With the NFL officially confirming the 2026 schedule release for Thursday, May 14 at 8:00 PM ET, fans of the New Orleans Saints are bracing for the road ahead. While specific dates and kickoff times are pending, the New Orleans Saints strength of schedule (SOS) is already shaping the early storylines for the season.
Based on the latest Sharp Football Analysis using Vegas projected win totals, the New Orleans Saints enter the 2026 season with the #2 hardest schedule in the NFL. That places them in the Very Easy difficulty tier, a path that still includes plenty of marquee matchups against playoff contenders.
Why the New Orleans Saints Schedule is Ranked #2
Unlike traditional SOS rankings that rely on last year’s win-loss records, our 2026 analysis uses Vegas win totals to account for roster changes, draft hauls, and coaching shifts under head coach Kellen Moore. For a closer look at the wider picture, see our 2026 NFL Strength of Schedule master rankings.
For the New Orleans Saints, the #2 ranking is driven by:
- The Division Factor: Facing the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers twice each remains one of the more demanding division slates in football.
- The Positional Draw: The New Orleans Saints draw the entire NFC North (Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings at home; Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions on the road) and the entire AFC North, two of the deeper divisions in their rotation.
- The 17th Game: A home date with the Las Vegas Raiders adds significant weight to the strength of the schedule, sending New Orleans Saints into a tough home test matchup.
New Orleans Saints 2026 Home and Away Opponents
You can find the New Orleans Saints printable 2026-27 schedule in PDF here: New Orleans Saints 2026 Schedule.
| Home (Caesars Superdome) | Away (Road Trip) |
| Atlanta Falcons | Atlanta Falcons |
| Carolina Panthers | Carolina Panthers |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| Green Bay Packers | Chicago Bears |
| Minnesota Vikings | Detroit Lions |
| Arizona Cardinals | New York Giants |
| Cleveland Browns | Baltimore Ravens |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | Cincinnati Bengals |
| Las Vegas Raiders (17th game) | – |
Key Matchups to Watch in 2026
- The Rivalry Game: A division date with the Atlanta Falcons will be an important test for NFC South seeding and a measuring stick for New Orleans Saints’s 2026 plans.
- The Cross-Conference Test: The Pittsburgh Steelers matchup is one of the more difficult tests on the 2026 slate, with national attention guaranteed.
- The International Spotlight: New Orleans Saints will play a regular-season home game abroad in 2026 (Paris (Stade de France home game)), giving the schedule a distinctive early-season flavor.
New Orleans Saints Strength of Schedule FAQ
How hard is the New Orleans Saints 2026 schedule? The New Orleans Saints have the #2 hardest schedule in the NFL. That falls in the Very Easy tier compared to the rest of the league, with the difficulty driven primarily by the NFC North and AFC North draws.
When is the New Orleans Saints 2026 schedule released? The full week-by-week schedule will be released by the NFL on Thursday, May 14, 2026 at 8:00 PM ET. We will update this page with dates, times, and TV broadcasts as soon as the league publishes them.
Who is the New Orleans Saints 17th game in 2026? The New Orleans Saints are scheduled to face the Las Vegas Raiders at home as their rotating 17th game opponent for the 2026 season.
DOWNLOAD 2026 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS SCHEDULE TRACKER (PDF)
Be ready for the May 14 release. Download our low-ink printable PDF for the New Orleans Saints to track every date, kickoff time, and TV broadcast as they are announced. For full team news and the official future opponents page, see the New Orleans Saints official 2026 schedule.
NFL Resources
For more 2026 NFL schedule and strength of schedule context, see these companion guides on Sports Brackets:
- 2026 NFL Strength of Schedule: Complete 1-32 Rankings – the master ranking that places the New Orleans Saints at #2.
- Future NFL Schedules hub – rolling future-season opponent lists for every team.
- 2026 NFL Schedule Printable and TV Lineups – the master 2026 NFL schedule article with team-by-team printable downloads.
- 2026 NFL Schedule Grid Printable – one-page printable grid of the 2026 NFL season at a glance.
