The dates and times are now in ink for the 2026 New England Patriots.
The reigning AFC champions are scheduled to open the regular season at Lumen Field against the Seattle Seahawks on Wednesday, Sept. 9, the NFL announced. Seven months removed from being the last teams left, the 8:20 p.m. ET Super Bowl LX rematch will mark the first kickoff around the league.
The home opener at Gillette Stadium will follow versus the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, Sept. 20, before head coach Mike Vrabel, quarterback Drake Maye & Co. visit the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 27. And then it’s on to the AFC East and former league MVP Josh Allen’s Buffalo Bills at the newly constructed Highmark Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 4.
Here’s a rundown of the slate into the fall and winter. It brings a Week 11 bye on the heels of a return to the international series, with Germany’s Allianz Arena hosting an 9:30 a.m. ET matchup with the Detroit Lions on Sunday, Nov. 15.
Prior to the NFL’s flex scheduling, a handful of primetime evenings are on the calendar for the Patriots, in addition to a standalone morning in Munich.
Those evenings go on to include “Thursday Night Football” in Week 7 against the Chicago Bears, “Sunday Night Football” in Week 12 against the Los Angeles Chargers, “Thursday Night Football” once again in Week 14 against the Minnesota Vikings, as well as “Monday Night Football” in Week 15 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
A total of 27,590 miles will be traveled by the time the finale reaches the rearview in Foxborough, per Bill Speros of Bookies.com, more than doubling last year’s odometer. All the while, New England’s strength of schedule climbs to .531 based on last year’s win percentage among opponents.
The Patriots currently stand at +130 to reclaim the AFC East and +800 to reclaim the AFC Championship Game, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
