SEATTLE, United States: The 2026 NFL season opened Wednesday, September 9, with the Seattle Seahawks hosting the New England Patriots one day earlier than the league’s traditional Thursday kickoff.
The opener at Lumen Field was a rematch of Super Bowl LX, with defending champion Seattle facing New England. The unusual Wednesday start helped the NFL accommodate its first regular-season game in Australia.
The Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers will meet at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday night in the United States, which corresponds to Friday morning in Melbourne.
The Australia game is scheduled for 8:35 p.m. ET on September 10. The league also had to account for U.S. broadcasting restrictions that limit professional football broadcasts on Friday nights and Saturdays during parts of the high school and college football seasons.
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Week 1 will continue with a full slate of games on Sunday, September 13, followed by Monday Night Football.
