NFL Week 1 of the 2026 season runs from Wednesday 9 September to Monday 14 September 2026, opening with a rare Wednesday night Kickoff Game hosted by the defending Super Bowl LX champion Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Week 1 launches the 107th season of the National Football League and the second year of the NFL’s 18-game regular season era, with playoffs reaching Super Bowl LXI in February 2027.
What is NFL Week 1?
The National Football League is the top professional American football league in the world, comprising 32 franchises split between the American Football Conference (AFC) and National Football Conference (NFC). Week 1 is the opening round of an 18-week regular season, with each team playing 17 games and taking one bye week. The NFL Kickoff Game, a prime-time primetime fixture hosted by the reigning Super Bowl champion, traditionally begins the week.
For 2026, the league has rescheduled the NFL Kickoff Game to a Wednesday rather than the usual Thursday because the NFL Australia Game between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers is staged in Melbourne on Thursday 10 September. Sunday 13 September then delivers the bulk of the Week 1 schedule across afternoon and prime-time windows, with Sunday Night Football and Monday Night Football closing out the week.
When is NFL Week 1?
Week 1 begins with the NFL Kickoff Game on Wednesday 9 September 2026, kicking off at 20:20 Eastern Time (01:20 BST Thursday morning) at Lumen Field in Seattle. NFL Australia is played on Thursday 10 September at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne. Sunday 13 September is the main matchday with 1:00 pm, 4:05 pm, 4:25 pm and 8:20 pm ET kick-offs. Monday Night Football closes Week 1 on Monday 14 September at 8:15 pm ET.
Where is NFL Week 1 played?
NFL Week 1 games are played at each home franchise’s stadium across the United States plus one international game in Melbourne, Australia. The Seahawks host the Kickoff Game at Lumen Field (capacity 68,740). Other significant venues include SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MetLife Stadium in New Jersey and Highmark Stadium in Buffalo. The NFL Australia Game at Marvel Stadium (53,359 capacity) is the first NFL regular-season game ever played in Australia.
Key Contenders
The Seattle Seahawks enter Week 1 as the reigning Super Bowl LX champions, their first championship since 2013. The Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions and Baltimore Ravens remain the perennial Super Bowl contenders. Quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs), Lamar Jackson (Ravens), Josh Allen (Bills), Joe Burrow (Bengals), Jalen Hurts (Eagles) and Jayden Daniels (Commanders) lead the league’s most watched franchises.
Week 1 matchups draw heavy betting and TV interest because they offer the first live look at offseason changes, rookie quarterbacks and coaching hires. The Sunday Night Football game in prime time typically features two playoff contenders, while Monday Night Football follows with another marquee pairing.
How to Watch
In the United States, NFL Week 1 broadcasts are split between CBS (AFC games), Fox (NFC games), NBC (Sunday Night Football), ESPN and ABC (Monday Night Football), Amazon Prime Video (Thursday Night Football) and Netflix and Peacock (select games). The NFL Kickoff Game airs on NBC and Peacock. NFL+ offers mobile streaming, NFL Sunday Ticket is carried by YouTube TV and Red Zone is available to subscribers.
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, Sky Sports NFL carries the majority of live games, with ITV delivering free-to-air highlights. DAZN is the main home of the NFL across most of Europe and Japan. In Canada, TSN shares rights with NFL Sunday Ticket through DAZN. Fox Sports Australia and 7plus carry the NFL Australia Game locally, with significant international interest in the first regular-season game ever played in the country.
History and Records
The NFL was founded in 1920 and has produced 59 Super Bowl champions as of 2026. The Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots share the record for most Super Bowl titles with six each. The NFL regular season expanded from 16 to 17 games in 2021 and again to 18 games from 2025 onwards. Every Super Bowl champion since the merger in 1970 has come from one of the 32 current franchises. Tom Brady holds the most Super Bowl wins by a player with seven.
Tickets and Attendance
Tickets for NFL Week 1 games are sold through Ticketmaster, the league’s official ticketing partner, and via each franchise’s own team site. Season ticket holders have first access, with single-game tickets going on general sale after the schedule is released in May. Prices vary significantly by franchise and opponent, with Kickoff Game and prime-time matchups commanding premium pricing. The NFL Australia Game sold out within hours of tickets being released.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does NFL Week 1 start?
Week 1 begins with the NFL Kickoff Game on Wednesday 9 September 2026 and runs through Monday Night Football on 14 September.
Where is NFL Week 1 played?
Games are staged at each home team’s stadium across the United States, with the NFL Australia Game hosted at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne.
How can I watch NFL Week 1?
CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN/ABC, Amazon Prime Video and Netflix in the US, Sky Sports NFL in the UK, DAZN across most of Europe.
Who won the last Super Bowl?
The Seattle Seahawks won Super Bowl LX, their second NFL championship.