NFL Kickoff Game Shifts to Wednesday in 2026

0:00On March 25th, the NFL is shaking things up for the 2026 season by scheduling the kickoff game on Wednesday, September 9th. That's a switch from the usual Thursday slot. The Seattle Seahawks, fresh off their Super Bowl 60 win in February, will host it at home. This odd timing stems from an international showdown between the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia. That game kicks off Thursday night Eastern time, which lands as Friday morning down under. The Dallas Cowboys could be the Seahawks as a opponent, since they're on Seattle's a wastelate that year. Dallas has a track record here, with three kickoff row games since 2002 and two since 2021. The New England Patriots and Chicago Bears are also in the mix. A Brazil trip for the Cowboys in Rio won't clash, as is likely set for week three on a Sunday afternoon. That clears the path and could give Dallas a nice rest edge, maybe 11 days before their next game. Officials plan to drop the full schedule in May, setting up what could be a wild week

1:03one, with games spread across days. It all points to the league pushing boundaries on the calendar.