The Athletic has live coverage of the 2026 NFL schedule release.We’re still more than three months away from opening kickoff, but the 2026 NFL season begins to come into focus on Thursday evening. The league is unveiling its full 18-week regular-season schedule — from primetime slots and holiday lineups to the unassuming Sunday afternoon games.Come Thursday, we’ll know the exact path of the Seattle Seahawks’ championship defense, and learn where various rookies will make their pro debuts. The announcement comes with live TV fanfare, and it should spawn a weekend’s worth of early NFL projections. Here’s how to tune in for the complete schedule drop.All times below are ET.How to watch the 2026 NFL schedule reveal
Time: 8 p.m., Thursday
TV: ESPN, NFL Network
Streaming: Fubo (Stream Free Now)
All ESPN programs are also available with an ESPN Unlimited subscription. NFL Network is also available on NFL+.ESPN is covering the release with a special edition of “SportsCenter.” The two-hour block is hosted by Laura Rutledge. Breakdowns come via former players Dan Orlovsky and Andrew Hawkins, plus analysis from Peter Schrager and NFL Network’s Kyle Brandt. Insider Adam Schefter is set to join virtually, and announcer Joe Buck gets a segment going through the “Monday Night Football” slate.The “SportsCenter” programming is also on NFL Network.The NFL's massive refereeing issueFrank Michael SmithThis 2026 campaign includes a record nine international games and introduces three new overseas locations. The NFL plays its inaugural regular-season game in Australia, with the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers facing off in Week 1 at Melbourne Cricket Ground.Fresh ground is breaking in France as well. The New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers get a midseason export to Paris’ Stade de France. The league also brings the Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens to Rio de Janeiro for Week 3 — this game is at Maracanã Stadium, while previous Brazil games in 2024 and 2025 were at São Paulo’s Corinthians Arena.The NFL’s regional broadcasters are still CBS and Fox. National telecasts are set for ABC/ESPN (“Monday Night Football”), NBC/Peacock (“Sunday Night Football”) and Prime Video (“Thursday Night Football”). Select matchups could end up on Netflix, NFL Network or YouTube. This season’s Super Bowl is on ESPN for the first time ever.Franchises typically coronate schedule release night with unique videos. Last year, the Los Angeles Chargers’ drop was styled like the video game Minecraft. The Buffalo Bills’ video had a surprise cameo from Allen Iverson. And the Kansas City Chiefs pulled from the game show “Cash Cab.” Let’s see who gets the most creative for 2026.The games that have already been revealedThe entire international slate, along with a few other notable matchups, were announced before Thursday’s full schedule unveiling.Week 1
