Wait. You might think the football season starts when the NFL superstars finally hit the turf in September, but if you’re waiting until then, you’ve already missed a massive chunk of the action. Football is basically a year-round machine now. Honestly, depending on how "deep" your fandom goes, the answer to when is the first football game of 2025 changes completely.
Are we talking pro? College? High school? Or even the spring leagues that keep the lights on while the big guys are at the beach? If you want to be the person at the bar who actually knows their stuff, you need the full calendar.
The true kickoff: Spring and summer ball
Believe it or not, the 2025 football cycle actually started way back in March. The United Football League (UFL), which is what we got after the XFL and USFL finally stopped fighting and merged, kicked off its second season on March 28, 2025. This wasn't just some developmental scrimmage; the Birmingham Stallions and San Antonio Brahmas were out there hitting for real stakes while the NFL was still arguing over draft prospects.
But for the "traditional" fall fan, the clock really starts ticking when the humidity is at its peak and the pads start popping in August.
High School gets there first
If you want to see the very first organized tackle football game of the late summer, look to the islands. Hawaii consistently leads the pack, with their high school season starting on August 9, 2025. By the time most people are even thinking about buying a fantasy football magazine, kids in Honolulu are already putting up stats.
Other states follow fast. Alaska and Nevada get going around August 14, followed by a massive wave on August 22 that includes football hotbeds like Florida, Indiana, and Pennsylvania.
When is the first football game of 2025 for College Football?
College football fans are a different breed. They don’t wait for Labor Day. The 2025 NCAA Division I FBS season officially began with Week 0 on Saturday, August 23, 2025.
The headliner was a trip across the pond. The Aer Lingus College Football Classic featured Iowa State vs. Kansas State at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. Iowa State managed to grind out a 24–21 win in front of a packed international crowd.
While the Ireland game got the TV cameras, it wasn't the only show in town that Saturday. We also saw:
🔗 Read more: Argentina vs Spain Football: The Truth About the 2026 Finalissima
- Kansas beating Fresno State 31–7 in Lawrence.
- Western Kentucky handling Sam Houston 41–24.
- Hawaii sneaking past Stanford 23–20 in a late-night thriller.
- UNLV taking down Idaho State 38–31.
Week 0 is the appetizer. The real feast—the first full Saturday—hit on August 30. That’s when we saw the massive heavyweight bout between No. 1 Texas and No. 3 Ohio State at the Horseshoe in Columbus. Texas walked away with a statement win, though Ohio State fans are still arguing about that late-game holding call.
The NFL return: Preseason and the Hall of Fame Game
The NFL doesn't just wake up and play Week 1. There's a ritual to it. The absolute first time you could see an NFL logo on a helmet in 2025 was the Hall of Fame Game on July 31, 2025.
This year, the Detroit Lions played the Los Angeles Chargers in Canton, Ohio. It’s always a bit of a tease because the starters usually play about three snaps (if they play at all), but seeing the Lions’ Honolulu Blue under the lights in July just feels right.
The rest of the NFL preseason followed a familiar three-week rhythm:
- Preseason Week 1: Started Thursday, August 7.
- Preseason Week 2: Highlighted by a Sunday night game on August 17 between Buffalo and Chicago.
- Preseason Week 3: Wrapped up on August 22, giving teams two weeks to trim their rosters to 53 players.
The main event: NFL Week 1
This is the one everyone circles in red. The NFL Kickoff Game happened on Thursday, September 4, 2025.
Following the league's tradition of having the defending Super Bowl champion host the opener, the Philadelphia Eagles welcomed the Dallas Cowboys to Lincoln Financial Field. It’s a rare thing to see a massive divisional rivalry right out of the gate on a Thursday night. Philly took the win, but the real story was the 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff on NBC that officially signaled the return of American Sundays.
Wait, there was a twist this year. The NFL went back to Brazil. On Friday, September 5, the Kansas City Chiefs took on the Los Angeles Chargers in São Paulo. It was a standalone YouTube broadcast that had everyone scrambling to make sure their internet connection was solid enough to watch Patrick Mahomes in South America.
The first Sunday and Monday
By Sunday, September 7, the floodgates were open. We had a massive slate of 1:00 p.m. games, including:
- Buccaneers at Falcons
- Bengals at Browns
- Dolphins at Colts
The weekend finally closed out on Monday, September 8, with the Minnesota Vikings visiting the Chicago Bears on ESPN. It was a classic NFC North slugfest to end the first true football week of the year.
Actionable insights for the next season
If you’re planning your life around the football schedule, don't just look at the NFL. Here’s how to stay ahead of the game next time:
- Check the UFL in February: The spring league releases its schedule early. If you need a football fix in April, this is your only real option.
- Watch the "Week 0" announcements in May: College football usually clarifies the Week 0 matchups by late spring. These are often "neutral site" games in places like Ireland or Australia.
- The NFL schedule drop is a holiday: The league usually releases the full schedule in mid-May. That's when you can book your flights for the Hall of Fame game in Canton or any international games.
- High school schedules are local: If you want the "Friday Night Lights" experience, check your state’s athletic association website in July. Most seasons start at least two weeks before the NFL.
Football in 2025 proved that the "offseason" is mostly a myth. Between the spring leagues, the high school openers in August, and the NFL's global expansion, there’s almost always a game on if you know where to look.
To stay on top of the current season, keep an eye on the injury reports and roster cuts that happen in late August. That's usually the best indicator of who will actually be standing on the sidelines when that first whistle blows in September.