The NFL has announced the 2026 season schedule, revealing that the Seattle Seahawks will open the season on September 9 against the New England Patriots, the team they beat in last season's Super Bowl.
THE SUPER BOWL champion Seattle Seahawks will open the 2026 NFL season on 9 September against the New England Patriots, the team they beat in last season’s championship showcase.
The Wednesday night contest at Seattle’s Lumen Field was among several highlights of the schedule revealed on Thursday. It will mark the first time since 2016, when the reigning champion Denver Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers, that a season opened with a repeat of the previous campaign’s Super Bowl.
The game will be played on Wednesday to accommodate the first regular season game in Melbourne, Australia – a 10 September clash between the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. That game is part of a slate of a record nine international games played in seven countries across four continents, announced on Wednesday.
The international games include the NFL’s first ever regular-season game in France, where the New Orleans Saints will take on the Pittsburgh Steelers at the Stade de France on 25 October. The league is expanding its Thanksgiving week offerings, starting with a Thanksgiving Eve game between the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams.
Advertisement The traditional Thanksgiving Day games will see the Detroit Lions take on NFC North division rivals Chicago, the Dallas Cowboys hosting the Philadelphia Eagles in an NFC East clash and the Buffalo Bills hosting AFC rivals the Kansas City Chiefs. The league will extend its holiday schedule with another Black Friday game the day after Thanksgiving, when the Pittsburgh Steelers host Denver. NFC rivals Chicago and Green Bay will meet in one of three games set for Christmas Day.
Other tantalising contests unveiled on Thursday include an 25 October clash between Seattle and Kansas City. Running back Kenneth Walker, the Super Bowl MVP for the Seahawks, joined the Chiefs as a free agent in the offseason. The Las Vegas Raiders, who made quarterback Fernando Mendoza the top pick in the NFL draft, open their season hosting the Miami Dolphins on 13 September.
The regular season will conclude on 10 January 2027 and the playoffs will conclude with the Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on 14 February. It will be the first time the Super Bowl has been played on Valentine’s Day. – © AFP 2026
Please follow us on Google to support usNFL Seattle Seahawks New England Patriots Super Bowl 2026 Season Season Opener Melbourne Australia San Francisco 49Ers Los Angeles Rams France Stade De France Thanksgiving Week Thanksgiving Eve Game Thanksgiving Day Games Black Friday Game Christmas Day Games Kenneth Walker Super Bowl MVP
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News: You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
P&O Cruises Implements Strict New Rules to End Poolside Sunbed WarsP&O Cruises introduces a policy to prevent passengers from reserving sun loungers for long periods, following a trend of poolside conflicts and legal battles in the travel industry.
Read more »
New Irish emigrants ‘can become isolated quite quickly’, Minister saysTrusted journalism since 1859
Read more »
Government IT projects running over €61 million over budget, new figures showThe planned next-generation contactless ticketing system for public transport is now expected to cost up to €269 million to deliver, with Sinn Féin TD John Brady describing the cost overrun as 'particularly alarming'. A number of key IT projects being undertaken by Government departments and State agencies are projected to run more than €61 million over budget, according to new figures submitted to a Dáil committee.
Read more »
Public Sector Pay Increases, Local Bargaining Clauses, and a New Era of ConflictThe general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), Kevin Callinan, stated that the current national pay deal's local bargaining clauses related pay increases would be processed within weeks. However, it was uncertain if a new deal could be agreed upon. Micheál Martin, the Minister for Social Protection, expressed the government's determination to resolve the outstanding local bargaining increases, which fund side deals for specific sectors. Several unions suggested they would not participate in talks on a new deal until these issues were addressed. The Irish National Teachers Organisation and the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation are seeking to restore allowances and improve pay for new entrants and those with the longest service, respectively. The Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, expressed his intention to begin talks on a successor deal in the coming weeks. Micheál Martin proposed mechanisms for unions to input into wider economic issues affecting their members, and the Labour Employer Economic Forum (Leef) process was already underway. The union boss, Kevin Callinan, emphasized the need for specific actions and the urgency of resolving outstanding issues.
Read more »