When does the 2026 NFL season start? Kickoff is Wednesday, September 9, 2026 — Seahawks host Patriots (Super Bowl LX rematch) at Lumen Field, 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC/Peacock.
Current target date: Wednesday, September 9, 2026 (NFL Kickoff). We update this page when Nfl publishes schedule changes.
Kickoff Wed Sep 9 2026, 8:20 p.m. ET — Seahawks host Patriots at Lumen (SB LX rematch). Rare Wednesday opener. Melbourne 49ers–Rams is Thu Sep 10 ≠ Kickoff. ≠ Canton Aug 6\n
NFL Kickoff
Wednesday, September 9, 2026
September 9, 2026 — Wednesday Kickoff: Seahawks host Patriots at 8:20 p.m. ET
NFL Kickoff 2026 is Wednesday, September 9, at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. Defending Super Bowl LX champion Seattle hosts New England at Lumen Field — a rematch of the title game that opens the 107th regular season.
Most recent Kickoffs lived on Thursday. This one doesn’t. If your calendar still says “first Thursday in September,” rewrite it before you miss the champion’s home opener.
Confirmed: Wed Sep 9 Seahawks–Patriots — not Thursday habit, not Melbourne Thursday
Confirmed: Wednesday, September 9, 2026, 8:20 p.m. ET; Lumen Field; Seahawks vs Patriots; NBC/Peacock; Super Bowl LX rematch as the league’s annual Kickoff. Confirmed separately: 49ers–Rams in Melbourne on Thursday, September 10 (~8:35 p.m. ET, Netflix) — first Australia regular-season game. Fake “Thursday Kickoff as always” or “Melbourne is the champion opener” stubs invent a schedule the league already split across two nights and two continents.
Numbers that keep this off recycled “Thursday night Week 1” copy
- Weekday: Wednesday, September 9, 2026 (not Thursday).
- Tip: 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC / Peacock.
- Matchup: New England at Seattle — Super Bowl LX rematch.
- History: third Kickoff Weekend Super Bowl rematch (after 1970, 2016).
- Sibling trap: Melbourne 49ers–Rams is Thursday Sep 10, not this game.
Where to watch Kickoff vs where Australia tips the next night
Seattle’s Kickoff stays on the NBC / Peacock stack at 8:20 p.m. ET. The following night’s Melbourne Cricket Ground game is a Netflix international window — different app, different kick time (~8:35 p.m. ET), different product.
Pacific kick for Lumen Field means East Coast primetime; West Coast viewers get an earlier local window than a classic 5:20 p.m. PT Thursday. Confirm gate times if you’re in the building — Wednesday schedules shift stadium operations too.
A Wednesday Kickoff and a Super Bowl rematch — two things most openers never combine
Kickoff usually means Thursday night and a champion hosting someone new. In 2026 the league does both differently: Wednesday, September 9, and New England walking back into Lumen Field for an LX rematch — only the third Super Bowl rematch ever played on Kickoff Weekend.
That double twist is why this page cannot share Thursday-habit copy with older seasons or with Melbourne’s Thursday Netflix game. Count to Wednesday for the champion’s curtain; treat Australia as night two.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers about this release date.
1When is the 2026 NFL Kickoff Game?
Wednesday, September 9, 2026, at 8:20 p.m. ET — Seattle Seahawks host the New England Patriots at Lumen Field on NBC and Peacock. Note the weekday: this opener is Wednesday, not the usual Thursday Kickoff pattern.
2Why Seattle vs New England?
Seattle is the defending Super Bowl LX champion and hosts Kickoff by tradition. New England is the Super Bowl opponent — so Week 1 opens with an LX rematch, only the third Super Bowl rematch ever staged on Kickoff Weekend.
3Is the Melbourne game the Kickoff?
No. Thursday, September 10, 49ers vs Rams at Melbourne Cricket Ground is the first regular-season NFL game in Australia (Netflix window). It is night-two international football — not the champion’s Kickoff in Seattle.
4Is Kickoff the same as the Hall of Fame Game?
No. Canton (Cardinals–Panthers) is Thursday, August 6 — preseason. Kickoff is September 9, the regular-season curtain raiser that counts in the standings.
Explore more hubs
Jump into another category — anime, games, movies, sport, and events calendars.