The 2026 New England Patriots schedule is here in full, with the preseason wrapped and Week 1 set for Wednesday, September 9 at Seattle. Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye open with a Super Bowl LX rematch, fly to Munich in November and appear in six nationally televised windows.
Every game date, kickoff time in Eastern Time, TV channel and streaming option is below, along with a free printable PDF for your fridge, your desk or your phone.
Free Printable New England Patriots Schedule PDF
The printable New England Patriots schedule fits the full season on one letter size page, 8.5 x 11 inches. Each row lists the opponent, date, kickoff time in ET and TV channel, with space to write in scores and follow the AFC East race through Week 18.
Download Printable Patriots Schedule PDF
2026 New England Patriots Schedule: Full Regular Season
Here is the complete week by week slate in Eastern Time. New England plays eight home games at Gillette Stadium and nine on the road, because the NFC hosts the extra 17th game in 2026. Weeks 17 and 18 stay unassigned until the league sets them under flexible scheduling, so check back for those kickoff times.
| WEEK | DATE | OPPONENT | TIME (ET) | TV CHANNEL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wed, Sep 9 | @ Seahawks | 8:20 PM | NBC, Peacock |
| 2 | Sun, Sep 20 | vs Steelers | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| 3 | Sun, Sep 27 | @ Jaguars | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| 4 | Sun, Oct 4 | @ Bills | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| 5 | Sun, Oct 11 | vs Raiders | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| 6 | Sun, Oct 18 | vs Jets | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| 7 | Thu, Oct 22 | @ Bears | 8:15 PM | Prime Video |
| 8 | Sun, Nov 1 | @ Dolphins | 4:25 PM | CBS |
| 9 | Sun, Nov 8 | vs Packers | 4:25 PM | FOX |
| 10 | Sun, Nov 15 | @ Lions (Munich) | 9:30 AM | FOX |
| 11 | Bye Week | No game | None | None |
| 12 | Sun, Nov 29 | @ Chargers | 8:20 PM | NBC, Peacock |
| 13 | Sun, Dec 6 | vs Bills | 4:25 PM | CBS |
| 14 | Thu, Dec 10 | vs Vikings | 8:15 PM | Prime Video |
| 15 | Mon, Dec 21 | @ Chiefs | 8:15 PM | ESPN, ABC |
| 16 | Sun, Dec 27 | @ Jets | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| 17 | TBD (Dec 31 to Jan 4) | vs Broncos | TBD | TBD |
| 18 | TBD (Jan 9 to 10) | vs Dolphins | TBD | TBD |
Key Matchups, Bye Week and the Munich Game
Week 1 is the headline. New England went 14 and 3 in 2025, won the AFC East as the number 2 seed, beat Denver 10 to 7 in the AFC Championship Game, then lost Super Bowl LX to Seattle 29 to 13 on February 8. Seattle hosts the rematch at Lumen Field as defending champion. The champion normally opens on Thursday, but the league moved this game to Wednesday so the Thursday window could go to the first regular season game in Australia. That makes it the first Wednesday game in Patriots history.
Week 10 sends the Patriots to Allianz Arena in Munich to face the Detroit Lions at 9:30 AM ET, with Detroit as the designated home team. The bye follows in Week 11, then December brings the Buffalo Bills to Foxborough, a Thursday night visit from Minnesota and a Monday night trip to Arrowhead Stadium.
The slate is demanding. Eight opponents made the 2025 playoffs and five of those won their division. Because Buffalo appears twice, nine of the 17 games come against postseason teams. Other circled dates include the Green Bay Packers in Week 9 and a Week 17 home rematch with Denver. Seats for Gillette Stadium dates are sold through the official Patriots ticket office and the usual resale marketplaces.
Roster and Preseason Notes Heading Into Week 1
New England finished the preseason at 1 win, 1 loss and 1 tie: a 13 to 13 draw with Indianapolis, a 24 to 21 win over Philadelphia and a 37 to 13 loss at Cleveland. Tommy DeVito took all three exhibition starts and Drake Maye never took a snap, so the first team offense opens the season cold.
