You’re sitting there, remote in hand, or maybe you're staring at your phone trying to plan a Sunday brisket. You just want to know what time cowboys play. It sounds like a simple question. But if you’re looking for a kickoff time right now, in mid-January 2026, the answer is actually a bit of a gut punch for Cowboys Nation.
The Dallas Cowboys are done. Their 2025-2026 season officially wrapped up on January 4, 2026, with a road game against the New York Giants. They finished with a lackluster 7–9–1 record. No playoffs. No Wild Card weekend. Just a lot of questions about Brian Schottenheimer’s second year as head coach and a very quiet AT&T Stadium.
If you’re looking for the "next" game, you’re looking at September 2026.
When do we find out the actual kickoff times?
The NFL is a tease. They tell us who the Cowboys are playing months before they tell us when. As of right now, we know every single opponent for the 2026 season because the NFL uses a rotating formula. But the actual dates and specific kickoff times won't be released until the 2026 NFL Schedule Release event, which usually happens in mid-May.
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Expect a massive prime-time show on NFL Network. That’s when we’ll know if the Cowboys are opening on Sunday Night Football or if they’re stuck in the 12:00 PM CST "snooze" slot.
The 2026 Opponents: Who’s coming to Arlington?
Even though the clock hasn't started, the matchups are set. Because Dallas finished second in the NFC East, their schedule is... well, it’s brutal. They have to face eight teams that just made the 2025-2026 playoffs.
Home Games at AT&T Stadium
- The Division: Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, New York Giants.
- The Big Names: San Francisco 49ers (prepare for a lot of red in the stands), Baltimore Ravens, and the Arizona Cardinals.
- The Others: Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Road Trips
- The Division: Philly, Washington, and NYG (standard stuff).
- The Gauntlet: Green Bay Packers (Lambeau in December, anyone?), Houston Texans (The Battle for Texas), and the Indianapolis Colts.
- The West Coast: Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams.
Why the Thanksgiving game is the only "guarantee"
If you absolutely must plan your life around what time cowboys play, look at November 26, 2026. That’s Thanksgiving. Since 1966, the Cowboys have almost always played in the late afternoon slot.
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The kickoff is virtually guaranteed to be at 3:30 PM CST (4:30 PM EST). It’s the one constant in an otherwise chaotic NFL schedule. Whether they are playing the Eagles or some random AFC South team, you can bet on that 3:30 window. Just don't burn the turkey while CeeDee Lamb is making a sideline catch.
Flex scheduling: The reason you can't trust your calendar
Here is something most fans forget. Even after the schedule drops in May, the "what time" part can change. The NFL’s flex scheduling policy is aggressive.
Starting in Week 5, the league can move games from Sunday afternoon to Sunday Night Football. In 2026, we’re also seeing more flexibility with Monday Night Football and even Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime. Basically, if the Cowboys are winning, they’ll get moved to prime time. If they’re playing like they did in 2025, they might get buried in the early afternoon.
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Actionable steps for Cowboys fans right now
Since there are no games to watch this weekend, here is what you should actually do to stay ahead of the 2026 season:
- Mark mid-May on your calendar. This is the "Schedule Release." It’s the only day you’ll get the definitive answer for every game’s start time.
- Watch the Senior Bowl on January 31. Since Dallas has a high draft pick after that 7-9-1 finish, this is where you'll see their future roster.
- Check the "International" news. There’s a rumor the Cowboys might "host" a game in Mexico or London in 2026. If that happens, "what time" becomes a very weird 8:30 AM CST kickoff.
- Wait for the Preseason announcement. We usually get those dates in April, about a month before the regular season schedule.
The wait for September is long. But honestly, after last season’s collapse, maybe a little break from the stress of a 3:25 PM kickoff isn't the worst thing for our collective blood pressure.