NFL Season Starts With Texans, Cowboys and Super Bowl Rematch in Week 1

The 2026 NFL season begins Wednesday, Sept. 9, with four days of opening-week action. The schedule features a Super Bowl rematch, an international game and important matchups for the Houston Texans and Dallas Cowboys.

Games will air across several networks and streaming services. No single platform carries every live NFL game, so access depends on the matchup and local television market.

Super Bowl Rematch Opens the NFL Season

The New England Patriots visit the defending champion Seattle Seahawks on Wednesday at 7:20 p.m. Central. NBC and Peacock will carry the game.

Seattle defeated New England 29-13 in Super Bowl LX. The rare opening-night rematch gives the Patriots an immediate opportunity to measure their offseason progress.

The Seahawks will begin their title defense without Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III, who joined Kansas City. However, Seattle returns quarterback Sam Darnold and receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

NFL Takes 49ers-Rams Rivalry to Australia

The San Francisco 49ers face the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday at 7:35 p.m. Central. Netflix will stream the game exclusively.

The NFC West matchup will take place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. It will be the first NFL regular-season game played in Australia.

San Francisco expects defensive stars Nick Bosa and Fred Warner to return from injuries. Meanwhile, the Rams enter the season with reigning MVP Matthew Stafford and a strengthened defense.

Los Angeles has won four of its last five meetings with San Francisco. Both teams reached the playoffs last season.

Texans Host Bills in AFC Showdown

The Buffalo Bills visit the Houston Texans on Sunday at noon Central on CBS. The matchup features one of the league’s strongest offenses against an established Houston defense.

Houston’s pass rush, led by Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter, will face a significant opening test. Buffalo begins a new era under first-year head coach Joe Brady.

The game will be available on the local CBS station in participating markets. Paramount+ subscribers can stream the CBS game available in their local market.

Cowboys Visit Giants on Sunday Night

The Dallas Cowboys open against the New York Giants at 7:20 p.m. Central on NBC and Peacock.

The NFC East rivals will meet in Week 1 for the eighth time in 15 seasons. Dallas enters the game with Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens leading its offense.

New York will counter with quarterback Jaxson Dart and a talented defensive front. The game will also mark John Harbaugh’s first home appearance as the Giants’ head coach.

Other Sunday games to watch include Green Bay at Minnesota and Washington at Philadelphia. Both divisional matchups begin at 3:25 p.m. Central.

Broncos-Chiefs Closes Week 1

The Denver Broncos visit the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday at 7:15 p.m. Central. ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes will carry the game.

Denver ended Kansas City’s nine-year run as AFC West champion last season. The Broncos now return with quarterback Bo Nix and one of the league’s strongest defenses.

Kansas City hopes to rebound after missing the playoffs. Patrick Mahomes’ health remains a major storyline following his serious knee injury last season.

How to Watch the 2026 NFL Season

Traditional television remains the simplest option for local games. CBS and FOX carry regional Sunday afternoon matchups. NBC airs Sunday Night Football, while ESPN and ABC carry Monday Night Football.

Several streaming services provide access without traditional cable:

• Paramount+ streams the CBS game available in the subscriber’s local market.
• FOX One streams locally available FOX games on supported devices.
• Peacock carries NBC’s Sunday Night Football coverage.
• ESPN provides access to Monday Night Football through eligible plans.
• Prime Video becomes the main home of Thursday Night Football beginning in Week 2.
• Netflix carries the 49ers-Rams opener and select special games.
• NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube and YouTube TV carries out-of-market Sunday afternoon games.
• NFL+ provides live local and prime-time games on phones and tablets. It also offers live audio for every game.

NFL+ Premium adds NFL RedZone and full, condensed and coaches-film replays. However, NFL+ does not include live Sunday Ticket games on televisions.

NFL RedZone offers live scoring coverage from Sunday afternoon games. It does not provide complete broadcasts of every matchup.

Fans seeking the broadest access generally need local network coverage, Sunday Ticket and the services carrying exclusive national games. Availability may vary by location, device and subscription plan.

The complete Week 1 schedule and local broadcast information are available through the NFL’s official viewing guide.