The 53 player roster returns Maye, Rhamondre Stevenson, TreVeyon Henderson, A.J. Brown, Hunter Henry, Will Campbell, Christian Gonzalez and Milton Williams. Two absences matter early: edge rusher Harold Landry III opened on the PUP list and special teams captain Brenden Schooler on the NFI list, so both sit out at least the first four games.
Where to Watch the New England Patriots Schedule on TV and Streaming
Most games air on national broadcast television. CBS carries eight and streams them on Paramount+, FOX has two, NBC has the Wednesday opener plus Week 12 with a Peacock simulcast, and ESPN handles Monday Night Football in Week 15 with an ABC simulcast.
Prime Video streams the two Thursday night games, which also air free over the air on a Boston station.
| PLATFORM | GAMES COVERED |
|---|---|
| CBS and Paramount+ | Eight games, including both Bills matchups |
| FOX | Week 9 vs Packers and the Munich game vs Lions |
| NBC and Peacock | Week 1 opener at Seattle and Week 12 at the Chargers |
| Prime Video | Thursday nights in Weeks 7 and 14 |
| ESPN, ABC and the ESPN app | Monday Night Football at Kansas City in Week 15 |
| NFL+ | Local and primetime games on phones and tablets |
| NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube | Out of market Sunday afternoon games only |
| YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV | CBS, FOX, NBC, ABC and ESPN live |
Free options exist too. An HD antenna pulls in local CBS, FOX, NBC and ABC across New England at no cost, and most streaming services still offer a trial you can time around a big matchup. If you live outside New England, NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube is the only way to get every out of market Sunday afternoon game.
New England has no Thanksgiving or Christmas game this season. Weeks 17 and 18 are the only unassigned windows left, and either can land on a Saturday, so the Broncos and Dolphins games are the ones to keep an eye on.
FAQ: 2026 New England Patriots Schedule
When do the Patriots play their first game in 2026?
New England opens the regular season on Wednesday, September 9 at the Seattle Seahawks, kicking off at 8:20 PM ET on NBC and Peacock. It is a Super Bowl LX rematch and the first Wednesday game in Patriots franchise history.
What channel are Patriots games on in 2026?
CBS carries eight games, FOX has two and NBC has two. ESPN has the Week 15 Monday night game at Kansas City with a simulcast on ABC, and Prime Video streams the Thursday night games in Weeks 7 and 14. Weeks 17 and 18 are still unassigned.
How many home games do the Patriots have in 2026?
Eight, all at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts: the Steelers, Raiders, Jets, Packers, Bills, Vikings, Broncos and Dolphins. New England has nine road games because the NFC hosts the extra 17th game in 2026, and the Munich meeting with Detroit counts as a Lions home game.
When is the Patriots bye week in 2026?
New England has its bye in Week 11, on the weekend of November 22, right after the international game against the Lions in Munich.
Do the Patriots play an international game in 2026?
Yes. New England faces the Detroit Lions at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany on Sunday, November 15 at 9:30 AM ET on FOX, with Detroit as the designated home team. It is the second Patriots game in Germany after they faced the Colts in Frankfurt in 2023.
When do the Patriots play the Bills, Jets and Dolphins?
New England visits Buffalo in Week 4 and hosts the Bills in Week 13, hosts the Jets in Week 6 and visits them in Week 16, and travels to Miami in Week 8 before hosting the Dolphins in Week 18.
How tough is the 2026 Patriots schedule?
Eight opponents reached the 2025 playoffs: Buffalo, Chicago, Denver, Green Bay, Jacksonville, the Los Angeles Chargers, Pittsburgh and Seattle. Five of them won their division, and because Buffalo appears twice, nine of the 17 games come against playoff teams.
Can I watch Patriots games for free?
Yes. An HD antenna pulls in local CBS, FOX, NBC and ABC broadcasts at no cost across New England. The two Prime Video Thursday night games are simulcast over the air in the Boston market, and the Week 15 Monday night game at Kansas City is simulcast on ABC.
From the Wednesday night rematch in Seattle to the Munich trip and a Week 17 date with Denver, the 2026 New England Patriots schedule gives fans a season worth planning around.
Bookmark this page, download the free printable Patriots schedule, and check back as the NFL locks in Weeks 17 and 18. For more, browse the full 2026 NFL schedule and our printable list of NFL teams.