The 2026 National Football League campaign launches with a marquee clash that echoes a recent Super Bowl showdown: the defending champions, the Seattle Seahawks, will welcome the New England Patriots on Wednesday night for the opening game of the season. This high‑profile encounter sets the tone for a week packed with action, and Sky Sports has laid out an extensive slate of live broadcasts to cover it. In addition to the early‑morning Thursday kickoff, Sky Sports will air seven additional matchups during Week One, and the network has already revealed the schedule for the live games in Week Two as well.
The first exclusive Sunday night fixture kicks off at 6:00 p.m. with the Buffalo Bills traveling to face the Houston Texans. Following that, the divisional rivalry between the Washington Commanders and the Philadelphia Eagles will be shown at 9:25 p.m. on Sky Sports NFL.
Three more contests will be available on Sunday evening via Sky Sports +, while a second NFC East grudge match—Dallas Cowboys versus New York Giants—will serve as the Sunday night feature. The opening week will close out on Monday night with the Denver Broncos taking on the Kansas City Chiefs. Here is the full lineup of live broadcasts for the opening week, along with the channels on which each game can be viewed: - New England Patriots @ Seattle Seahawks – 1:20 a.m.
Thursday (live on Sky Sports NFL and Sky Sports Main Event) - Buffalo Bills @ Houston Texans – 6:00 p.m. Sunday (live on Sky Sports NFL) - Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Cincinnati Bengals – 6:00 p.m. Sunday (live on Sky Sports +) - Washington Commanders @ Philadelphia Eagles – 9:25 p.m. Sunday (live on Sky Sports NFL) - Green Bay Packers @ Minnesota Vikings – 9:25 p.m.
Sunday (live on Sky Sports +) - Miami Dolphins @ Las Vegas Raiders – 9:25 p.m. Sunday (live on Sky Sports + via streaming) - Dallas Cowboys @ New York Giants – 1:20 a.m. Monday (live on Sky Sports NFL and Sky Sports Main Event) - Denver Broncos @ Kansas City Chiefs – 1:15 a.m. Tuesday (live on Sky Sports NFL and Sky Sports Main Event) - Detroit Lions @ Buffalo Bills – 1:15 a.m.
Friday (live on Sky Sports NFL and Sky Sports Main Event) - Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears – 6:00 p.m. Friday (live on Sky Sports NFL) - Pittsburgh Steelers @ New England Patriots – 6:00 p.m. Friday (live on Sky Sports Football) - Jacksonville Jaguars @ Denver Broncos – 9:05 p.m. Friday (live on Sky Sports NFL and Sky Sports Main Event) - Washington Commanders @ Dallas Cowboys – 9:25 p.m.
Friday (live on Sky Sports Football) - Seattle Seahawks @ Arizona Cardinals – 9:25 p.m. Friday (live on Sky Sports + via streaming) - Indianapolis Colts @ Kansas City Chiefs – 1:20 a.m.
Monday (live on Sky Sports NFL and Sky Sports Main Event) - New York Giants @ Los Angeles Rams – 1:15 a.m. Tuesday (live on Sky Sports NFL and Sky Sports Main Event) Sky Sports will continue to provide the most comprehensive NFL coverage available in the United Kingdom and Ireland, broadcasting more than half of all league games live throughout the season across its suite of channels. This includes the traditional Sunday evening double‑headers, prime‑time matchups, NFL RedZone, the International Series games played abroad, the Thanksgiving Day classics, the playoff series, and the climactic Super Bowl LXI.
Fans can expect to see the premier Sunday 6:00 p.m. game on Sky Sports NFL, followed by the coveted 9:00 p.m.
slot, which also lands on the same channel. In addition, Sky Sports will often present a secondary 6:00 p.m. game and up to two additional 9:00 p.m.
contests concurrently on its other platforms, giving viewers a wide selection of live action each week. For the 2026 campaign, Sky Sports is expanding its on‑the‑ground production footprint in the United States.
The network plans to send more crews, reporters, and production staff to stadiums across the country, delivering richer storytelling, deeper analysis, and a more immersive viewing experience for British and Irish audiences. Leading the regular Sunday presenting team are Neil Reynolds, Phoebe Schecter, and Jason Bell, while former NFL star Ndamukong Suh and broadcaster Bridget Condon will front the live broadcasts from the United States. The dedicated Sky Sports NFL channel will once again serve as the round‑the‑clock home for NFL coverage on linear television in the UK and Ireland, running from the start of the regular season through to Super Bowl LXI, which is scheduled to be played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on Sunday, 14 February 2027.
Viewers can watch every moment of the 2026 NFL season live on Sky Sports, including every playoff game and the championship Super Bowl. Those who prefer streaming can access the coverage contract‑free via NOW, or they can subscribe to Sky Sports directly for the full slate of live games and exclusive content.