Preseason is over and the 2026 Dallas Cowboys schedule is now the only thing that matters. Dallas went 2 and 1 in exhibition play, set its 53 man roster on August 30, and opens the regular season on Sunday Night Football at the New York Giants on September 13.
Below is every game date, kickoff time in Eastern Time, TV channel and streaming option, plus a free printable PDF you can pin to the fridge or save on your phone.
Six primetime windows, a regular season game in Rio de Janeiro and a Thanksgiving meeting with the Philadelphia Eagles shape the year. The Week 14 bye is the latest Dallas has had since 1990.
Free Printable Dallas Cowboys Schedule PDF
The printable Cowboys schedule puts the full season on one page. Every row lists the opponent, date, kickoff time in ET and TV channel, with blank space to write in scores and track the record through Week 18. Print it for the office wall or keep the file on your phone for game day.
2026 Dallas Cowboys Schedule: Full Regular Season
Here is the complete week by week slate with kickoff times in Eastern Time. Eight home games are set for AT&T Stadium in Arlington, with Rio counting as a ninth designated home date.
The Week 18 date, time and network are set after Week 17, so that game lands on either Saturday, January 9 or Sunday, January 10, 2027. No Cowboys game has been flexed so far.
| WEEK | DATE | OPPONENT | TIME (ET) | TV CHANNEL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sun, Sep 13 | at New York Giants | 8:20 PM | NBC, Peacock |
| 2 | Sun, Sep 20 | vs Washington Commanders | 4:25 PM | FOX |
| 3 | Sun, Sep 27 | vs Baltimore Ravens (Rio de Janeiro) | 4:25 PM | CBS, Paramount+ |
| 4 | Sun, Oct 4 | at Houston Texans | 1:00 PM | FOX |
| 5 | Thu, Oct 8 | vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 8:15 PM | Prime Video |
| 6 | Sun, Oct 18 | at Green Bay Packers | 8:20 PM | NBC, Peacock |
| 7 | Mon, Oct 26 | at Philadelphia Eagles | 8:15 PM | ESPN/ABC |
| 8 | Sun, Nov 1 | vs Arizona Cardinals | 1:00 PM | FOX |
| 9 | Sun, Nov 8 | at Indianapolis Colts | 1:00 PM | FOX |
| 10 | Sun, Nov 15 | vs San Francisco 49ers | 4:25 PM | FOX |
| 11 | Sun, Nov 22 | vs Tennessee Titans | 1:00 PM | FOX |
| 12 | Thu, Nov 26 | vs Philadelphia Eagles (Thanksgiving) | 4:30 PM | FOX |
| 13 | Mon, Dec 7 | at Seattle Seahawks | 8:15 PM | ESPN/ABC |
| 14 | Bye Week | No game | None | None |
| 15 | Sun, Dec 20 | at Los Angeles Rams | 4:25 PM | CBS, Paramount+ |
| 16 | Sun, Dec 27 | vs Jacksonville Jaguars | 8:20 PM | NBC, Peacock |
| 17 | Sun, Jan 3 | vs New York Giants | 1:00 PM | FOX |
| 18 | Jan 9 or 10 | at Washington Commanders | TBD | TBD |
Want the rest of the league? Our 2026 NFL schedule hub has every team and every week, and you can compare notes with the Giants, Eagles and Commanders pages for the NFC East picture.
2026 Cowboys Preseason Results
Dallas finished the preseason 2 and 1 with the starters seeing limited snaps. The August 30 cutdown brought 39 roster moves, including running backs Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah and 2022 second round edge Sam Williams. Two late additions matter for Week 1: tackle Broderick Jones arrived in a trade with Pittsburgh and will push Terence Steele at right tackle, and running back Emari Demercado was claimed off waivers from Kansas City on August 31.
| DATE | OPPONENT | RESULT |
|---|---|---|
| Sat, Aug 15 | at Seattle Seahawks | W 17 to 7 |
| Sat, Aug 22 | at Arizona Cardinals | W 34 to 13 |
| Fri, Aug 28 | vs New Orleans Saints | L 24 to 27 |
Key Matchups, Bye Week and the Brazil Game
- Week 3 vs Ravens in Rio de Janeiro: Dallas is the designated home team for the first NFL regular season game at Maracana Stadium on September 27. It is the club’s first international game in 12 years and it pairs Dak Prescott with Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. CBS carries it as a national window, so every US market gets the game.
- Week 6 at Packers: Micah Parsons faces his old team at Lambeau Field on Sunday night. Their first meeting after the trade, in Dallas last September, ended 40 to 40 in overtime, the first tie in the NFL since 2022.
- Week 12 vs Eagles on Thanksgiving: The 59th Thanksgiving game in club history and only the third against Philadelphia. The Eagles won the other two, 27 to 0 in 1989 and 33 to 10 in 2014, so Dallas is still chasing its first holiday win in the series.
- Week 14 bye: Dallas plays 13 straight weeks before resting on the weekend of December 13. That ties 1990 for the club’s latest bye of the modern era.
- Week 18 at Commanders: The NFC East finale stays unscheduled so the league can slot it where it matters most for playoff seeding.
The six division games against Philadelphia, New York and Washington remain the clearest path back to January after two straight seasons out of the playoffs.
