NFL 2026 Season Starts Wednesday with Seahawks Opener

The National Football League announced that its 2026 season will begin on Wednesday, September 9, with the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks hosting an opponent at Lumen Field in Seattle. The game, set for 8:20 p.m. Eastern Time and broadcast on NBC and Peacock, marks the first Wednesday season opener since 2012.

The unusual start time stems from the league's expanding international schedule and federal regulations under the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961, which prohibit NFL games on Fridays or Saturdays from the second week of September through mid-December to avoid competing with high school and college football. To accommodate a Week 1 matchup abroad without violating these rules, the league shifted its domestic kickoff a day earlier than the traditional Thursday slot. The Seahawks, who clinched their second Super Bowl title with a 29-13 victory over the New England Patriots following a 17-3 regular season in 2025, will face one of seven possible opponents: the Arizona Cardinals, Chicago Bears, Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, Los Angeles Chargers or New York Giants. The specific matchup will be revealed later this spring.