The New England Patriots have their sights on their upcoming return to the NFL playoffs. However, the final week of the 2025 regular season did more than just set up their wild card matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers: it also finalized their opponents for the 2026 regular season.
The Patriots will be playing eight home games and nine road contests next season, and here are the teams they will be going up against.
New England Patriots 2026 opponents
As opposed to 2025, the Patriots will be playing a first-place schedule next year.
It includes matchup with the AFC’s other division champions as well as the entire AFC West and NFC North. Under the league’s 17th game rotation, New England will also take a trip to the NFC West.
In total, the schedule looks like a challenging one. Of the Patriots’ 14 different opponents, eight made the playoffs this year.
New England Patriots 2026 home game schedule
- Buffalo Bills
- Miami Dolphins
- New York Jets
- Denver Broncos
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Green Bay Packers
- Minnesota Vikings
Besides their usual division home games, the Patriots will also be hosting some of the better teams in the NFL in 2026. They also will square off with two other quarterbacks selected in the first round of the 2024 draft alongside Drake Maye, the Broncos’ Bo Nix and the Vikings’ J.J. McCarthy. Meanwhile, the Dolphins, Jets, Raiders and even Steelers could all be fielding new QBs in 2026.
New England Patriots 2026 away game schedule
- Buffalo Bills
- Miami Dolphins
- New York Jets
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Chicago Bears
- Detroit Lions
- Seattle Seahawks
The Patriots’ road schedule includes trips to some of the loudest arenas in football, Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium and Seattle’s Lumen Field. It also will see a trip to Buffalo’s new home, a rematch of their playoff game with the Chargers, and a meeting with another 2024 first-round QB, the Bears’ Caleb Williams.
