The NFL kicks off its 2026 season on Wednesday, 9 September, with a Super Bowl rematch between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots. This early start avoids conflicts with US broadcast laws for the following day's historic game in Melbourne, where the Los Angeles Rams will host the San Francisco 49ers at the Cricket Ground—a first for the league in Australia.

A record nine international games include new venues in France and Australia, joining returns to Mexico, Brazil, Germany, Spain, and the UK. The holiday slate is packed: a five-game Thanksgiving week features a Black Friday clash, while Netflix streams two Christmas Day triple-header games, including a NFC Championship rematch between the Seahawks and Rams.

Super Bowl 61 is set for Sunday, 14 February 2027, at the $5.5bn SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, marking the first Valentine's Day title game. The stadium, opened in 2020, previously hosted the Rams' Super Bowl LVI victory. The schedule's later start and global expansion underscore the league's continued push into new markets.