The NFL Week 1 Schedule 2026 runs from Wednesday, September 9 through Monday, September 14. Sixteen games land on four days inside that six day window, and two of them fall outside the usual weekend. Below you get every matchup, kickoff time in ET, the TV channel, and a free printable PDF built for your time zone.
Seattle hosts New England at Lumen Field in a Super Bowl LX rematch, the first season opening rematch of a Super Bowl since 2016. One night later the 49ers and Rams play the first NFL regular season game ever staged in Australia.
Week 1 Quick Facts:
- Kickoff Game: Wed, Sept 9, Patriots at Seahawks, 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock
- Melbourne game: Thu, Sept 10, 49ers at Rams, 8:35 p.m. ET on Netflix
- Sunday slate: 13 games on Sept 13, eight at 1:00 p.m. and four at 4:25 p.m. ET
- Sunday Night Football: Cowboys at Giants, 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC
- Monday Night Football: Broncos at Chiefs, 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC
- Teams on bye: None. Byes do not start until Week 5
Jump to your printable: Eastern (ET) · Central (CT) · Mountain (MT) · Pacific (PT)
NFL Week 1 Schedule 2026: Every Game, Time and TV Channel
All 32 teams play in Week 1. Times below are Eastern. Scroll past the table for the same slate converted to Central, Mountain and Pacific time.
| DATE | GAME | TIME (ET) | TV CHANNEL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wed, Sep 9 | Patriots at Seahawks | 8:20 PM | NBC, Peacock |
| Thu, Sep 10 | 49ers at Rams (Melbourne) | 8:35 PM | Netflix |
| Sun, Sep 13 | Bears at Panthers | 1:00 PM | FOX |
| Sun, Sep 13 | Buccaneers at Bengals | 1:00 PM | FOX |
| Sun, Sep 13 | Saints at Lions | 1:00 PM | FOX |
| Sun, Sep 13 | Falcons at Steelers | 1:00 PM | FOX |
| Sun, Sep 13 | Bills at Texans | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| Sun, Sep 13 | Ravens at Colts | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| Sun, Sep 13 | Browns at Jaguars | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| Sun, Sep 13 | Jets at Titans | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| Sun, Sep 13 | Cardinals at Chargers | 4:25 PM | CBS |
| Sun, Sep 13 | Packers at Vikings | 4:25 PM | CBS |
| Sun, Sep 13 | Dolphins at Raiders | 4:25 PM | FOX |
| Sun, Sep 13 | Commanders at Eagles | 4:25 PM | FOX |
| Sun, Sep 13 | Cowboys at Giants | 8:20 PM | NBC, Peacock |
| Mon, Sep 14 | Broncos at Chiefs | 8:15 PM | ESPN, ABC |
Week 1 Kickoff Times by Time Zone
| WINDOW | ET | CT | MT | PT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday early | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM |
| Sunday late | 4:25 PM | 3:25 PM | 2:25 PM | 1:25 PM |
| Sunday night | 8:20 PM | 7:20 PM | 6:20 PM | 5:20 PM |
| Monday night | 8:15 PM | 7:15 PM | 6:15 PM | 5:15 PM |
Want the whole season on one sheet? See the 2026 NFL Schedule printable PDF.
Week 1 Games Worth Circling
- Patriots at Seahawks, Wed 8:20 p.m. Seattle won Super Bowl LX 29 to 13 in February and now hosts the same opponent at Lumen Field. Only the second Wednesday opener in NFL history, scheduled that way to clear room for Australia on Thursday. NBC pregame starts at 7:00 p.m. ET.
- 49ers at Rams, Thu 8:35 p.m. An NFC West divisional game at the 100,000 seat Melbourne Cricket Ground, kicking off Friday at 10:35 a.m. local time. Reigning MVP Matthew Stafford leads the Rams. Netflix streams it on every plan with no extra fee, pregame from 6:30 p.m. ET.
- Bills at Texans, Sun 1:00 p.m. Both teams went 12 and 5 last season and both won a road playoff game. It is also Joe Brady’s first game as Buffalo head coach after the club moved on from Sean McDermott.
- Cowboys at Giants, Sun 8:20 p.m. An NFC East rivalry at MetLife Stadium, and the only Sunday night game of the week.
- Broncos at Chiefs, Mon 8:15 p.m. Denver went 14 and 3 last season, took the AFC West and the top seed, then lost the AFC Championship at home. Kansas City opens with Patrick Mahomes working back from a torn ACL and LCL, and his availability was still unconfirmed in the days before kickoff.
NFL Week 1 Schedule 2026 Free Printable PDFs by Time Zone
Four PDF versions cover the four mainland US time zones. Each one is letter size, prints in black and white, and leaves a blank column for scores. Pick the version that matches where you watch, then print and pin it up. No login and no email needed.
Eastern Time (ET)
Use this sheet on the East Coast, from Boston and New York down to Miami. Kickoff times match the main table above.
