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The 2026 NFL season opens on a Wednesday night and the defending Super Bowl champions will be involved.
The Seattle Seahawks, who beat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX to return to the top of the football world, will host a team that will be announced later to kick off the 2026 season on Sept. 9, a rare matchup on Wednesday.
While the NFL has had to play on a Wednesday due to scheduling conflicts in the past or on holidays, this event is tied to its product’s final international debut in the league.
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Sam Darnold of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after winning the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium on February 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, California. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers will play in Melbourne, Australia, with the game starting at 10:35 a.m. local time on a Friday. Back home, it will be 8:35 p.m. ET on September 10, which is a Thursday evening compared to Friday morning in Australia.
“We are thrilled to kick off our season in Melbourne, building on an already historic moment for both the NFL and the Rams,” Stephanie Cheng, Rams international manager, said in a statement.
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“Every time members of our organization visit us, including earlier this month, we see the growing excitement of the people of Melbourne in anticipation of this game. Not only will it be special to play the 49ers on a Friday morning in Australia, but it will also be great for our fans at home to be able to watch this game in prime time on Thursday night.”
For the Seahawks’ home opener, it will be the first time since 2012 that the NFL opens its season on a Wednesday night. It was the New York Giants hosting the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium, and the Giants received their Super Bowl rings from the previous season.
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams (17) makes a catch against San Francisco 49ers cornerback Renardo Green (0) during the first half at SOFi Stadium. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
Barack Obama’s speech at the Democratic National Convention took place later that week in 2012. The league understandably didn’t want its start to the season to be overshadowed.
As the league continues to grow, particularly internationally, with a record nine games set for the 2026 season, football could be played on more Wednesdays in the future.
The NFL is reportedly considering adding a Thanksgiving Eve game, which would take place on the Wednesday before its usual three-game stretch on Thanksgiving evening, in its continued exploration of new broadcast windows. ESPN reported that this decision could come as early as the 2026 season.
A “Black Friday” game has already been played in the past three seasons, making a contest on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, not a crazy idea.
Sam Darnold of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates after the NFL Super Bowl against the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium on February 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, California. The Seahawks defeated the Patriots, 29-13. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
“Each offseason, we seek new opportunities to better serve our fans in the scheduling process,” the league said Wednesday in a statement.
“As Commissioner Goodell said, Thanksgiving and NFL football have become synonymous, and with the growing fan interest surrounding our Thanksgiving and Black Friday games, seeking additional opportunities related to this special holiday is exciting for us to explore.”
The full NFL schedule will be released on May 13 for every team in the league.
