The NFL regular season opens when the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks host the New England Patriots on Wednesday night.
It’s the beginning of a 272-game slate — 17 contests for all 32 teams — including a league-record nine international games. All of it leads to the playoffs and Super Bowl 61, which will be played on Feb. 14 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
The Seahawks-Patriots matchup kicks off the schedule before the Los Angeles
Rams host the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia, next Thursday at 8:35 p.m. EDT. The game is actually on Friday, Sept. 11, in Australia and will start at 10:35 a.m. local time.
After that, a full slate of games is set for Sunday, Sept. 13.
Among the intriguing matchups: Quarterback Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys travel to face the rival New York Giants while quarterback Kyler Murray makes his debut with the Minnesota Vikings when they host the Green Bay Packers.
To finish off the first week, two-time MVP and three-time Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes makes his return from a serious knee injury when the Kansas City Chiefs host Bo Nix, playing his first game that counts since recovering from a broken ankle, and the Denver Broncos on Monday night.
Mahomes could only watch the end of a disappointing six-win season for Kansas City in 2025 after going down with a torn ACL in Week 15. He's among several star players who hope to have a more healthy 2026.
The San Francisco 49ers were hit particularly hard by injuries last season and will welcome back tight end George Kittle, edge rusher Nick Bosa and linebacker Fred Warner. Bosa went down with a season-ending knee injury in Week 3, Warner broke his ankle in Week 6 and Kittle ruptured his Achilles in a wild-card win at Philadelphia.
Warner and Bosa are expected to be ready for Week 1 this season while Kittle remains on the physically unable to perform list and it's uncertain whether he will return in Australia against the Rams or shortly after that.
Among the others who hope to return this season: Green Bay edge rusher Micah Parsons, Giants receiver Malik Nabers, Indianapolis quarterback Daniel Jones and Baltimore defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike.
The NFL's super-sized international schedule includes games in seven different countries. The 49ers and Rams get things started in Australia, which will host its first NFL game. Here are the other eight games.
Sept. 27: Baltimore Ravens vs. Dallas Cowboys in Rio de Janeiro.
Oct. 4: Indianapolis Colts vs. Washington Commanders in London.
Oct. 11: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Jacksonville Jaguars in London.
Oct. 18: Houston Texans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars in London.
Oct. 25: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. New Orleans Saints in Paris.
Nov. 8: Cincinnati Bengals vs. Atlanta Falcons in Madrid.
Nov. 15: New England Patriots vs. Detroit Lions in Munich.
Nov. 22: Minnesota Vikings vs. San Francisco 49ers in Mexico City.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams are the current favorites (+500) to win Super Bowl 61 on their home turf in February, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.
After that, it's a crowded group that includes the Buffalo Bills (+1000), Baltimore Ravens (+1100), defending champion Seattle Seahawks (+1100) and Kansas City Chiefs (+1500).
For those interested in the longshots, the Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins (+50000) would score the biggest payouts.
The most popular sport in the United States is also among the most confusing to watch, thanks to a myriad of streaming services and exclusive online broadcasts.
For those who still have a cable subscription, most games played by the local team can be viewed on local affiliates. Many national games will also be available, but that’s not always the case.
One of the best ways to stream the NFL this season is by subscribing to YouTubeTV and paying for the NFL Sunday Ticket service, though it’s fairly pricey at $240 for new subscribers and more for returners.
___
See AP’s full NFL coverage here
