7 Biggest Takeaways From the 2026 NFL Schedule Release

The hype surrounding the NFL schedule release is so big that it’s the only pro sport that has a prime-time special to announce the 272 regular-season games. Sure, there are plenty of schedule leaks throughout the week, providing fans a little teaser of what’s coming. 

Now that the schedule is out, NFL betting sites have posted odds for all games. We now know what the Sunday Night Football Schedule looks like and which teams will be getting no prime-time love from the NFL’s media partners. Plus, the international games schedule is bigger than ever with a league record nine games spread across Europe, Mexico City, and Australia.

With so much to break down, we offer up seven things about the 2026 NFL schedule that have captured our attention.

NFL schedule release is now a social media spectacle

NFL schedule release day certainly isn't in the same universe as Super Bowl Sunday, but it gets its own day on the calendar. The annual build-up to it includes several leaks on X, and some franchises get extremely creative with it. Last year, the Los Angeles Chargers posted a Minecraft-themed video on X that hit 19.2 million views.

It has taken off since. This year’s social media schedule reveal included the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Tampa Bay Watch reveal featuring comedian Bert Kreischer.

Granted, teams know who their opponents will be months before the schedule release show airs. The prime time specials on the NFL Network and ESPN add to the excitement with special guests and analysis.   

Don’t have to wait long to see a Super Bowl rematch

The Seattle Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots 29-13 in last season’s Super Bowl. Like previous seasons, the winner gets to host the kickoff game that is traditionally played on a Thursday night. This year, it’s being played on Wednesday, September 9, due to the increased international schedule. 

The opponent just happens to be Drake Maye and the Pats. Sam Darnold and the Seahawks opened as a -3.5 point favorite. 

International slate is bigger than ever

One day soon, there might be a season when all 32 NFL teams play at least one international game. This season includes two brand new locations - Melbourne and Paris.  So for NFL Week 1, instead of staying in California, the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams are both flying over 7,000 miles to play a game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.  

Here’s the full international schedule:     

Not ready for the prime time spotlight 

There are 27 NFL teams that will play at least one prime-time game this season. That means five teams, including four that are coming off three-win seasons, have no Thursday, Sunday, or Monday night games. 

Those teams are the New York Jets, Las Vegas Raiders, Tennessee Titans, Arizona Cardinals, and Miami Dolphins. Yes, even the Raiders, who used the No. 1 overall pick to draft Indiana University quarterback Fernando Mendoza, didn’t receive any prime-time love. There is the outside possibility of benefiting from NFL flex scheduling should they have a turnaround season. With Thursday Night Football, for example, flex scheduling can be used twice between Weeks 13-17.   

Netflix now has five NFL games 

We could do a completely separate post on how much NFL fans will spend on subscriptions to watch every NFL game this season. This will be the third-straight season that Netflix will have a Christmas Day doubleheader. The streamer is upping the ante this season with three more games. 

Netflix’s additional game inventory starts with the NFL Week 1 49ers vs. Rams game from Melbourne. Then there is the new Thanksgiving Eve event between the Packers and Rams. The other will be a Week 18 game that will be decided at a later date. 

Is a Wednesday Night Football package next? 

When looking at the entire NFL schedule, you may or may not notice that there is only one night of the week where no games are scheduled - Tuesday. Sundays, Mondays, and Thursdays are no-brainers because networks and streaming services pay billions for the rights to broadcast those games. 

Now we have the regular season starting on a Wednesday night, plus there is a Thanksgiving Eve game for the first time ever. Why stop there? NFL games draw large audiences and top advertising dollars. It would create yet another NFL revenue stream. For now, it’s just a hypothetical scenario being that Wednesday nights are no longer off limits.    

Did you notice the Los Angeles Rams schedule?   

The Los Angeles Rams received a lot of love from NFL schedule makers this season as the team has seven prime-time games, starting with the season opener in Australia. As of now, Los Angeles has two Monday Night Football Games, one Sunday Night Football appearance, and a Thursday Night Football contest. On Christmas night, they’re playing the Seahawks at Lumen Field in what will be a rematch of the NFC Championship Game. 

ESPN is getting its first Super Bowl 

This is finally the season that the Super Bowl will be simulcast live on ESPN and ABC. Fittingly, it will be played at SoFi Stadium - home of the Rams and Chargers. It’s being billed as the “Year of the Super Bowl,”  and it’s going to feature a 12-month celebration of the biggest U.S. sporting event. 

Sure, the matchup could end up being the Chargers vs. Rams, but there is still an entire regular season that has to play out first. Super Bowl LXI will take place on Feb. 14, 2027.

And the Super Bowl LXI will be …

That lull between the NFL schedule release and training camps opening is here. What are NFL fans supposed to do during these two-plus months?

The answer is simple. Sports betting apps have posted game lines and win totals for all 32 NFL teams. Now that the schedules are out, it’s the perfect time to figure out if the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks will win over or under 10.5 games. Print your favorite team’s schedule and pencil in a W or L. 

As far as Super Bowl odds go, the Rams (+800) are favored over the Seahawks (+950). Ravens (+950), Bills (+1000), and Chiefs (+1500). 

The one thing we do know is the 2026 NFL schedule is set.