The 2026 NFL schedule release is less than 24 hours away. NFL fans already know which teams will be playing in international games later this fall. Now the league has leaked the annual Thanksgiving lineup of games ahead of the full schedule release on Thursday night.
This year's holiday schedule looks particularly exciting.
For the first time ever, the fun will begin the day before Thanksgiving. The NFL will have its first ever Thanksgiving Eve matchup featuring the Packers and Rams on Wednesday, November 25th. It will stream on Netflix. This new matchup is in addition to the annual Black Friday game.
As for the three-game slate on Thanksgiving, every matchup is a treat.
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Of course, the action will begin in Detroit as is tradition. The Lions will battle the Bears after Ben Johnson's squad won the NFC North in 2025. Johnson has yet to beat the Lions during the regular season since joining the Bears. Both teams will be hungry to get a huge divisional win and gain ground in this year's divisional race.
In the middle window, the Cowboys will host the Eagles. Just like the first matchup, this is a great divisional game against two NFC teams who should be in the playoff race in November. The stakes will be even higher playing such an important game in front of the entire nation.
Finally, the Thanksgiving tripleheader concludes with the Bills hosting the Chiefs at their brand new Highmark Stadium. Buffalo and Kansas City have a heated rivalry that could go up a notch in 2026. Both teams will be in the thick of the AFC playoff race and will want a head-to-head tiebreaker for seeding purposes.
NFL fans should be excited about the opportunity for even more football during the holidays.
The 2026 NFL schedule release is less than 24 hours away. NFL fans already know which teams will be playing in international games later this fall. Now the league has leaked the annual Thanksgiving lineup of games ahead of the full schedule release on Thursday night. This year's holiday schedule looks particularly exciting.