Honestly, as soon as the Super Bowl confetti is swept off the field, every football fan starts asking the same question: when does the nfl regular season start? We’re all just looking for that first Thursday night in September when the humidity starts to break and the local bars get loud again.
For the 2026 season, the wait ends on September 10, 2026.
That’s the official date for the NFL Kickoff Game. It’s a Thursday. It’s primetime. It’s almost certainly going to be hosted by whichever team hoists the Lombardi Trophy in February at Levi's Stadium. The rest of the league follows suit with a massive slate of games on Sunday, September 13, and the first Monday Night Football doubleheader of the year on September 14.
How the NFL Picks the Start Date
The league isn't just throwing a dart at a calendar here. There is a very specific, almost mathematical rhythm to how they schedule this stuff. Generally, the NFL likes to start the season on the weekend following Labor Day. Since Labor Day 2026 falls on Monday, September 7, the "Kickoff" happens that following Thursday.
Sometimes people get confused and think the season starts on Labor Day weekend. Historically, the NFL has avoided that. They don't want to compete with your final lake trip or family BBQ. They want you sitting on your couch, focused, with a plate of wings.
By starting the week after Labor Day, the league ensures they don't lose viewership to the holiday travel slump. It also perfectly aligns the end of the season. An 18-week schedule starting on September 10 means the regular season wraps up on January 10, 2027.
Why the Schedule Release is a "Holiday" in May
While we know the date the season starts, we won't know the full matchups until the NFL schedule release in May 2026. This has become a massive televised event. Usually, it's the second or third Thursday of May.
The league office—specifically guys like Hans Schroeder and Michael North—spends months using thousands of cloud-based computers to crunch through millions of schedule iterations. They have to balance travel miles, stadium availability (like not playing at home when there's a Taylor Swift concert next door), and the "must-have" primetime windows for networks like CBS, FOX, NBC, and ESPN.
The 17-Game Grind
We're still in the era of the 17-game regular season, which was officially adopted back in 2021. This changed the math for everyone. Teams now play three preseason games instead of four, and that 17th game is always an inter-conference matchup based on the previous year's standings.
In 2026, the AFC teams will host the 9th home game, while NFC teams will play 9 on the road. It flips every year to keep things "fair," or at least as fair as a 17-game season can be.
The International Factor: Australia and Beyond
One thing that might change the "feel" of when the season starts is the NFL’s aggressive push overseas. We’ve already seen games in London, Germany, and Brazil.
For 2026, the big rumor and plan involves Australia. The Los Angeles Rams are expected to be the "home" team for a game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Because of the massive time difference, these international games often feel like a "pre-start" to the Sunday slate. You wake up at 9:00 AM ET, and there's already a game in the second quarter.
Common Misconceptions About the Start Date
- The Hall of Fame Game is the start. Nope. That’s early August. It’s basically a scrimmage with rookies you’ve never heard of. It’s fun, but it doesn't count toward the standings.
- The season starts on a Sunday. Usually, it starts on a Thursday. Since 2002, the defending champs have opened the season on a Thursday night to celebrate their title.
- Labor Day is Week 1. Almost never. Labor Day is the "final weekend of summer," and the NFL usually lets college football own that Saturday and Sunday before they take over the world the following week.
What to Watch for Before September
If you're trying to track the road to when does the nfl regular season start, keep these markers on your radar:
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- March 11, 2026: The new league year begins. This is when the madness of free agency kicks off.
- April 23–25, 2026: The NFL Draft in Pittsburgh. This is where the hope starts for the bottom-feeder teams.
- Late July 2026: Training camps open. This is when the "best shape of his life" stories start circulating.
- August 6, 2026: Likely date for the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio.
Getting Ready for Kickoff
If you're planning a trip or just trying to clear your Sunday schedule, keep in mind that the NFL is increasingly using "flexible scheduling." While the start date of September 10 is firm, the league can move games around later in the season (usually from Week 5 onward) to ensure the best matchups end up in primetime.
For Week 1, however, what you see in May is what you get in September. There's no flexing the opener.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Mark your calendar: Circle Thursday, September 10, 2026, and Sunday, September 13, 2026.
- Check your streaming subs: Since the NFL is spread across NBC, CBS, FOX, ESPN/ABC, Amazon Prime, and Netflix, make sure your logins are active before the Thursday night opener.
- Watch the May schedule drop: This is when you can actually book flights for away games. Until then, we only know who teams play, not when.