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American Football

When does the NFL season start? The countdown to Week 1

DAZN

13, Aug

Watch the 2026 NFL season on DAZN (ex. US, China)

After a long and excruciating wait, the 2026 NFL season is almost upon us, with Week 1 of the preseason slate kicking off this week.

Three weeks of preseason games are all that stand between now and the season opener, a rematch of Super Bowl LX between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots.

Here's your countdown to Week 1.

Watch every game of the 2026 NFL season only on DAZN

The 2026 NFL season is fast approaching, including nine international games, and you can catch every snap on DAZN.

Enjoy an unrivalled viewing experience with an NFL Game Pass subscription, which includes incredible features such as RedZone, NFL Network, Game in 40, Sunday in 60, Multiview, and more.

With prices starting from £179.99 per year or £16.99 per month, you can catch every twist, turn, and touchdown live or on-demand, from Week 1 to the Super Bowl.

And with every preseason game available live and free, it's the perfect chance to experience everything NFL Game Pass has to offer.

Preseason Week 1: Only 1 days away!

The first preseason games finally hit our screens next weekend, with six games early on Friday, August 14 (UK) and the rest spread out over the next two days.

Follow this link to view the full schedule.

All of the preseason action from Weeks 1, 2, and 3 will be available to stream live and free on DAZN.

Week 1 of the regular season: Only 28 days away

At this point, the countdown will be over and the regular season schedule gets underway, arriving a day earlier than usual, with the league reserving the Thursday night slot for its first-ever game on Australian soil.

But before that game, there's the little matter of this exciting curtain-raiser.

Week 1: Patriots @ Seahawks on Thursday, September 10

The scheduling gods have definitely made things fun for fans with this opener at Lumen Field in Seattle.

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This rematch between the two Super Bowl finalists features no shortage of talent, with Drake Maye, A.J. Brown and Christian Gonzalez going up against Sam Darnold, 2025 OPOY Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Devon Witherspoon.

The Patriots have set their sights on revenge, making this showdown a must-watch.

How to watch the Patriots vs. Seahawks on DAZN

NFL Game Pass subscribers can tune in on DAZN at the following times to watch the action live.

Kick-off (BST): 1.20am on Thursday, September 10
Kick-off (ET): 8.20pm on Wednesday, September 9
Kick-off (PT): 5.20pm on Wednesday, September 9

That crunch tie tees up the trip to Melbourne, and this one promises to be worth staying up for...

Week 1: 49ers vs. Rams on Friday, September 11

The 49ers and Rams, two of the league's juggernauts, will make history when they go head-to-head at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

View post on Instagram

It promises to be a pulsating debut in Australia, with stars such as Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, and Mike Evans facing off against 2025 MVP Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua, and reigning DPOY Myles Garrett.