NFL unveils expanded schedule, record international games and major coaching turnover for 2026
The league’s 2026 season adds a Wednesday Thanksgiving-Eve game, a record nine overseas contests and a new stadium in Buffalo, while tying a record with ten head-coach changes.
The 2026 NFL calendar introduces a Wednesday opening night between New England and Seattle and a Thanksgiving-Eve clash of Green Bay at Los Angeles, streamed on Netflix. To accommodate these additions, the league has scheduled a record nine regular-season games in seven countries, debuting matches in France and Australia and moving the Rams-49ers season-opener to a Thursday night U.S. slot. Buffalo’s Highmark Stadium opens with a reduced 60,108-seat capacity, a towering steel canopy and mixed fan reactions, while Jacksonville’s EverBank Stadium temporarily shrinks to about 42,500 seats during renovations.
Ten franchises announced new head coaches, tying an NFL record; six are first-time head coaches, and the group includes former Coach of the Year winners John Harbaugh and Kevin Stefanski and Super Bowl champion Mike McCarthy. Additional offseason moves feature high-profile trades and free-agency signings that reshaped several rosters ahead of the season.
Why it matters
Fans and teams must adapt to a busier, more global schedule and significant leadership changes across the league.
In this story
