NFL

When does the 2026 NFL season begin? Full schedule and key dates

The Seattle Seahawks will kick off the next NFL season after winning Super Bowl LX against the New England Patriots.

Kirby Lee

Periodista deportivo As USA

Scottish sports journalist and content creator. After running his own soccer-related projects, in 2022 he joined Diario AS, where he mainly reports on the biggest news from around Europe’s leading soccer clubs, Liga MX and MLS, and covers live games in a not-too-serious tone. Likes to mix things up by dipping into the world of American sports.

Update: Feb 9th, 2026 07:11 EST

The 2025 NFL season is officially over, with the Seattle Seahawks crowned Super Bowl LX champions for the second time thanks to their 29-13 victory over the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on Sunday.

The Seahawks still have plenty of celebrating to do, with the Super Bowl parade in Seattle slated for Wednesday, February 11. For everyone else, attention already turns to next season and all the preparation that goes along with it.

All 32 NFL teams have head coaches set

The Las Vegas Raiders’ appointment of Klint Kubiak means all 32 NFL teams now have a head coach in place for next season.

THE SEATTLE SEAHAWKS ARE SUPER BOWL LX CHAMPIONS 🏆 pic.twitter.com/EuftZfN9lP
— NFL (@NFL) February 9, 2026

Countdown to the draft

The 2026 NFL draft is, of course, the biggest event of the offseason and will take place April 23-25 in Pittsburgh.

From that moment on, the full focus of each franchise will be on being ready for the start of the next regular season, which kicks off Thursday, September 10, 2026. Fear not, football fans, it’s “only” seven months away at the time of writing.

Kickoff game and playoffs

As is customary, Super Bowl LX winners the Seattle Seahawks will host the NFL Kickoff Game, against an opponent yet to be determined. The regular season will run until January 10, 2027, with the playoffs beginning the following weekend on January 16.

Super Bowl LXI: Date and venue

Super Bowl LXI will be held at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on Sunday, February 14. No NFL season has ever ended on a later date.

2026 NFL season: Key dates

April 23-25, 2026: NFL Draft
September 10, 2026: NFL Kickoff Game (start of 2026 regular season)
January 10, 2027: 2026 regular season ends
January 16, 2027: 2026 NFL postseason starts
February 14, 2027: Super Bowl LXI