2026 NFL Season Kicks Off Sept. 9 in Seattle: Seahawks, International Games & Full Schedule Details
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2026 NFL Season Kicks Off Sept. 9 in Seattle — Champions, International Games, and a Record-Breaking Global Stage Await
The Super Bowl LX champions are hosting the party. The rest of the world is showing up. The 2026 NFL season is officially here.
National Football League • New York, N.Y. • March 25, 2026
NEW YORK — The wait is almost over. The National Football League announced Tuesday that the 2026 NFL regular season will open on Wednesday, Sept. 9 — and it is going to be one for the history books before a single regular season snap has been played.
The 2026 NFL Kickoff presented by YouTube TV is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock — with the Super Bowl LX champion Seattle Seahawks serving as the hosts for one of the most anticipated season openers in recent memory. Seattle raised the Lombardi Trophy just weeks ago and now gets the honor of christening the 2026 season on football's biggest prime time stage. The Seahawks' Week 1 opponent will be announced when the full 2026 NFL regular season schedule is released later this spring — but whoever draws that assignment already knows what they are walking into.
And that is just the beginning.
THE NFL TAKES THE GAME TO MELBOURNE
The day after the Kickoff game — Thursday, Sept. 10 at approximately 8:35 p.m. ET — the NFL will make history on the other side of the world. The San Francisco 49ers will face the Los Angeles Rams in the first-ever NFL regular season game played in Melbourne, Australia, at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground. The MCG — one of the most legendary sporting venues on the planet — will host professional American football for the very first time, bringing the NFL to one of the world's most passionate sports cities in a matchup that carries the weight of an NFC West rivalry and the significance of a genuine historic moment.
For fans in Melbourne and across Australia looking to be part of history, hospitality packages will be available to purchase from Ticketmaster starting Monday, April 6. General admission tickets go on sale to the public the following day — Tuesday, April 7. All ticket and hospitality packages are available directly at ticketmaster.com.au/nfl. For ticket information, frequently asked questions, and all additional details, visit NFL.com/Melbourne.
A RECORD NINE INTERNATIONAL GAMES ACROSS FOUR CONTINENTS
Melbourne is just one piece of the most ambitious international slate in NFL history. The league announced that a record nine international games will be played in 2026 — spanning four continents, seven countries, and eight stadiums. This is not just growth. This is a global takeover.
Here is where the NFL is going in 2026:
London, United Kingdom — Three games total. Two at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and one at the iconic Wembley Stadium. London remains the NFL's most established international market and continues to deliver some of the most electric atmospheres in the sport. Information at NFL.com/London.
Madrid, Spain — The NFL returns to the Spanish capital with a game at Bernabéu Stadium — the home of Real Madrid C.F. and one of the most legendary venues in world sport. NFL football at the Bernabéu. Let that sink in. Information at NFL.com/Madrid.
Melbourne, Australia (New Market) — The 49ers and Rams make history at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sept. 10. Information at NFL.com/Melbourne.
Mexico City, Mexico — The NFL's longest-running international market continues to deliver with a game at Estadio Banorte — one of the loudest and most passionate venues on the international schedule. Information at NFL.com/Mexicocity2026.
Munich, Germany — The NFL's German fanbase has proven year after year that it is among the most passionate in the world and Munich delivers again in 2026 at FC Bayern Munich Stadium. Information at NFL.com/Munich.
Paris, France (New Market) — The City of Light gets its first-ever NFL regular season game at Stade de France Stadium — a venue that has hosted World Cup finals, Rugby World Cup matches, and now, professional American football. Information at NFL.com/Paris.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (New Market) — The NFL heads to South America for the first time in regular season history with a game at the legendary Maracanã Stadium — one of the most iconic venues in the world and a building that has witnessed some of the greatest moments in the history of global sport. Information at NFL.com/Rio.
Three new markets. Four continents. Seven countries. Eight stadiums. Nine games. The NFL is not just a league anymore — it is a global event.
THE NUMBERS THAT TELL THE WHOLE STORY
If there is any remaining doubt about the NFL's dominance of the sports and entertainment landscape — the numbers end that conversation immediately. NFL programming ranked as 86 of the top 100 shows on all of television during the 2025 calendar year. Not 86 of the top 100 sports shows. Eighty-six of the top 100 shows on television. Period. No other sport, no other league, and no other content category comes close to that level of cultural saturation — and the 2026 season, opening on a global stage with the defending champions under the lights on NBC and Peacock, is only going to add to that story.
HOW TO FOLLOW EVERY INTERNATIONAL GAME IN 2026
Fans can sign up to receive information and updates on all 2026 NFL International Games at the following links:
2026 NFL London Games — NFL.com/London 2026 NFL Madrid Game — NFL.com/Madrid 2026 NFL Melbourne Game — NFL.com/Melbourne 2026 NFL Mexico City Game — NFL.com/Mexicocity2026 2026 NFL Munich Game — NFL.com/Munich 2026 NFL Paris Game — NFL.com/Paris 2026 NFL Rio Game — NFL.com/Rio
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
2026 NFL Kickoff Presented by YouTube TV Wednesday, Sept. 9 | 8:20 p.m. ET | NBC and Peacock Seattle Seahawks vs. TBD | Seattle, Washington
2026 NFL Melbourne Game Thursday, Sept. 10 | Approximately 8:35 p.m. ET San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams Melbourne Cricket Ground | Melbourne, Australia Tickets: ticketmaster.com.au/nfl
The 2026 NFL season is shaping up to be the biggest in league history — and it has not even started yet. The defending champions are hosting. The world is watching. And the most powerful content in sports and entertainment is about to remind everyone exactly why that title belongs to the NFL.
September cannot get here fast enough.
National Football League | New York, N.Y. | March 25, 2026 | 2026 NFL Kickoff Presented by YouTube TV: Wednesday, Sept. 9 | NBC and Peacock | Seattle, Washington