The 2026 Houston Texans schedule is locked in and the season is here. Preseason is finished, the roster is trimmed to 53, and Houston opens at home against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, September 13.
Below you will find every regular season game with dates, kickoff times in Eastern Time, TV channels and streaming options, plus a free printable PDF for the fridge, the desk or your phone.
2026 Houston Texans Schedule at a Glance
- Season opener: Sunday, September 13 vs Buffalo Bills, 1:00 PM ET on CBS
- Home venue: Reliant Stadium in Houston, renamed back from NRG Stadium in August 2026
- Bye week: Week 8, the weekend of November 1
- London game: Week 6 at Jacksonville, Wembley Stadium, 9:30 AM ET on NFL Network
- Primetime games: four, in Weeks 11, 13, 16 and 17
- Finale: Week 18 at home against Tennessee, date and kickoff still to be set
- Coach and quarterback: DeMeco Ryans in year four, C.J. Stroud under center
Houston went 12 and 5 in 2025 and reached the playoffs for a third straight season, a franchise first. The Texans won 30 to 6 at Pittsburgh in the Wild Card round, the first road playoff win in club history, then lost 28 to 16 at New England in the Divisional Round. Jacksonville took the AFC South title, so winning the division back is goal number one.
Free Printable Houston Texans Schedule PDF
The printable Houston Texans schedule fits the whole season on one letter size page. Every row lists the opponent, date, kickoff time in Eastern Time and TV channel, with room to write in scores and track the record from Week 1 to Week 18. No signup and no email, just click and download.
Full 2026 Houston Texans Schedule Week by Week
Here is the complete slate in Eastern Time. Kickoff times and networks from Week 5 onward can still move under NFL flexible scheduling, and the Week 18 finale is set once the playoff picture clears.
| WEEK | DATE | OPPONENT | TIME (ET) | TV CHANNEL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sun, Sep 13 | vs Bills | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| 2 | Sun, Sep 20 | vs Bengals | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| 3 | Sun, Sep 27 | at Colts | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| 4 | Sun, Oct 4 | vs Cowboys | 1:00 PM | FOX |
| 5 | Sun, Oct 11 | at Titans | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| 6 | Sun, Oct 18 | at Jaguars (London) | 9:30 AM | NFL Network |
| 7 | Sun, Oct 25 | vs Giants | 1:00 PM | FOX |
| 8 | Bye Week | No game | None | None |
| 9 | Sun, Nov 8 | at Chargers | 4:05 PM | CBS |
| 10 | Sun, Nov 15 | at Browns | 1:00 PM | FOX |
| 11 | Thu, Nov 19 | vs Colts | 8:15 PM | Prime Video |
| 12 | Sun, Nov 29 | vs Ravens | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| 13 | Sun, Dec 6 | at Steelers | 8:20 PM | NBC |
| 14 | Sun, Dec 13 | at Commanders | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| 15 | Sun, Dec 20 | vs Jaguars | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| 16 | Thu, Dec 24 | at Eagles | 8:15 PM | Prime Video |
| 17 | Mon, Jan 4 | at Packers | 8:15 PM | ESPN |
| 18 | TBD | vs Titans | TBD | TBD |
Jacksonville is the designated home team for the Week 6 meeting at Wembley Stadium, so Houston keeps all eight home dates at Reliant Stadium. The Week 17 Monday night game at Lambeau Field falls on January 4, 2027.
Preseason Results and Roster News
Houston lost all three exhibition games. Starters played sparingly and preseason results do not count in the standings.
| DATE | OPPONENT | RESULT |
|---|---|---|
| Thu, Aug 13 | vs Chargers | Lost 7 to 27 |
| Thu, Aug 20 | vs Raiders | Lost 20 to 22 |
| Fri, Aug 28 | at Panthers | Lost 13 to 16 |
Houston set its 53 man roster on August 31. Right tackle Braden Smith landed on injured reserve on September 1, so Trent Brown starts there alongside left tackle Aireontae Ersery, with Wyatt Teller and rookie first round guard Keylan Rutledge inside. Wide receiver Tank Dell is on injured reserve with a designation to return, leaving Nico Collins, Xavier Hutchinson, Kayshon Boutte, Jaylin Noel and Jared Wayne at the position. David Montgomery leads the backfield and Dalton Schultz remains the top tight end.
The defense returns its core under coordinator Matt Burke. Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter rush the passer with Jadeveon Clowney back in the rotation, Azeez Al-Shaair anchors the linebackers, and Derek Stingley Jr., Kamari Lassiter, Jalen Pitre and Reed Blankenship lead the secondary. Rookie tackle Kayden McDonald adds size inside, and Ka’imi Fairbairn handles the kicking.
