Jacksonville Jaguars fans are eager to see their team take the next step toward its first Super Bowl appearance. Step 1: learning the schedule for the 2026 NFL season.
Unfortunately, they and the other 31 teams remain in the dark as to when the 2026 NFL schedule will be released. The league turns every little part of the sport into a festivity, from the three-day traveling carnival that is the NFL draft to the release of the season schedule, which has morphed into a primetime event during which social media teams show off the depths of their referential knowledge.
The wait might be longer than usual this year. We typically at least know when the schedule will drop by now, but the NFL is still tying up loose ends. That has to be killing Jags fans, who have been riding high since their team finished 13-4 last season but crashed out in the wild-card round of the playoffs. They’re hoping for a full season of two-way star Travis Hunter and for franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence to continue to blossom under coach Liam Coen. How the incoming rookies picked up in April’s NFL draft will be closely monitored, as well.
Ironing out the schedule is especially important to the Jags because they already know they’re playing two games in London again as their home stadium continues massive renovations this year. Here’s what we know about the 2026 NFL schedule release, including the Jaguars schedule as we know it.
Why hasn’t the 2026 NFL schedule been released yet?
There are a few theories floating around, mostly that the league is still ironing out media-rights deals on some of its spotlight games, of which there are more this year than ever before. Mike North, the league’s vice president of broadcast planning, said on the “It’s Always Gameday in Buffalo” podcast before the NFL draft that a five-game package is holding up the schedule drop.
The NFL has nine international games on tap for 2026, starting with its first game in Australia that is pushing the opening game of the season to a Wednesday night for the first time ever. It also has its new Christmas Day package, which expanded from two games in its first year to three in 2025, and plans on putting in a new “Thanksgiving Eve” game this year.
When is the NFL schedule coming out?
We don’t know. The NFL typically announces the date for its annual schedule release in late April or early May. Last year, the league announced the release date during the NFL draft. North said on the “It’s Always Gameday in Buffalo” podcast that while the league likes to release the schedule in the second week of May, the third week is certainly a possibility.
“Most fans know full well that the schedule comes out in mid-May now,” North said, as noted by CBS Sports. “That’s what we’ve done the last five or six years. That’s sort of our target. Is there any magic to May 12, 13, 14? No. Is there any real downside to (May) 19, 20 or 21? No.”
If the NFL adheres to its previous plans of announcing the schedule on a Wednesday or Thursday night, that puts the schedule release date at either May 13-14 or May 20-21.
Jacksonville Jaguars schedule 2026
The Jaguars already know who they’ll play in 2026. One of the teams who played in last year’s Super Bowl, the New England Patriots, are due to visit Jacksonville. The team that lost to the Pats in the AFC championship game, the Denver Broncos, will welcome the Jaguars this coming season, as will the Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears.
Jacksonville is slated to host the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers, as well, though two of their eight home games this season will be played in London. That’s because EverBank Stadium is in the midst of major renovations that will force a reduced capacity at the Jags’ home this season and move them to Orlando for the 2027 season. One London game this year will be at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with the other at Wembley Stadium.
Jaguars 2026 home games
Jaguars 2026 away games
When does the 2026 NFL season start?
The Seattle Seahawks kick off the 2026 season against an opponent to be named later on Wednesday, Sept. 9. We know they won’t be playing their biggest NFC West rivals: The Rams and 49ers are scheduled to play the following night, Thursday, Sept. 10, in Melbourne, Australia.
If the Jaguars open the 2026 season on a Sunday as is tradition, their first game would be Sept. 13. Last year was the first time since 2020 that Jacksonville played Week 1 at home.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: When does NFL schedule come out? Why Jaguars fans are still waiting
Reporting by Dan Rorabaugh, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Florida Times-Union
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