Download NFL Week 1 Schedule 2026 in Eastern Time (PDF)
Also Check: NFL Week 2 Schedule 2026 Free Printable PDF
Central Time (CT)
Built for Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Kansas City, Minneapolis and New Orleans. Early games start at noon locally, so the sheet is handy for lunchtime watch parties.
Download NFL Week 1 Schedule 2026 in Central Time (PDF)
Mountain Time (MT)
For Denver, Salt Lake City and Albuquerque. Phoenix stays on Mountain Standard Time all year, so Arizona fans should use the Pacific sheet in September while daylight saving is active.
Download NFL Week 1 Schedule 2026 in Mountain Time (PDF)
Pacific Time (PT)
For Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco and Las Vegas. Early kickoffs land at 10:00 a.m. locally, which makes this the sheet most West Coast fans print.
Download NFL Week 1 Schedule 2026 in Pacific Time (PDF)
How to Watch NFL Week 1 2026
Week 1 is split across five broadcast groups. Four of them are free over the air: NBC, CBS, FOX and ABC carry 15 of the 16 games between them, so the Melbourne game on Netflix is the only one an antenna misses.
| PLATFORM | WEEK 1 COVERAGE |
|---|---|
| NBC and Peacock | Wednesday Kickoff Game and Sunday Night Football |
| Netflix | Thursday game from Melbourne |
| CBS and Paramount+ | Six Sunday afternoon games. Paramount+ streams your local CBS station |
| FOX | Six Sunday afternoon games |
| ESPN and ABC | Monday Night Football, simulcast free over the air on ABC |
| NFL+ | Local and prime time games on phone and tablet |
| NFL Sunday Ticket | Out of market Sunday afternoon games on YouTube |
Cord cutters can reach the same slate through YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo or DirecTV Stream. NFL Sunday Ticket only adds value if you follow a team outside your local market, and RedZone runs about $40 for the season as an add on.
One planning note. Kickoff times can move later in the year under flex scheduling, but Week 1 is fixed. What you print today is what airs.
NFL Week 1 Schedule 2026 FAQ
When does the 2026 NFL season start?
The 2026 NFL season starts Wednesday, September 9, 2026. The Seattle Seahawks host the New England Patriots at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock in a rematch of Super Bowl LX, which Seattle won 29 to 13. Week 1 ends Monday, September 14 with Denver at Kansas City.
How many games are in NFL Week 1 2026?
There are 16 games. All 32 teams play because bye weeks do not begin until Week 5, when Carolina and Kansas City are off. The slate breaks down as one Wednesday game, one Thursday game in Australia, 13 games on Sunday and one on Monday night.
Why does the 2026 NFL season open on a Wednesday?
The league moved the opener to Wednesday so the first game in Australia could be played Thursday night in the United States, which is Friday morning in Melbourne. This is only the second Wednesday season opener in NFL history. The other was in 2012, moved to avoid the Democratic National Convention.
What channel is the 49ers vs Rams Melbourne game on?
Netflix streams 49ers at Rams exclusively on Thursday, September 10 at 8:35 p.m. ET. Pregame coverage starts at 6:30 p.m. ET. Any Netflix plan works and there is no pay per view charge. The game is played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
What time do Week 1 Sunday games start in each time zone?
Early games kick off at 1:00 p.m. ET, which is 12:00 p.m. CT, 11:00 a.m. MT and 10:00 a.m. PT. Late afternoon games start at 4:25 p.m. ET, which is 3:25 p.m. CT, 2:25 p.m. MT and 1:25 p.m. PT. Sunday Night Football starts at 8:20 p.m. ET.
Who plays on Sunday Night Football and Monday Night Football in Week 1?
Sunday Night Football is Dallas at the New York Giants at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. Monday Night Football is Denver at Kansas City at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN with a simulcast on ABC.
How can I watch NFL Week 1 2026 without cable?
A digital antenna picks up NBC, CBS, FOX and ABC for free, which covers 15 of the 16 games. Only the Melbourne game is behind a paywall, on Netflix. Peacock simulcasts the two NBC prime time games. YouTube TV, Hulu plus Live TV, Fubo and DirecTV Stream carry every network, and NFL+ streams local and prime time games on mobile.
Can I print the Week 1 schedule for my own time zone?
Yes. Four free PDF versions are on this page, one each for Eastern, Central, Mountain and Pacific time. Each is letter size, prints cleanly in black and white, and includes a blank column for scores. No signup is required.
The NFL Week 1 Schedule 2026 gives you 16 games across four days, a title rematch in Seattle, a first ever game in Australia and four prime time windows. Every kickoff time above is locked, and each one is checked against the official NFL Week 1 schedule.
Grab the printable that matches your time zone, write in the scores as they land, then move on to the Week 2 schedule or the printable NFL playoff bracket when January arrives.