NFL Kicks Off 2026 Season in Seattle, Australia

0:00On March 25th, the NFL has revealed that the 20-26 season will open on Wednesday, September 9th, at Lumenfield in Seattle. The Super Bowl's 60 Champions, the Seahawks, will host the kickoff game at 8.20pm, Eastern Time on NBC and Peacock. Their opponent gets announced later this spring. Kickoff week rolls on Thursday, September 10th, with the San Francisco 49ers facing the Los Angeles Rams down under in Melbourne, Australia. That matchup at the Melbourne Cricket Ground starts at 8.35pm, Eastern Time, and marks the league's first regular season game there. This Wednesday opener stems from Labor Day falling on September 7th, dodging rules that block Friday and Saturday games during prime high school, and college football time. It's just the fifth Wednesday game since 2012, after rare ones tied to holidays, COVID schedules, and even a presidential speech. The Australia trip kicks off a huge international push with nine games total, a new record. Fans will see first-time stops in Paris, France, and Rio de Janeiro.

1:04Brazil, plus returns to Madrid, Munich, Mexico City, and three in London. The full 20-26 schedule drops later this spring, likely in May, so keep an eye out for those matchups and storylines. I'm Corey with The Story, and you've been listening to NFL News today, AI-powered football coverage.