If you follow the NFL, next week is a big one — and not because of anything happening on the field.

The full 2026 NFL schedule is expected to drop between Wednesday 13 and Thursday 14 May, and for UK fans it's one of the most important moments of the entire off-season. This is when you find out exactly when and where every game is being played, which ones are coming to London, and crucially — what time you'll need to be up to on a Monday morning.

Here's everything to look out for when it lands.

The London Games: Dates Finally Confirmed

This is the big one for British fans. We already know two of the teams coming to London in 2026 — the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Washington Commanders — but we don't yet know who they are facing, and when exactly they are here.

What we do know is historic. The Jaguars will be serving as the home team for two consecutive London games, making them the first team in NFL history to play back-to-back international games as the home side. Both games will be played in early October, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Wembley.

These London games will be part of nine international games in 2026, making it an NFL record. Since the first fixture in 2007, the London games have delivered around £2 billion to the UK economy, and there is now an estimated 17 million UK fans, showing the sports impressive growth across the country.

When the schedule drops, the London game dates will be the first thing worth checking. If you're planning to go, you'll want to book quickly — London game tickets sell out fast, and hotels near both stadiums fill up within days of dates being confirmed.

Christmas Games: Netflix Gets Two

The Christmas tripleheader is back for 2026 — the fourth time in five years the NFL has scheduled games on 25 December. For UK fans, Christmas NFL is now practically a tradition.

Here's the broadcast breakdown as it stands: Netflix will show two of the three Christmas games, with Fox picking up the prime-time game. If you want to watch all three, you'll need both a Netflix subscription and a way to watch Fox — which in the UK means NFL Game Pass.

One team that could feature on Christmas Day is Kansas City. The Chiefs have played on Christmas for three consecutive seasons and have reportedly expressed a desire to make it four in a row.

A Thanksgiving Eve Game — For the First Time Ever

This one is new. The NFL is seriously considering a prime-time game on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving — something that has never happened before. If it goes ahead, it would sit alongside the traditional Thanksgiving Thursday tripleheader, effectively giving fans four days of NFL football in a row.

For UK fans this means a potential Wednesday night game at a much more watchable time — likely a 6pm or 9pm GMT kick-off rather than the usual Sunday early morning starts.

No More Monday Night Doubleheaders

A smaller but notable change — the NFL is scrapping the Monday Night Football doubleheaders that have run since 2023. There will be just one MNF game per week going forward.

The league acknowledged that having two games on the same night was creating a conflict for fans who felt forced to choose between them. One game, properly promoted, works better — and for UK fans it means a single Monday night game at around 1am or 2am GMT to either stay up for or catch on replay.

Black Friday Could Get a Second Game

The NFL added a Black Friday game three years ago and it's been a huge success. In 2026, the league is considering adding a second Black Friday game — potentially creating a doubleheader on the day after Thanksgiving.

Black Friday falls on 27 November this year. Two games would likely mean a lunchtime kick-off and an evening kick-off in the US — which translates to early evening and late night for UK viewers. Watchable times.

When and Where to Watch the Schedule Release

The schedule release itself is now an event in its own right — the NFL broadcasts it live on NFL Network with team-by-team reveals, fan reactions and plenty of drama about which teams land the prime-time slots.

In the UK you can follow along via:

  • NFL Network on Sky Sports (channel 408)
  • NFL.com — the full schedule goes live simultaneously online
  • Twitter/X — most teams announce their schedules the moment they're released, often before the TV broadcast catches up

The release is expected on Wednesday 13 or Thursday 14 May. We'll update this article the moment the full schedule is confirmed.

What to Do Once It Drops

Once the schedule is live, here's what UK fans should do immediately:

Check the London game dates first. If you want to go, get on Ticketmaster the moment dates are confirmed. Seriously — don't wait.

Set your calendar for the big games. Work out which games are on Sky Sports and Channel 5 (free), and which ones you'll need NFL Game Pass for. Our How to Watch NFL in the UK guide covers all your options.

Plan around the time zones. Most Sunday games kick off at 6pm, 9:25pm or 1am UK time. The early window is the most beginner-friendly. The late games are for the dedicated.

The 2026 NFL season kicks off on 9 September. It's closer than it feels.

Still searching for a team to follow? Best NFL Teams for UK Beginners will help you find your match before the season starts.