Why NFL’s highly anticipated Friday opener won’t happen in 2026 despite record-breaking TV numbers | NFL News
The NFL is shaking up its schedule for 2026, and fans will notice a major change. For the past two years, the league opened Week 1 with a Friday night showcase, often tied to its international expansion. But that tradition won’t continue. Citing federal law, the league confirmed that no Friday game will be played during Week 1 of the 2026 season.
Why the NFL can’t play on Friday in 2026
Hans Schroeder, the NFL’s Executive Vice President of Media Distribution, explained that the shift is not a choice but a legal necessity. The Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 prohibits professional football games on Friday or Saturday evenings during the high school and college football seasons. The aim was to protect grassroots programs from competing directly with the NFL’s massive reach.In 2024 and 2025, the league sidestepped the restriction because Labor Day fell early, allowing the Friday opener to slide in before the blackout period. However, in 2026, Labor Day falls on September 7. That places the second Friday of the month — the league’s traditional opener window — squarely inside the restricted period. As Schroeder confirmed, “the league cannot legally open its season the same way it has the past couple of years.”This shift marks the end of what had quickly become a lucrative experiment. Broadcasters spent heavily for exclusive rights to those Week 1 international Friday games. In fact, NBC Universal and Peacock paid $105 million in 2024, while YouTube matched the same fee in 2025. With the blackout rule in effect, the league will have to redirect that spotlight.
NFL’s international ambitions remain strong
While the Friday opener disappears, the NFL isn’t slowing down its global push. In 2026, the season will kick off with the league’s first-ever regular-season game in Australia, hosted at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground with the Los Angeles Rams as the home team. São Paulo, Dublin, London, Berlin, and Madrid are also on the international slate, marking the most ambitious overseas schedule in league history.The Friday night gap may ultimately fuel broader scheduling changes. Reports suggest the league is exploring the possibility of an 18-game season, which would allow an entire slate of international matchups packaged in the 9:30 a.m. ET window for broadcasters. Commissioner Roger Goodell has been vocal about his vision: to spread the NFL’s footprint worldwide with as many as 17 or 18 games played internationally.For now, though, fans should savor the 2025 Friday night clash between the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers in São Paulo. Once the whistle blows in 2026, Week 1 will look different, but the NFL’s global reach will only continue to expand.Also Read: Experts warn Ravens’ Buffalo Bills woes may continue, but Lamar Jackson could flip the script under the lights
