Seahawks & Patriots Reportedly Chosen to Kick Off 2026 NFL Season

According to reporter Jordan Schultz, the league has selected a Super Bowl LX rematch as its marquee kickoff game. The Seattle Seahawks will reportedly host the New England Patriots on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, to open the NFL‘s regular season.

The Report: Schultz Points to Seattle as Host

Schultz broke the news via X, reporting that Seattle will host New England to open the 2026 season.

Sources: The #Seahawks will open the 2026 season at home with a Super Bowl rematch against the #Patriots.

So, the 2026 NFL season will begin with the two teams that ended last season. 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/IdRS8MbEK1

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) May 13, 2026

The official announcement is expected by 8 p.m. ET Thursday night when the NFL releases its full schedule. The selection is not a surprise from a scheduling logic standpoint. Five of Seattle’s nine home opponents in 2026 (the 49ers, Rams, Giants, Cowboys, and Chiefs) were already committed elsewhere for Week 1, leaving only four viable options: the Cardinals, Chargers, Bears, and Patriots

Of those four, one matchup carries a Super Bowl rematch narrative. The NFL made the obvious choice.

Super Bowl LX Rematch & Why This Game Matters

Seattle won Super Bowl LX by a score of 29–13 over New England in a game that was not as close as the final score suggests. Writing for NBC Sports’ ProFootballTalk, Mike Florio put it plainly: “It felt, frankly, like a 1970s-style Super Bowl suffocation; if they had played 10 times, the Patriots likely wouldn’t have won once.”

Kenneth Walker III was named the MVP of Super Bowl LX after rushing for 135 yards to lead the Seahawks. Now, Drake Maye and the Patriots get an immediate rematch, not at a neutral site, but in Seattle, on the night the Seahawks raise their championship banner.

If confirmed, this will be the first Week 1 Super Bowl rematch since the 2016 season, when the Denver Broncos hosted the Carolina Panthers following Super Bowl 50. Denver won that game 21–20 after Panthers kicker Graham Gano missed a 50-yard field goal in the final 10 seconds.

Broader Schedule Picture

The 2026 season opener is one piece of a larger scheduling rollout. The NFL has also been finalizing its international schedule for 2026, which includes a first-ever regular-season game in Paris and a return to Madrid. Thursday’s official release will confirm broadcast details and the full Week 1 slate of matchups across the league.

The season opener is expected to air on Prime Video, continuing Amazon’s run as the exclusive broadcaster for the NFL Kickoff Game. For fans wondering about streaming access, that broadcast arrangement has drawn its share of scrutiny, including from high-profile critics of the league’s digital migration.