The 2026 New England Patriots schedule opens with a Super Bowl LX rematch and only gets busier from there. Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye visit the Seattle Seahawks on Wednesday, September 9, play a Sunday morning game in Munich, and appear in six nationally televised windows.
Below you will find every game date, kickoff time in Eastern Time, TV channel and streaming option, plus a free printable PDF you can keep on your fridge or your phone.
Free Printable New England Patriots Schedule PDF
The printable New England Patriots schedule puts the full season on one page in standard letter size, 8.5 x 11 inches. Each matchup shows the opponent, date, start time in ET and TV channel, with room to write in scores and follow the AFC East race through Week 18.
Download Printable Patriots Schedule PDF
2026 Patriots Preseason Schedule
New England hosts Indianapolis and Philadelphia at Gillette Stadium before closing the exhibition slate in Cleveland. Both home games air locally on WBZ and the Patriots Preseason Network across New England, and the Eagles game is also carried nationally on NFL Network.
The Browns game streams nationally on Prime Video. Training camp opened at Gillette Stadium in late July, with veterans reporting July 24.
| WEEK | DATE | OPPONENT | TIME (ET) | TV CHANNEL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thu, Aug 13 | vs Colts | 7:30 PM | WBZ, Patriots Preseason Network |
| 2 | Sat, Aug 22 | vs Eagles | 7:00 PM | WBZ, PPN, NFL Network |
| 3 | Thu, Aug 27 | @ Browns | 8:00 PM | Prime Video |
2026 New England Patriots Schedule: Full Regular Season
Here is the complete week by week slate with kickoff times in Eastern Time. New England has eight home games, all of them at Gillette Stadium, and nine on the road. The extra road date comes from the NFC hosting the 17th game in 2026. Weeks 17 and 18 are unassigned until late in the season under NFL flexible scheduling rules, so check back for updates.
| 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
The season starts with history. New England went 14 and 3 in 2025, won the AFC East, beat Denver 10 to 7 in the AFC Championship Game and reached Super Bowl LX before falling 29 to 13 to Seattle. The rematch lands in Week 1 at Lumen Field on Wednesday, September 9. It is the first Wednesday game the franchise has ever played, moved off Thursday to make room for the league opener in Australia, and the first Week 1 Super Bowl rematch since 2016.
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, giving the roster a full reset before a December stretch that includes the Buffalo Bills at home, a Thursday night visit from Minnesota and a Monday night trip to Arrowhead Stadium.
This is a demanding slate. Eight teams on it made the 2025 playoffs, and because Buffalo appears twice, nine of the 17 games come against postseason teams. Five of those eight were division champions.
Other circled dates include a Week 9 meeting with the Green Bay Packers and a Week 17 home game against Denver, a rematch of the AFC Championship Game. Seats for Gillette Stadium dates are sold through the official Patriots ticket office and the usual resale marketplaces.
How to Watch the 2026 New England Patriots Schedule on TV and Streaming
Most games on the New England Patriots schedule air on national broadcast television. CBS carries eight games and streams them on Paramount+, FOX has two, NBC has the Wednesday opener and one Sunday night game with a Peacock simulcast, and ESPN handles Monday Night Football in Week 15 with a simulcast on ABC. The two Thursday night games stream on Prime Video and also air free over the air on a local station in each competing market, so New England viewers can watch those without a subscription.
| 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, plus the Browns preseason game |
| ESPN, ABC and the ESPN app | Monday Night Football at Kansas City in Week 15 |
| NFL Network | Preseason Week 2 vs the Eagles on August 22 |
| 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 |
You can also watch for free. An HD antenna pulls in local CBS, FOX, NBC and ABC broadcasts at no cost across New England, WBZ airs the home preseason games, and most streaming services offer a free trial you can time around a big matchup.
One caveat if you use Fubo: it restored NBC in June 2026 after a carriage dispute, but local NBC affiliates are still rolling out market by market, so check your area before relying on it for Sunday night. 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 in 2026 and no Netflix game on the books so far. Weeks 17 and 18 are the last open windows, and both can still be moved to Saturday, so the Broncos and Dolphins games are the ones to keep an eye on.
FAQ: New England Patriots 2026 Season
When do the Patriots play their first game in 2026?
New England opens the 2026 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. The preseason opener is Thursday, August 13 at home against the Indianapolis Colts.
Who is the Patriots head coach and quarterback in 2026?
Mike Vrabel returns for his second season as head coach after leading New England to a 14 and 3 record, the AFC East title and a Super Bowl LX appearance in 2025. Drake Maye is back at quarterback for his third NFL season.
How many home games do the Patriots have in 2026?
Eight, and all eight are 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.
What channel are Patriots games on in 2026?
CBS carries eight games, FOX has two and NBC has two. The Week 15 Monday night game at Kansas City is on ESPN with a simulcast on ABC. Prime Video streams the two Thursday night games, and those are also simulcast free over the air on a local station in the Boston market. Weeks 17 and 18 are still unassigned. Preseason games air on WBZ and the Patriots Preseason Network, the Eagles game on August 22 is also carried nationally on NFL Network, and the Cleveland game streams on Prime Video.
When is the Patriots bye week in 2026?
New England has its bye in Week 11, on the weekend of November 22, immediately after the international game against the Lions in Munich.
Do the Patriots play an international game in 2026?
Yes. The Patriots face 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 their second game in Germany after facing the Colts in Frankfurt in 2023.
Do the Patriots play on Thanksgiving or Christmas in 2026?
No. New England plays on the Sunday after Thanksgiving in Week 12 and the Sunday after Christmas in Week 16. Weeks 17 and 18 are the only unassigned windows left, so an early January Saturday kickoff is still possible.
When do the Patriots play their AFC East rivals?
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 many primetime games do the Patriots have in 2026?
Six games are nationally televised: the Wednesday night opener at Seattle, Thursday night at Chicago, the Sunday morning Munich game on FOX, Sunday night at the Chargers, Thursday night against Minnesota and Monday night at Kansas City on ESPN and ABC.
How tough is the 2026 Patriots schedule?
Eight teams on the schedule reached the 2025 playoffs: Buffalo, Chicago, Denver, Green Bay, Jacksonville, the Los Angeles Chargers, Pittsburgh and Seattle. Five of those were division champions. Because Buffalo appears twice, nine of the 17 games come against 2025 playoff teams.
How many Super Bowls have the Patriots won?
Six. New England won Super Bowls XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLIX, LI and LIII. The franchise has made a record 12 Super Bowl appearances, most recently a 29 to 13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX in February 2026.
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. WBZ airs the home preseason games, 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 rematch 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 confirms flexible scheduling for the final weeks.
For more, browse the full 2026 NFL schedule and our printable list of NFL teams.