is the same thing: a dozen games kicking off in the same window, and no way to watch them all. That's why keeping a live scoreboard in view — every game, updating in real time, with alerts when your team scores or a game gets close — is the difference between missing the moment and catching it. Pair it with the standings and playoff picture, and you can follow the whole league at a glance while still watching your one big game on the screen.
The season ahead
From a September kickoff to a February finish, with football on three continents in between, the 2026 season is shaping up to be the most far-flung yet. Set your schedule, pick your games, and get your scoreboard ready — it's going to be a long, loud, brilliant season.
Quick answers
When does the 2026 NFL season start? It kicks off the week after Labor Day, in September 2026, with the Kickoff Game hosted by the defending Super Bowl champions.
When and where is the Super Bowl? Super Bowl LXI is set for February 14, 2027 — Valentine's Day, the latest date ever — at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
How many games does each team play? Each of the 32 teams plays a 17-game schedule spread across 18 weeks, with one bye week apiece.
Where are the international games this year? 2026 features a record nine international games, including the NFL's first-ever games in Australia, France and Brazil, plus games in London, Madrid and Germany.