Key Matchups and the Bye Week
- Week 1 vs Bills: the opener is the headline. Houston sacked Josh Allen eight times in a 23 to 19 primetime win over Buffalo last season.
- Week 4 vs Cowboys: the in state rivalry returns to Houston and is the hottest home ticket on the calendar.
- Week 6 at Jaguars: an early morning kickoff from Wembley Stadium against the reigning AFC South champions.
- Week 11 vs Colts: Thursday Night Football on Prime Video, one of six division games that decide the AFC South.
- Week 12 vs Ravens: Lamar Jackson visits Houston in the toughest home test of the year.
- Week 16 at Eagles: a Christmas Eve trip to Philadelphia on Prime Video.
Three of the first four games are at home, which gives Houston a chance to bank early wins. The bye then lands in Week 8. The finish is where this season is won or lost, because four of the last six games are on the road at Pittsburgh, Washington, Philadelphia and Green Bay. For the wider picture, see our printable list of NFL teams.
How to Watch the Houston Texans Schedule on TV and Streaming
CBS carries most of the slate because Houston plays in the AFC. FOX picks up the NFC crossover games against Dallas, the Giants and Cleveland. Prime Video has both Thursday night games, NBC has the Week 13 Sunday night trip to Pittsburgh, ESPN has the Week 17 Monday nighter, and NFL Network has the London game.
| SERVICE | TEXANS GAMES COVERED | WHAT YOU NEED |
|---|---|---|
| Paramount+ | All CBS games | Paramount+ subscription |
| Prime Video | Week 11 and Week 16 Thursday games | Amazon Prime membership |
| Peacock | Week 13 Sunday Night Football | Peacock subscription |
| ESPN app or Disney+ | Week 17 Monday Night Football | ESPN Unlimited, not the cheaper Select tier |
| NFL+ | Local and primetime games on mobile | NFL+ subscription |
| YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo | CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN and NFL Network live | Live TV subscription |
| NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube | Out of market Sunday afternoon games | Add on to YouTube TV or a standalone plan |
An HD antenna still pulls in local CBS, FOX and NBC broadcasts free of charge in the Houston market, and that covers most of the season.
Radio Coverage
- Houston flagship: 95.7 The Fan on FM with a 610 AM simulcast, the new home after Audacy retired the SportsRadio 610 branding
- Spanish language: Mega 101.1 FM
- Streaming and nationwide: the Audacy app, the official Texans app and SiriusXM
Where to Buy Texans Tickets
- Official source: HoustonTexans.com and Ticketmaster, the team ticketing partner
- Verified resale: SeatGeek, StubHub and Vivid Seats
- Priciest home dates: Week 4 vs Cowboys and Week 12 vs Ravens
- Best value home dates: Week 2 vs Bengals and Week 7 vs Giants
- Plan early: the Week 6 trip to Wembley Stadium in London
Houston Texans Schedule FAQ
When do the Houston Texans play their first game in 2026?
Houston opens the regular season at home against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, September 13 at 1:00 PM ET on CBS. It is the first of three home games in the opening four weeks.
When is the Texans bye week in 2026?
The bye falls in Week 8, the weekend of November 1, right after the home game against the New York Giants. Houston then plays back to back road games at the Chargers and the Browns.
Why is the Texans home stadium called Reliant Stadium again?
NRG Energy moved the building back to its original name in August 2026 after announcing the change in April. It opened as Reliant Stadium in 2002 and carried the NRG Stadium name from 2014 until this summer. The location, the capacity and the Texans lease are unchanged.
How did the Texans do in the 2026 preseason?
Houston finished 0 and 3. The Texans lost 27 to 7 to the Chargers, 22 to 20 to the Raiders and 16 to 13 at Carolina. Starters saw limited snaps and preseason games do not count in the standings.
What channel are Texans games on in 2026?
CBS carries most of the schedule. FOX has the Dallas, Giants and Cleveland matchups, Prime Video has both Thursday night games, NBC has Week 13, ESPN has Week 17 and NFL Network has the London game.
Do the Texans play in London in 2026?
Yes. Houston meets Jacksonville at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, October 18 at 9:30 AM ET on NFL Network. Jacksonville is the designated home team, so Houston still keeps eight home dates.
Have the Texans ever won a Super Bowl?
No. Houston has never won a Super Bowl and has never reached an AFC Championship Game. The franchise has lost in the Divisional Round seven times, most recently 28 to 16 at New England after the 2025 season.
The 2026 Houston Texans schedule offers a home heavy September, a Wembley trip in Week 6 and a demanding December, and it points at one clear target: taking the AFC South back from Jacksonville.
Bookmark this page and download the free printable Texans schedule. We refresh it whenever the NFL confirms a flex change or locks in the Week 18 finale against Tennessee.