Every Sunday the same question comes up in living rooms across the country: what game is on in my area? The NFL Week 1 TV coverage map is the answer, because CBS and FOX don’t show the same game everywhere — the matchup on your local channel depends on where you live. Below is the complete 2026 Week 1 schedule broken down by broadcast window and network, a plain explanation of how the Sunday windows work, and a free printable channel guide so you always know where to find the game you want.
How the NFL’s Sunday TV windows work
National games look the same everywhere, but the Sunday afternoon games are regional. Here is the quick version:
- National windows (same game everywhere): the Thursday/Wednesday openers, Sunday Night Football on NBC, and Monday Night Football on ESPN/ABC. Everyone sees the same broadcast.
- Sunday afternoon (regional): CBS and FOX split the early (1:00 p.m. ET) and late (4:25 p.m. ET) windows. Your local CBS and FOX stations each pick the game assigned to your market, so two people in different cities can be watching completely different games at the same time.
- Single vs. doubleheader: most weeks one network airs two games in your market (a doubleheader) while the other airs one. Which network gets the doubleheader flips week to week.
That regional split is exactly why a printable guide and a coverage map are so handy — the national listings don’t tell you which afternoon game your local affiliate actually carries.
2026 NFL Week 1 TV schedule
Kickoff & international games
| Day | Game | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wed, Sept 9 | Patriots at Seahawks | 8:20 PM | NBC / Peacock |
| Thu, Sept 10 | 49ers vs. Rams (Melbourne, Australia) | 8:35 PM | Netflix |
Sunday early window — 1:00 PM ET
| Game | TV |
|---|---|
| Chicago Bears at Carolina Panthers | FOX |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Cincinnati Bengals | FOX |
| Atlanta Falcons at Pittsburgh Steelers | FOX |
| New Orleans Saints at Detroit Lions | FOX |
| Baltimore Ravens at Indianapolis Colts | CBS |
| New York Jets at Tennessee Titans | CBS |
| Buffalo Bills at Houston Texans | CBS |
| Cleveland Browns at Jacksonville Jaguars | CBS |
Sunday late window — 4:25 PM ET
| Game | TV |
|---|---|
| Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Chargers | CBS |
| Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings | CBS |
| Miami Dolphins at Las Vegas Raiders | FOX |
| Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles | FOX |
Sunday & Monday night
| Day | Game | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, Sept 13 | Cowboys at Giants (SNF) | 8:20 PM | NBC / Peacock |
| Mon, Sept 14 | Broncos at Chiefs (MNF) | 8:15 PM | ESPN / ABC |
How to read the NFL Week 1 TV coverage map for your area
For the national windows you’re set — the Wednesday and Thursday openers, Sunday night, and Monday night are the same on every TV in the country. For the two Sunday afternoon windows, your local CBS and FOX stations each air the single game assigned to your market, so the fastest way to know what game is on in your area is a weekly TV coverage map that shades the country by which broadcast each region receives. Find your region on the map, match the color to the game, and you have your channel. If your market is getting a doubleheader, you’ll have back-to-back games on that network; if it’s a single-game market, you’ll get one.
Free printable NFL Week 1 channel guide
Want the whole slate on one page next to the remote? We put every Week 1 game, time, and network on a single printable sheet, grouped by window. Print it, stick it on the fridge, and you’ll never miss a kickoff.
Frequently asked questions
Why isn’t the game I want on my local channel?
CBS and FOX can only air one game per window in most markets, and the league assigns which game each region gets based on local interest and matchup quality. If your market wasn’t assigned your preferred game, you’d need an out-of-market package like NFL Sunday Ticket to watch it.
When does the 2026 NFL season start?
Week 1 opens Wednesday, September 9 with Patriots at Seahawks on NBC, followed by the 49ers and Rams in Melbourne, Australia on Netflix on Thursday. The main Sunday slate is September 13.
What time are the early and late games?
The early Sunday window kicks off at 1:00 p.m. ET and the late window at 4:25 p.m. ET, followed by Sunday Night Football at 8:20 p.m. ET.
Rooting for one team all season? Grab their full slate on our printable 2026 Kansas City Chiefs schedule — the Chiefs host the Monday night opener — and check back each week for the next NFL TV coverage map.