How to Watch the Dallas Cowboys Schedule on TV and Streaming
Most Cowboys games land on national broadcast television. FOX carries the bulk of the Sunday afternoon slate plus Thanksgiving, CBS has Rio and the December trip to the Rams, NBC handles three Sunday night games, and both Monday nights are simulcast on ESPN and ABC. The Week 5 Thursday meeting with Tampa Bay is the only game carried nationally on streaming, and even that one airs on local broadcast television in the Dallas and Tampa markets. Through Week 17 no Cowboys game appears on the Netflix slate.
| PLATFORM | WHAT IT CARRIES |
|---|---|
| FOX | Most Sunday afternoon games and Thanksgiving |
| CBS / Paramount+ | Week 3 in Brazil and Week 15 at the Rams |
| NBC / Peacock | Sunday Night Football in Weeks 1, 6 and 16 |
| ESPN and ABC | Monday Night Football in Weeks 7 and 13 |
| Prime Video | Thursday Night Football in Week 5 |
| NFL+ | Local and primetime games on phone or tablet, $6.99 a month |
| NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube | Out of market Sunday afternoon games only, not primetime or Rio |
| YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, DirecTV | Live access to FOX, CBS, NBC and ESPN |
You can also watch for free. An HD antenna pulls in local FOX, CBS and NBC broadcasts at no cost across the Dallas Fort Worth area, and Peacock and Paramount+ both run free trial periods you can time around a big matchup. One thing to know before you build a plan around streaming: Paramount+ carries the CBS game showing in your own market, so an out of market Sunday afternoon Cowboys game still needs Sunday Ticket. The Rio game is the exception, since it is a national CBS window.
Cowboys Roster and Coaching Changes for 2026
Brian Schottenheimer returns for year two as head coach with Klayton Adams back as offensive coordinator. The change is on defense, where Christian Parker arrives from Philadelphia to replace Matt Eberflus. At 34 he is the youngest defensive coordinator in club history, and he has described his front as a 3-4 by nature with 4-3 spacing and nickel looks behind it.
The rebuild around him was aggressive. Dallas turned the Micah Parsons trade into Kenny Clark and two first round picks, then moved up one spot to take Ohio State safety Caleb Downs at No. 11 and added UCF edge Malachi Lawrence at No. 23. Quinnen Williams, acquired from the Jets at the 2025 deadline, anchors the interior next to Clark. Rashan Gary came over from Green Bay in March for a 2027 fourth rounder, safety Jalen Thompson signed a three year deal, and Von Miller joined on a one year contract in mid August for his 15th season.
Dak Prescott is back under center with CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, who plays 2026 on the franchise tag worth $27.3 million after the July 15 extension deadline passed with no long term deal. Linebacker Marist Liufau and cornerback Devin Moore open on injured reserve with a return designation, and no projected starter has been ruled out for the opener. Dallas went 7 and 9 and 1 in 2025 and has missed the playoffs in back to back years, so the pressure to turn this roster into a January run is real.
FAQ: Dallas Cowboys 2026 Season
When do the Cowboys play their first game in 2026?
Dallas opens the regular season on Sunday, September 13 at the New York Giants, kicking off at 8:20 PM ET on NBC and Peacock.
When is the Cowboys bye week in 2026?
Week 14, the weekend of December 13, after 13 straight games. That ties 1990 for the latest bye Dallas has had in the modern era.
Are the Cowboys playing on Thanksgiving in 2026?
Yes. Dallas hosts the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium on Thursday, November 26 at 4:30 PM ET on FOX. It is the 59th Thanksgiving game in franchise history and only the third against Philadelphia.
Where is the Cowboys international game in 2026?
The Cowboys are the designated home team against the Baltimore Ravens at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, September 27 at 4:25 PM ET. CBS carries it as a national broadcast, with streaming on Paramount+.
What channel are Cowboys games on in 2026?
Cowboys games air on FOX, CBS, NBC and ESPN with ABC. The Week 5 Thursday night game against Tampa Bay streams nationally on Prime Video and also airs on local TV in Dallas Fort Worth. Six games are in primetime: three Sunday nights, two Monday nights and that Thursday.
How did the Cowboys do in the 2026 preseason?
Dallas finished 2 and 1. It beat Seattle 17 to 7 on August 15 and Arizona 34 to 13 on August 22, then lost 27 to 24 to New Orleans at AT&T Stadium on August 28. The 53 man roster was set on August 30.
When do the Cowboys play Micah Parsons?
Week 6 on Sunday, October 18 at Lambeau Field on NBC. Parsons was traded to Green Bay for Kenny Clark and two first round picks. Their first meeting after the trade ended 40 to 40 in overtime in Dallas last September.
Can I watch Cowboys games for free?
Yes. An HD antenna picks up local FOX, CBS and NBC broadcasts free of charge across Dallas Fort Worth, and Peacock and Paramount+ both offer free trial periods.
From the Maracana opener in Rio to the Thanksgiving clash with Philadelphia, the 2026 Dallas Cowboys schedule is worth planning your fall around. Download the free printable Cowboys schedule, bookmark this page, and check back as the NFL confirms the Week 18 date and any flex changes late in the year.