NFL 2026 season begins with Seahawks-Patriots Super Bowl rematch

The 2026 NFL season commences with a high-profile rematch of Super Bowl LX, featuring the Seattle Seahawks hosting the New England Patriots at Lumen Field. This opening matchup is scheduled for Wednesday, September 9, marking a rare mid-week start to the campaign.

In addition to the Super Bowl rematch, the league is expanding its international presence with a Week 1 game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia. This event is set to be broadcast globally via Netflix.

As teams prepare for kickoff, various storylines are emerging, including the Los Angeles Rams' aggressive offseason roster rebuild and significant injury concerns affecting several rosters. Fantasy football analysts and betting markets are also closely monitoring player availability and preseason performance trends ahead of the opening slate of games.