NFL schedule,- The National Football League (NFL) regular season began on Thursday, September 4, 2025, with the defending Super Bowl LIX champion Philadelphia Eagles hosting the Dallas Cowboys. The regular season consists of 18 weeks, with each team playing 17 games and having one bye week. The season is scheduled to conclude on January 4, 2026, and will be followed by the playoffs and Super Bowl LX.
Here are some key dates for the 2025 NFL schedule,:
Regular Season Start: Thursday, September 4, 2025
Regular Season End: January 4, 2026
Playoffs Start: January 10, 2026
Super Bowl LX: February 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California
Week 1 of the NFL Schedule (September 4 – September 8, 2025)
You can find the full schedule for Week 1, including matchups, times, and TV channels, in the referenced web documents.
Additional notable games include international matchups in several countries, three games on Thanksgiving Day (November 27), and three games on Christmas Day (December 25). The schedules for Weeks 17 and 18 may include games on Saturdays and Sundays, with some times and dates yet to be finalized.
The full NFL schedule was released on May 14, 2025. Please note that game times in Weeks 17 and 18 are subject to change.
What Is the NFL Schedule?
The NFL schedule is the organized lineup of games played by the 32 teams over the regular season and playoffs. Each team plays 17 games during the 18-week regular season, with one bye week (a week off). The schedule specifies dates, times, venues, and TV broadcast details for every game.
The regular season is followed by playoffs, a single-elimination tournament culminating in the Super Bowl, the league’s championship game. The NFL schedule also includes preseason exhibition games, but the focus is mainly on the regular and postseason matchups that decide championships.
The NFL schedule allows fans, players, and broadcasters to know when and where teams compete, ensuring the biggest games get prime attention and maximizing viewership globally.
How Is the NFL Schedule Structured?
The NFL schedule consists of three main parts:
Preseason Exhibition Games
Before the regular season kickoff, each team plays about four exhibition games (or preseason games) from early August to early September. These games help players adjust to competition and allow coaches to evaluate new talent. Starters usually play limited minutes to avoid injury before the more critical regular season.
Regular Season Schedule
The core of the NFL season is the 17-game regular season played over 18 weeks, typically starting the week after Labor Day in early September and ending in early January. Each team faces a mixture of divisional rivals, conference opponents, and inter-conference matchups determined by a strict scheduling formula.
Most NFL games are played on Sundays but also include weekly Monday Night Football and Thursday Night Football broadcasts. The schedule increasingly features Saturday games late in the season, breaking with traditional football norms to avoid clashes with college and high school football.
Playoffs and Super Bowl
Following the regular season, 14 teams (seven per conference) qualify for the playoffs through division wins and wild card spots. The playoffs are a knockout format leading to the Super Bowl, held at a predetermined location in early February, crowning the NFL champion for the year.
What’s New in the 2025 NFL Schedule?
The 2025 NFL season includes several notable additions and features reflecting the league’s global expansion and scheduling innovations.
Key Dates and Matchups
The NFL regular season kicks off on September 4, 2025, with the defending Super Bowl LIX champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, hosting the Dallas Cowboys in the highly anticipated NFL Kickoff Game. Following this, the Chiefs will play an international game in Brazil on September 5, marking a historic expansion to new markets.
Record International Games
In 2025, the NFL will feature a record seven international games across five countries, including Ireland, Spain, England, Germany, and Brazil. This includes games at iconic venues like Dublin’s Croke Park and Spain’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. These games underscore the NFL’s mission to globalize football, engaging fans beyond U.S. borders.
Holiday Games and Unique Scheduling
For the first time, the NFL will have games on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day with teams like Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys, and Kansas City Chiefs playing on both holidays. This introduces a festive football tradition, with three games scheduled on Thanksgiving and multiple contests on Christmas Day, including prime-time slots.
Additionally, the NFL will have four Monday Night Football doubleheaders in 2025 and play games on Saturdays during weeks 16 through 18 — a novel scheduling step that avoids conflict with college football while maximizing weekend viewers.
How Is the NFL Schedule Created?
Creating the NFL schedule is a highly intricate process involving thousands of computers and experts working together for months. The process includes:
Collecting input from all 32 teams about stadium availability and local events that might conflict.
Applying a fixed opponent formula to ensure balanced competition where each team faces divisional rivals twice, rotating matchups against other divisions in both conferences on a cyclical basis.
Handling constraints like travel logistics, competitive fairness (avoiding overly long road trips in a row), and maximizing TV ratings by placing marquee matchups in prime viewing slots.
Introducing “flex scheduling” late in the season, allowing games with greater playoff stakes to be moved into prominent time slots for better TV exposure.
This team of NFL executives and computer systems iteratively generates and evaluates thousands of potential schedules to find one that balances fairness, logistics, and fan engagement.
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Practical Tips for Following the NFL Schedule in 2025
To keep track of the NFL schedule effectively:
Follow official NFL websites or trusted broadcasters for the latest real-time updates and any last-minute schedule changes.
Use calendar apps or sports scheduling apps that allow adding NFL games with notifications on game day and times.
Pay attention to timezone differences, especially for international games, to avoid missing kickoff.
Watch for flexible scheduling announcements later in the season as game times may change based on playoff implications.
Get familiar with international game venues and local fan events if planning to attend matches abroad or interact with global fan communities.
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Real-Life Examples: High-Profile Matchups in 2025
A prime example of this year’s exciting schedule is the Super Bowl LIX rematch between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs occurring in Week 2 on a Sunday afternoon. This game will be a marquee matchup, drawing high ratings and fan interest on national TV.
Another highlight is the Thanksgiving Day doubleheader, featuring Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions and the Chiefs at Dallas Cowboys, games steeped in tradition with nationwide anticipation.
The Brazilian game between Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers on September 5 will be the NFL’s first in that country, streamed live globally for free on YouTube, showcasing the league’s digital strategy for expanding its audience.
FAQs
When does the NFL regular season start and end in 2025?
The regular season begins on September 4, 2025, and runs through January 4, 2026, spanning 18 weeks with 17 games per team.
How many games are played in the 2025 NFL regular season?
Each NFL team plays 17 regular-season games, with one bye week, totaling 272 games league-wide over the season.
What new international cities are hosting NFL games in 2025?
New venues include Dublin’s Croke Park in Ireland and Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, among international games also in Brazil, England, and Germany.
Which teams are playing on Thanksgiving and Christmas in 2025?
Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys, and Kansas City Chiefs are notable teams scheduled for games on both Thanksgiving and Christmas days.
How does the NFL schedule handle last-minute changes or high-stakes matchups?
The NFL employs “flex scheduling” for late-season weeks allowing the league to move games with high playoff stakes into prime national TV slots for greater viewer interest.
Final Thoughts
The 2025 NFL schedule offers a rich mix of tradition, innovation, and global expansion. With a 17-game regular season filled with exciting matchups, record-breaking international contests, and multiple holiday games, it reflects the NFL’s commitment to growing the sport’s reach while maintaining the competitive integrity and fan engagement that define American football.
Understanding how the schedule is crafted helps fans appreciate the league’s effort to balance logistics, fairness, and entertainment. As the NFL continues to evolve, the 2025 season promises to be a landmark year, blending domestic excitement with a truly worldwide footprint.
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