NFL Season to Kick Off with a Wednesday Start and Historic Australia Game

The opening of the 2026 NFL regular season will look a bit different this year.

As tradition dictates, the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks will host the first game of the season. However, this year’s kickoff is set for Wednesday, September 9, rather than the usual Thursday night slot. Their opponent at Lumen Field will be announced later, typically when the full schedule is released in May.

The following day, the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers will face off in the league’s first-ever regular-season game in Australia. The matchup, which features two NFC West rivals, marks the first of a record nine international games scheduled for the 2026 season.

Stephanie Cheng, head of the Rams’ international department, expressed excitement about the milestone. “We are thrilled to kick off our season in Melbourne, enhancing an already historic moment for both the NFL and the Rams,” she said in a statement. “Every time members of our organization visit, including earlier this month, we see first-hand the growing excitement from folks across Melbourne in anticipation of this game. Not only will it be special playing the 49ers on a Friday morning in Australia, it also will be great for our fans back at home to be able to watch this matchup in primetime on Thursday night.”

The unusual Wednesday start stems from Labor Day falling on September 7 this year. To avoid conflicting with high school football games and broadcast regulations, the league adjusted its schedule accordingly. The last time the season began on a Wednesday was in 2012, when President Barack Obama’s Democratic National Convention speech caused a scheduling conflict for the typical Thursday night opener.

Week 1 Schedule Highlights

Kickoff Game

Date: Wednesday, September 9
Location: Lumen Field, Seattle
Teams: Seattle Seahawks vs. opponent TBD. Potential opponents include the Arizona Cardinals, Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, New York Giants, and New England Patriots—the latter of which would be a Super Bowl 60 rematch.
Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
Broadcast: NBC, Peacock

International Opener