If you’re staring at a blank TV screen right now, I get it. The post-Super Bowl slump is a real thing. It’s that weird, quiet period where the Sundays feel too long and your jersey just sits in the back of the closet. You're probably wondering exactly when is next football season so you can start planning your life—and your Saturdays and Sundays—again.
The short answer? It depends on which "football" you’re actually talking about.
If you’re looking for the NFL, mark your calendar for Thursday, September 10, 2026. That’s the tentative kickoff for the regular season, usually hosted by the defending Super Bowl champions. But honestly, the "season" starts way before the first whistle blows in September. If you count the Hall of Fame game and the preseason slog, we're talking early August. College fans get an even earlier jump, with Week 0 typically hitting in late August. It’s a staggered rollout that keeps the sport in the news cycle almost year-round.
The NFL Timeline: More Than Just September
The NFL doesn't just sleep during the spring. It’s a multi-billion dollar machine that stays relevant through a very deliberate calendar. Most people think the season starts when the games count, but for the hardcore crowd, the 2026 cycle begins the second the 2025 Draft ends.
In 2026, the NFL Preseason will likely kick off with the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio, around August 6. It’s usually a bit of a snoozefest from a talent perspective—starters rarely play more than a series—but the atmosphere is electric because it's the first real contact we've seen in months. From there, you have three weeks of preseason games where teams cut rosters from 90 men down to 53. It’s brutal. It’s high-stakes for the players, even if fans use it as background noise for a backyard BBQ.
Key Dates for the 2026 NFL Season
- Training Camp: Late July 2026. This is where the "Hard Knocks" drama happens.
- Preseason Kickoff: August 6, 2026 (Hall of Fame Game).
- Roster Cut-down Day: Late August. This is the "Turk" coming for players' playbooks.
- Regular Season Opener: September 10, 2026.
Wait, there’s a catch.
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Schedule-makers at the NFL league offices in New York have a lot to juggle. They don't just pick dates out of a hat. They have to navigate stadium availability, major concerts, and even religious holidays. The official schedule release usually happens in mid-May. That’s when you’ll find out if your team is playing on Thanksgiving or if they’re stuck with a 9:00 AM kickoff in London.
Why College Football Starts Earlier (Week 0 Explained)
College football is a different beast entirely. It doesn't wait for the NFL's permission. The 2026 College Football season is expected to begin with "Week 0" on Saturday, August 29, 2026.
Why Week 0? It's basically a soft launch. Usually, it involves a few high-profile international games—like the ones we've seen in Dublin, Ireland—or smaller matchups that want the national spotlight all to themselves before the "real" Week 1 starts on Labor Day weekend. If you’re a fan of the Big Ten or the SEC, you’re likely looking at September 5, 2026, for the true opening weekend.
The stakes in 2026 are going to be massive. We’re deep into the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff era now. Every game matters more than it used to under the old BCS or the 4-team playoff system. One loss in September doesn’t kill your season anymore, which has actually changed how coaches approach their early-season non-conference schedules. They’re being bolder. They’re scheduling bigger opponents because they know a "quality loss" is better than a blowout against a cupcake school.
The Offseason Milestones You Shouldn't Ignore
Thinking that "football season" is just the games is a rookie mistake. If you want to be the smartest person at the sports bar, you have to track the lifecycle of the team.
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The NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis is the first major pulse check. It happens in late February. Scouts watch kids run in spandex, and somehow, we all find it fascinating. Then comes Free Agency in March. This is where championships are often won or lost. Remember when the Rams went "all in"? That happened in the spring, not the fall.
Then there’s the NFL Draft in April. For 2026, the buzz will be about the next generation of quarterbacks. By the time we get to the OTAs (Organizational Team Activities) in May and June, we’re already seeing the 2026 season take shape. Coaches are installing plays, rookies are trying not to throw up, and the media is overanalyzing every single pass thrown in a practice jersey.
Misconceptions About the "New" Football Calendar
A lot of people still think the season is 16 games. It’s not. It’s 17. And there is a lot of noise about the NFL pushing for an 18-game regular season by 2026 or shortly after. Commissioner Roger Goodell hasn't been shy about his affinity for more inventory.
What does that mean for you?
It means the season might start even earlier or end later, potentially pushing the Super Bowl into the middle of February. For now, the structure remains 18 weeks (17 games plus a bye). If you’re trying to figure out when is next football season and you’re planning a wedding or a vacation, always look for the first weekend after Labor Day for the NFL. It’s the safest bet in sports.
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Spring Leagues: The "Other" Football Season
If you literally cannot wait until August, you've got the UFL (United Football League). Formed from the merger of the XFL and USFL, this league generally kicks off in late March.
It’s not the NFL. Let’s be real. But it’s football. It’s pro-level guys playing for their lives, trying to get a training camp invite. For a lot of fans, the UFL has become the "bridge" season. It fills that gap between the Super Bowl and the NFL Draft. If you’re a degenerate for the gridiron, your football season actually starts in the spring.
The Global Impact: 2026 is Special
2026 isn't just a regular year for sports in North America. We’re looking at the FIFA World Cup happening in the US, Mexico, and Canada during the summer of 2026. This is huge because it actually impacts stadium availability for NFL and MLS teams.
Some NFL stadiums will be undergoing massive grass-turf swaps or seating reconfigurations to meet FIFA standards. This could potentially affect where some NFL teams hold their training camps or even their preseason games. If your local stadium is a World Cup host site, expect some logistical weirdness as the 2026 football season approaches.
Actionable Steps for the True Football Fan
Don't just wait for the games to start. If you want to maximize your experience for the 2026 season, here is what you should be doing right now:
- Check your season ticket status or deposits by March. Teams usually start their renewal cycles early in the year. If you wait until August, you’re looking at the secondary market markup, which is basically a tax on being late.
- Sync your digital calendar. Most major sports apps allow you to "follow" a team and auto-sync their schedule to your phone. Do this in May once the official schedule drops.
- Book your "Away Game" travel early. If you’re planning to follow your team to a city like Las Vegas, New Orleans, or Miami, those hotel prices spike the second the NFL schedule is released. If you can guess the weekend (or book a refundable room), you'll save hundreds.
- Monitor the "PUP" list in July. The "Physically Unable to Perform" list tells you more about a team's chances than any preseason game will. If the star QB is on the PUP list in late July, it’s time to temper those Super Bowl expectations.
The wait for football is long, but it’s predictable. Whether you’re counting down to the high school lights in mid-August, the college madness in late August, or the NFL spectacle in September, the clock is already ticking. Get your gear ready. 2026 is going to be a wild ride.