NFL confirms 2026 Thanksgiving fixtures and expanded holiday slate
Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys retain traditional slots, while Buffalo Bills host Kansas City Chiefs in primetime.
The National Football League has officially released its 2026 Thanksgiving Day schedule, confirming a traditional three-game slate for the holiday. The Detroit Lions will host the Chicago Bears at 1 p.m. ET on CBS, continuing a streak that marks the 86th Thanksgiving appearance for the franchise. The Dallas Cowboys will face the Philadelphia Eagles at 4:25 p.m. ET on Fox, a fixture that represents their 59th game on the holiday.
Rounding out the Thanksgiving Day programme, the Buffalo Bills will host the Kansas City Chiefs in a primetime match at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC. This contest marks the second consecutive year the two teams have met on Thanksgiving, with both franchises making their 12th appearance on the holiday. The release follows a period of speculation regarding fixture lists, with the full 2026 schedule for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers also recently published, detailing key national television appearances against the Cowboys and Bears.
Beyond the main holiday, the 2026 season continues the NFL’s expansion of holiday coverage. The league will feature a game on Black Friday for the fourth consecutive year, with the Pittsburgh Steelers visiting the Denver Broncos. This contest will be streamed exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.
Additionally, the calendar includes a Thanksgiving Eve fixture. The Los Angeles Rams will host the Green Bay Packers in a Wednesday night game broadcast on Netflix. This addition extends the holiday viewing window, offering further content before the primary Thanksgiving Day matches.
The announcement finalises the holiday schedule after earlier leaks and reports outlined the potential matchups. The 2026 season maintains the long-standing tradition of the Lions and Cowboys playing on Thanksgiving for the 49th consecutive year, while the league plays three games on the holiday for the 21st year in a row.
