Story perspectives

2026 NFL Kicks Off with Wednesday Opener, Global Games

5/12/2026

Summary

**NFL Kicks Off**

The Seattle Seahawks open the 2026 NFL season on Wednesday, Sept. 9, the first Wednesday start since 2012.
The Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers start their season in Melbourne on Sept. 11.
Giants host the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 13 in Sunday Night Football, featuring John Harbaugh’s debut as head coach.
The NFL will hold nine international games in 2026, including a Ravens–Cowboys matchup in Rio de Janeiro on Sept. 27, its first there.

Summary

**NFL Releases Schedule**

NBC will broadcast Week 1 Sunday Night Football Giants-Cowboys game on Peacock at 8:20 pm ET/7:20 pm CT.
The NFL will release the 2026 regular-season schedule on May 14 at 8:00 pm ET.
All 272 games will air on network, cable and streaming platforms, with Peacock streaming Sunday Night Football.
The preseason opens Aug 6 with the Panthers-Cardinals Hall of Fame Game at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.

Summary

**Harbaugh Debuts**

John Harbaugh will debut as Giants head coach in Sunday Night Football game against Dallas Cowboys on September 13, 2026, while quarterback Jaxson Dart enters his second season.
Linebacker Arvell Reese, the fifth overall pick in the 2026 draft, is expected to anchor Giants' defense.
Dallas relies on quarterback Dak Prescott in his 11th season, with CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens leading passing game and safety Caleb Downs anchoring the defense.

Summary

**NBC Spotlight**

NBC will spotlight the Cowboys-Giants Sunday Night Football game as the centerpiece of its Upfront on Monday.
The NFL’s Global Markets Program lets the Giants potentially host a “home game” at Germany’s Allianz Arena.
The league’s first Australian game—a Wednesday Rams-49ers matchup—aims to expand global exposure and attract sponsors.
The Cowboys’ “ratings darling” status drives higher NBC ad rates, and a schedule leak is meant to generate buzz before release.

History

Historical Context

After owners approved a two-game-per-season international plan in October 2006, the NFL staged its first regular-season abroad match on Oct 28 2007, the Giants vs. Dolphins at Wembley. A 2005 Mexico City game launched the International Series, which grew yearly and underpins the 2026 schedule placing games in Melbourne, Rio and Germany, after a 2007 season that attracted 17,345,205 total attendees.

1 of 5

**NFL Kicks Off**

The Seattle Seahawks open the 2026 NFL season on Wednesday, Sept. 9, the first Wednesday start since 2012.
The Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers start their season in Melbourne on Sept. 11.
Giants host the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 13 in Sunday Night Football, featuring John Harbaugh’s debut as head coach.
The NFL will hold nine international games in 2026, including a Ravens–Cowboys matchup in Rio de Janeiro on Sept. 27, its first there.

1 / 5