The NFL is officially to announce its 2026 schedule release this Thursday, May 14th, at 8 PM EST. The collective schedule will be initially unveiled on NFL Network, ESPN2, and NFL+, and also through official team accounts.
While we don’t know the “when” right now, we already do know against “who” and “where” the Colts will play regarding their 2026 NFL regular season schedule opponents—by virtue of playing the AFC North and the NFC East this year, as well as their typical AFC South rivals (*each twice).
Additionally, by finishing 3rd in the AFC South in 2025, the Colts will also face the 3rd place team from the AFC East, the Miami Dolphins, as part of a ‘home crossover’; as well as the third place teams from the AFC West, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the NFC North, the Minnesota Vikings, as ‘road crossovers,’ respectively.
Home Opponents
Baltimore Ravens
Cincinnati Bengals
Dallas Cowboys
Houston Texans
Jacksonville Jaguars
Miami Dolphins
New York Giants
Tennessee Titans
Road Opponents
Cleveland Browns
Houston Texans
Jacksonville Jaguars
Kansas City Chiefs
Minnesota Vikings
Philadelphia Eagles
Pittsburgh Steelers
Tennessee Titans
Washington Commanders
Per CBS Sports’ John Breech, the Colts are currently projected to have the 4th (*tied) easiest upcoming strength of schedule all together from their slate of scheduled 2026 opponents, with a collective combined record from 2025 of 134-154-1 (.465). Of course, I would reasonably expect some of those opponents such as the Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, and New York Giants to be improved headed into next season.
It doesn’t provide the Colts too much of an advantage within the AFC South though, as both the Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans aren’t too far separated from them in easiest strength of schedule, coming in just behind Indianapolis at 7th and 8th easiest respectively.
