NFL schedule release 2026: What to expect when every game is released

DENVER, CO - JANUARY 17: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills scrambles against the Denver Broncos during the second half of an AFC Divisional Playoff game at Empower Field At Mile High on January 17, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) | Getty Images The next big date on the annual NFL calendar is just around the corner. The release of the schedule for the 2026-27 season.

Say what you want about this annual tradition — it is just a list of dates for games we already know are going to be played thanks to the league’s scheduling formula — but it has become a bedrock event in the offseason. From schedule release videos that often highlight the creative minds in each team’s social media departments, to the days (if not weeks) of content that follows, this is the next big stop on the road to Super Bowl LXI. So to help set that road, here is what we know so far, what to expect when the schedule drops, games we are already looking forward to, and more.

When will the 2026 schedule be released? As of Thursday, the NFL has not released a specific date for the announcement of the 2026 regular-season schedule. Traditionally, the league has targeted mid-May for the unveiling, leading many to believe the week of May 11 will be the timeframe.

However, on a recent podcast appearance Mike North, the NFL’s Vice President of Broadcast Planning, said it could be later. “Most fans know full well that the schedule comes out in mid-May now,” North said on the It’s Always Game Day in Buffalo podcast. “That’s what we’ve done the last five or six years.