NFL Key Dates for 2025-26 Season: When Will We Know the Schedule?
After the Eagles beat the Chiefs in Super Bowl 2025, we're turning the page with a look ahead at the 2025-26 NFL schedule and offseason key dates for next season.
The Chiefs opened as the Super Bowl odds favorites ahead of the Baltimore Ravens and Eagles, who will likely open the NFL schedule with the annual kickoff game as Super Bowl champions. We won't have to wait long for the NFL Scouting Combine later this month before free agency in March and NFL draft in April.
When will the 2025-26 NFL schedule be released?
We're still waiting for the NFL schedule to be released, though we can expect it to come sometime in mid-May.
The NFL schedule was released on May 15 last season, and it was released on either May 11 or May 12 each of the previous three years. If previous trends continue, we can expect the NFL to release the schedule on Wednesday, May 14.
NFL offseason key dates & deadlines
Here's an overview of the NFL offseason key dates and events following the Super Bowl:
- Feb. 18: Teams can designate franchise / transition tags
- Feb. 24 - March 3: NFL Scouting Combine
- March 4: Deadline for franchise tag
- March 10-12: Free agency negotiation period
- March 12: Free agency and trading period (1st day of league year)
- March 30 - April 2: Annual league meeting
- April 7: Offseason workouts begin for teams with new head coaches
- April 18: Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets
- April 21: Offseason workouts begin for teams with returning head coaches
- April 24-26: NFL rookie draft
- May 1: Deadline to exercise fifth-year options
- May 2-5 or May 9-12: Rookie minicamps
- July 15: Deadline to sign extension for franchise tag players
- Mid-July: Training camps
When is the NFL Scouting Combine?
The next big event on the NFL calendar after the Super Bowl is the annual scouting combine at Lucas Oil Stadium, which will take place from Feb. 24 to March 3.
This offers NFL coaches and executives a chance to evaluate rookie prospects before the NFL draft from April 24-26. It's alsn an opportunity for NFL bettors to cash in on myriad scouting combine odds and prop bets.
When is NFL free agency 2025?
Beginning on March 10, unrestricted free agents are able to negotiate contracts with new teams in a two-day negotiation period commonly referred to as the "legal tampering window" of free agency.
Contracts cannot become official until March 12 at 4 p.m. ET, which marks the beginning of the 2025-26 NFL league year. This is also when teams can officially start making trades, including executing any trades that were previously reported before March 12.
When is the 2025 NFL draft?
The NFL draft will begin onThursday, April 24, with the first round. The second and third round will take place on Friday, April 25, and the fourth through seventh rounds will conclude on Saturday, April 26.
You don't need to wait until April to bet on the 2025 NFL Draft odds, including who will go No. 1 overall and which players will be drafted in the first round.
When are NFL training camps?
Teams will announce their specific training camp schedules as we get into the summer, though we can expect all training camps to begin sometime in mid-July. Last year, the NFL announced training camp dates on June 18, and they were all scheduled to begin between July 13 and July 24.
When is NFL Week 1 2025?
The 2025 NFL regular season is scheduled to begin on Sept. 4, 2025. Traditionally, the defending Super Bowl champions open the season as hosts for a Thursday night kickoff game to open the NFL season, so expect this year's game to be in Philadelphia.
The first Sunday of the 2025 NFL season is scheduled for Sept. 7, while the Monday Night Football season opener will be on Sept. 8.
When are NFL Thanksgiving games?
The annual NFL Thanksgiving games will take place on Thursday, Nov. 27 and will likely feature three games - two of which will include the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions, who traditionally play every year on the holiday.
When do the 2025-26 NFL playoffs start?
The 2025-26 NFL playoffs will start on Saturday, Jan. 10, with the wild-card round likely lasting through Monday, Jan. 12. That will come before the NFL Divisional Round on Jan. 18-19 and the NFL Conference Championships on Sunday, Jan. 26.
When is the 2026 Super Bowl?
The 2026 Super Bowl is on Feb. 8, 2026, at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. We don't know the Super Bowl 60 matchup yet, though the Chiefs and Eagles opened as the favorites to win the AFC and NFC, respectively.
- Date: Sunday, Feb. 8
- Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Levi's Stadium (Santa Clara, Calif.)
- Favorite: Chiefs (+600 via DraftKings)
- TV: NBC
2025-26 NFL schedule FAQs
When does the 2025-26 season start?
The 2025 NFL season will start on Sept. 4, 2025. The Eagles will likely host that Thursday night NFL kickoff game.
When do the 2025-26 NFL playoffs start?
The 2025-26 NFL playoffs will start with the wild-card round on Saturday, Jan. 10.
When is the 2026 Super Bowl?
The 2026 Super Bowl is on Feb. 8, 2026, at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
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