If you’re anything like me, your internal clock is basically just a countdown to kickoff. We just watched the 2025 regular season wrap up, and honestly, the withdrawal is already hitting. People are already flooding search bars asking when does the nfl start this year, and while it feels like a lifetime away, the 2026 calendar is actually already locked in.
Mark your calendars for Thursday, September 10, 2026.
That’s the official date for the NFL Kickoff Game. It’ll almost certainly be hosted by whoever wins Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara this February. But the journey to that September night is long, and if you think the league just sleeps until then, you haven't been paying attention to how the modern NFL works.
The 2026 Calendar is a Marathon
The NFL doesn’t really have an "offseason" anymore. It’s just a "different kind of season." Before we get to the actual games, we have a series of massive checkpoints that dictate how your favorite team is going to look.
First, let’s talk about the New League Year. This kicks off on March 11, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. ET. This is the "legal tampering" period's end and the official start of free agency. It’s chaos. Absolute madness. Basically, if your team has a hole at quarterback or needs a pass rusher, this is the day you start refreshing Twitter (or X, whatever) every six seconds.
Then you’ve got the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh. From April 23 to April 25, the Steel City is going to be the center of the universe. Pittsburgh is a phenomenal choice for this. The energy at Point State Park is going to be electric.
Why the 2026 Schedule is Weird
You’ve probably heard rumors about the league expanding even more. For 2026, we’re sticking with the 18-week, 17-game format, but the international footprint is getting huge.
For the first time ever, the NFL is heading to Australia. The Los Angeles Rams are the designated home team for a game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Imagine that—an NFL game in a stadium that holds 100,000 people on the other side of the planet. It’s a massive logistical hurdle, but the league is clearly committed to global domination.
Along with Australia, we’re seeing the usual London games at Tottenham Hotspur and Wembley, plus another trip to Germany (Berlin this time) and a game in Madrid at the Bernabéu. If you're wondering when does the nfl start this year for these international fans, the answer is often "very early in the morning."
Key Milestones Before Kickoff
- Training Camp: Most veterans report in late July. It's the "dog days" where players are hitting each other in 95-degree heat while we all argue about who's third-string on the depth chart.
- Hall of Fame Game: This usually happens the first week of August in Canton, Ohio. It’s the first taste of live football, even if the starters don't play a single snap.
- Preseason: August is for the bubble players. It's three weeks of "is this guy actually good or just playing against backups?"
- The Final Cut: In late August, rosters must be trimmed to 53. It’s the most brutal day in professional sports.
How the Opponents Work
The NFL uses a formula, so we actually already know who plays whom—just not exactly when. Every team plays their three division rivals twice. Then they play four teams from a division in their own conference and four from the other conference.
For 2026, the AFC East plays the AFC West. The NFC East plays the NFC West.
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That means we’re getting matchups like the Cowboys vs. the 49ers and the Jets vs. the Chiefs. These are the "heavyweight" games that CBS and Fox will be fighting over when the full schedule (with times and TV networks) is released in mid-May.
NFL Kickoff 2026: What to Expect
The season-opening game on September 10 is more than just a game; it's a festival. NBC will carry the broadcast. There’s usually a massive concert. The defending Super Bowl champ raises a banner.
If you're planning a trip or a draft party, keep in mind that the rest of the league plays their Week 1 games on Sunday, September 13. There will also be a Monday Night Football doubleheader to cap off the opening weekend.
Managing Expectations
NFL schedules are fickle things. While we know the start date is September 10, things like "flex scheduling" can move games around later in the year. Starting in Week 5, the NFL can move games into the Sunday Night Football slot to make sure we aren't stuck watching two 2-10 teams in primetime.
One thing is certain: the parity in the league right now is insane. Between the rise of young quarterbacks and the tactical shifts in defenses, the 2026 season is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable ones in years.
Your Pre-Season To-Do List
- Book your travel now: If you want to go to the Draft in Pittsburgh or the Australia game, prices are only going up.
- Check your streaming subs: With games on Amazon Prime, YouTube TV, and Netflix (yes, Netflix is in the mix for Christmas games now), you need to make sure your setup is ready.
- Watch the Salary Cap: March 11 is the deadline for teams to be under the cap. Expect some big-name veterans to get cut in late February.
The wait for football is long. It's hard. But knowing when does the nfl start this year gives us a finish line. September 10, 2026. See you there.
To stay ahead of the game, track the "Legal Tampering" window starting March 9, as this is when the biggest roster shifts for the 2026 season will actually begin to take shape.