Finding out when do the raiders play used to be a matter of checking the Sunday morning paper, but let's be real—the NFL schedule is a chaotic jigsaw puzzle now. Between the Thursday night streaming exclusives, those weirdly early London games, and the "flex" scheduling that can move a game's kickoff time with just twelve days' notice, being a fan is kind of a full-time job.
The Raiders aren't just a football team; they're a massive logistical operation based out of Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. If you're looking for the next kickoff, you've gotta look at the specific week of the season, the broadcast partner, and whether or not the league thinks the matchup is juicy enough for prime time.
The Current State of the Raiders Schedule
Right now, we are deep into the rhythm of the 2025-2026 NFL cycle. For those asking when do the raiders play, the answer usually defaults to Sunday afternoon at 1:05 PM or 1:25 PM PT, especially for home games in the desert. But that's a generalization. The NFL loves putting the Silver and Black in front of a national audience because, love them or hate them, people watch the Raiders.
The schedule isn't just a list of dates. It's a grueling physical gauntlet. For the 2025 season, the Raiders have been navigating a particularly tough stretch against the AFC West. Playing the Chiefs twice a year is basically a mandatory tax on your sanity. Then you've got the Broncos and the Chargers. These divisional games are almost always the hardest to predict in terms of timing because the NFL "flexes" them late in the year to ensure the best matchups get the 5:20 PM PT Sunday Night Football slot on NBC.
Honestly, the league's flex scheduling policy is a nightmare for fans who actually travel. Imagine booking a flight to Vegas thinking the game is at noon, only to have it moved to 5:00 PM on a school night. It happens.
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Where to Find the Most Accurate Kickoff Times
If you want the "right now" answer to when do the raiders play, your best bet is always the official Raiders.com schedule page. They update it in real-time.
But here is the breakdown of how the timing usually works:
- Standard Sunday Games: Usually 1:05 PM PT if they are at home. If they are playing on the East Coast (like a road trip to Miami or New York), expect a 10:00 AM PT kickoff. That’s a rough wake-up call for fans in Nevada.
- Prime Time: These are the big ones. Monday Night Football (ESPN/ABC), Thursday Night Football (Amazon Prime), and Sunday Night Football (NBC). These almost always kick off around 5:15 PM PT.
- International Games: The NFL hasn't sent the Raiders to London or Germany every single year, but when they do, you're looking at a 6:30 AM PT start time. Better have the coffee ready.
The Raiders' move to Las Vegas changed the vibe of the schedule. Allegiant Stadium—"The Death Star"—is a destination. Opposing fans plan their vacations around these dates. This means hotel prices in Vegas spike the weekend of a home game. If you see the Raiders are playing at home on a Sunday, expect the Strip to be a sea of whatever color the visiting team wears, mixed with a healthy dose of Raider black.
Why the Schedule Strategy Matters
Teams don't just "show up" and play. The timing of when do the raiders play dictates their entire week of preparation. If they have a Monday night game, they get an extra day of rest, but then they are on a "short week" heading into the next Sunday. Coaches like Antonio Pierce have to manage the "body clock" of these athletes, especially when flying across time zones.
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Travel distance is a huge factor. The Raiders often have one of the highest "miles traveled" stats in the league. When they have to fly to the East Coast for a 1:00 PM ET game, they are essentially playing at 10:00 AM according to their internal clocks. Statistics from sites like Sharp Football Analysis often show that West Coast teams struggling in those early windows. It's a real competitive disadvantage that the schedule makers bake into the season.
How the Opponents Are Decided
You might wonder why they play certain teams and not others. It's not random. The NFL uses a rotating formula. Every year, the Raiders play:
- Each AFC West rival twice (6 games).
- Four teams from another AFC division on a three-year rotation (4 games).
- Four teams from an NFC division on a four-year rotation (4 games).
- Two games against AFC teams that finished in the same seed/position as the Raiders the previous year.
- One "17th game" against a rotating NFC opponent.
So, while we don't always know the time of the game until the schedule drops in May, we usually know who they are playing months in advance.
Dealing With Flex Scheduling
Let's talk about the "Flex." This is the bane of the organized fan's existence. Starting in Week 5, the NFL can move Sunday afternoon games to Sunday night. In 2025, they even have the power to flex certain Thursday and Monday night games late in the season.
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If you are asking when do the raiders play for a game that is more than three weeks away, take the time with a grain of salt. If the Raiders are 8-2 and playing a 9-1 Chiefs team in December, there is a nearly 100% chance that game is getting moved to the latest possible time slot to maximize TV ratings.
TV networks like CBS and FOX also "protect" certain games. They don't want to lose a high-draw Raiders game to NBC. It’s a giant corporate tug-of-war where the fans are caught in the middle.
Actionable Steps for the Dedicated Fan
Knowing the schedule is only half the battle. If you want to stay on top of the Silver and Black, you need a system.
- Sync Your Calendar: Go to the Raiders' official website and use the "Sync to Calendar" feature. It will automatically update your Google or Outlook calendar if a game time changes. This is the only way to avoid showing up to a tailgate four hours late.
- Check the Injury Report: The Raiders usually play better when the "when" aligns with a healthy roster. Check the Friday afternoon reports to see who is actually going to be on the field.
- Monitor the Weather: Even though the Raiders play in a dome at home, their road schedule often takes them to places like Kansas City or Denver in December. A "4:00 PM" game in the snow is a completely different beast than a dome game.
- Download the Raiders App: Push notifications are annoying, but they are the fastest way to get news on schedule shifts or "breaking" roster moves before kickoff.
The Raiders have a legacy of being "The Autumn Wind." Whether they're playing in the blistering heat of an early September road game or a chilly December night in Vegas, the schedule is the heartbeat of the season. Keep an eye on the official league announcements every Tuesday morning, as that’s usually when the NFL confirms any "flex" changes for the upcoming weeks.
Plan your travel at least six weeks out, but keep your flight options flexible. Being a Raiders fan requires a certain level of commitment—and a very flexible calendar.
Next Steps for Fans: To ensure you never miss a kickoff, verify the broadcast channel for this week's game, as the move to streaming platforms like Amazon Prime and Peacock means the game might not be on traditional cable. Check your local listings specifically for the "Blackout" rules if you are living in a market outside of Las Vegas or Northern California. Finally, confirm the stadium parking gate opening times, which typically occur four to five hours before the scheduled kickoff at Allegiant Stadium.