Predicting the Philadelphia Eagles’ Week 1 opponent in 2026
The Philadelphia Eagles could open the 2026 NFL season with a marquee Week 1 matchup against one of the league’s top contenders.
We're just days away from the NFL schedule release, and the Eagles should have one of the league's most demanding schedules. They will face the gauntlet of juggernauts in the NFC West and the AFC South , as well as the first-place finishers in the NFC South, NFC North, and AFC North. The Birds are a popular draw, as the Eagles played seven games in Primetime last season, including the Week 16 Saturday matchup against Washington that clinched the NFC East.
They played one standalone game on Black Friday and, overall, two Thursday nights, two Monday nights, and one Sunday night game. The official schedule, including dates and times, will be revealed in full on Thursday night, and we're taking one final look at the Eagles' home and away opponents while predicting their Week 1 opponent. Home Opponents Dallas Cowboys New York Giants Washington Commanders Los Angeles Rams Seattle Seahawks Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts NFC South winner ( Carolina Panthers )AFC North winner, TBD (Pittsburgh Steelers ) Away opponents Dallas CowboysNew York GiantsWashington CommandersSan Francisco 49ers Arizona Cardinals Jacksonville Jaguars Tennessee Titans Chicago Bears (NFC North winner) Predicting Week 1 matchup Philadelphia has won five straight season openers, last losing 27-`7 at Washington in the 2020 season, signaling the start of the end of the Carson Wentz era.
Their matchup this season against Seattle is at home, eliminating a potential meeting of the past two Super Bowl champions to open up the season. Prior to last season's matchup against Dallas in the NFL kickoff, Philadelphia had played its past five season openers outside of Philadelphia, including in 2024 against the Packers in Brazil. Since 2015, Washington and Atlanta have faced Philadelphia three different times in season openers.
With Atlanta not on the 2026 schedule, we're predicting the Eagles will travel to Washington to face Jayden Daniels and the retooled Commanders in an early-window (1:00) game. This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Early prediction for Eagles’ Week 1 matchup in 2026