NFL schedule puts Seattle-New England rematch at centre of 2026 season
The 2026 season will open with Seattle hosting New England, while nine international games and an expanded holiday programme extend the league’s global and broadcast reach.
The 2026 NFL season will open with the Seattle Seahawks hosting the New England Patriots in a rematch of the Super Bowl played in February, according to the schedule published by CBS Sports.
The schedule includes nine international games across Australia, Brazil, France, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Germany and Spain. The international programme extends the regular season beyond the league’s domestic venues and into seven overseas markets.
The holiday calendar includes a game on Thanksgiving Eve, another on Christmas Eve and a Christmas Day tripleheader. The fixtures add a concentrated run of nationally prominent games to the regular-season schedule.
CBS Sports also reported that the schedule includes bye weeks and broadcast information across the season. The supplied schedule details do not include the dates, times, venues or opponents for the international and holiday fixtures.
The Saturday tripleheader match-ups and the Sunday night game in Week 18 are expected to be announced in January.
