NFL Opens 2026 Season on Wednesday Night, Seahawks Get Nod as Super Bowl Champs
The NFL will start its 2026 season on a rare Wednesday opener with the Seattle Seahawks hosting, influenced by an international game in Australia and exceptions under the Sports Broadcasting Act.
The NFL will kick off its 2026 season on Wednesday, September 9, marking only the second time in league history the traditional opener falls on a midweek night. The defending champion Seattle Seahawks will host the game, which will air on NBC, though their opponent has yet to be determined.
The unusual scheduling move stems from an international commitment: the league is also staging a Week 1 matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia on September 11. That game is slated for approximately 10:35 a.m. local time Friday—or 8:35 p.m. ET Thursday night stateside. The broadcaster for the Australia game remains unconfirmed.
The Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 prevented the NFL from televising games on the second Friday of September, the typical night for the season's opening week, because Labor Day falls later in 2026. The league had played Week 1 games in Brazil on the first Friday night in September the past two years.
A Rare Scheduling Exception
The last time an NFL season opened on Wednesday was 2012, when the Dallas Cowboys visited the New York Giants. That game was shifted from its traditional Thursday slot because President Barack Obama was scheduled to speak at the Democratic National Convention that evening.
Wednesday openers remain exceedingly rare. Since 1950, the NFL has played just five Wednesday season openers—including two Christmas Day games in 2024, one delayed COVID-affected game in 2022, the 2012 opener, and now this year's Seahawks matchup.
