Clear your schedule – the NFL schedule release is coming.
While NFL regular-season games are still months away, fans can begin planning their fall travel in due time when the NFL schedule is released in May.
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While the remainder of the 2026 NFL schedule will be released soon, a number of games have already been announced, mainly across borders.
The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams are set to bring American football to Australia, the first game to be played in the country. Melbourne will host the game in Week 1, getting the international slate underway early.
More: Roger Goodell not worried about Kyle Shanahan’s Australia game concerns
There are eight international games in addition to the Week 1 NFC West matchup “Down Under” – but that’s not all we know about the schedule this upcoming season as we await official word.
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Here’s what else we already know about the NFL schedule ahead of its official release:
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
New York Jets – Arch Manning, QB, Texas
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
New York Jets – Arch Manning, QB, Texas
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Miami Dolphins – Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Arizona Cardinals – Dante Moore, QB, Oregon
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Atlanta Falcons – Leonard Moore, CB, Notre Dame
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Tennessee Titans – Trevor Goosby, OT, Texas
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Las Vegas Raiders – Jordan Seaton, OT, LSU
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Cleveland Browns – CJ Carr, QB, Notre Dame
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
New York Giants – Cam Coleman, WR, Texas
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
New Orleans Saints – Colin Simmons, DE/OLB, Texas
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Washington Commanders – Dylan Stewart, DE/OLB, South Carolina
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Jets (from IND) – KJ Bolden, S, Georgia
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Jamari Johnson, TE, Oregon
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Pittsburgh Steelers – Drew Mestemaker, QB, Oklahoma State
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
Jets (from DAL) – Ellis Robinson IV, CB, Georgia
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Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks aplenty in early look
The defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks will open the 2026 NFL season and defend their home turf on Wednesday, Sept. 9, with their opponent TBA.
It’s customary for the defending Super Bowl champs to open the season – what isn’t is the fact that the Seahawks are set to take the field on a Wednesday rather than a Thursday.
The NFL is leaving some room for an international game the following day.
NFL international games, schedule in 2026
The league is set to play a record nine international games in 2026. The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams are set to play the first game in Australia, taking place in Week 1, on Thursday, Sept. 10.
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A number of other games on international soil fill out the remaining eight, with most yet to be solidified. They are:
Australia game
Week 1 (Sept. 10): Los Angeles Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers | Melbourne Cricket Ground | Melbourne
Brazil game
France game
Germany game
London games
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. TBA | Wembley Stadium | London
Mexico game
San Francisco 49ers vs. TBA | Estadio Banorte | Mexico City
Spain game
NFL opponents by team
Of course, opponents for all 32 teams have already been decided, as is the way the NFL schedule is formulated. For a look at every opponent for every team in the NFL, click here.
When is the 2026 NFL schedule release?
Date: Between May 12 and May 14
The NFL is set to release its 2026 schedule between May 12 and May 14, with the date TBD. The NFL takes its schedule release up until the last minute, but the date is sure to come mid-May, per usual.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2026 NFL schedule release: When is it, and what we already know
