NFL Schedule & Key Dates for 2026-27 Season: When is the NFL Draft Combine?
After the Seattle Seahawks beat the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl, we're already looking ahead to the 2026-27 NFL schedule and key dates as we turn our attention to free agency and draft season.
Here's a look at the NFL offseason schedule and key dates for the new league year:
📅 NFL offseason key dates & deadlines
Here's an updated look of the full NFL offseason key dates and deadlines:
February
- Feb. 17: Clubs may begin designating Franchise or Transition Players (through March 3)
- Feb. 23 - March 2: NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis, Ind.)
March
- March 3: Deadline for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players (4 p.m. ET)
- March 9-11: Legal tampering period - teams may contact pending unrestricted free agents
- March 11: 2026 League Year begins; free agency signing period starts (4 p.m. ET)
- March 29 - April 1: Annual League Meeting (Phoenix, Ariz.)
April
- April 15: Deadline for clubs to visit, interview, or conduct physicals with draft-eligible players
- April 17: Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets
- April 20: Clubs with returning head coaches may begin offseason workout programs
- April 22: Deadline for prior club to exercise right of first refusal on restricted free agents
- April 23-25: 2026 NFL Draft
May
- May 1: Deadline for clubs to exercise Fifth-Year Option for players selected in first round of 2023 Draft
- May 1-4 or May 8-11: Teams permitted to hold one three-day post-Draft rookie minicamp
- May 13 (expected): 2026 NFL Schedule Release
July
- Mid-July: Rookie training camps begin (seven days before veteran reporting date)
- July 15: Deadline to sign extension for franchise tag players (4 p.m. ET)
- Mid-to-late July: Veteran training camps begin
August
- Aug. 31: Rosters must be cut to 53 players (4 p.m. ET)
September
- Sept. 10: NFL Kickoff Game
🔍 When is the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine?
The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine will take place Feb. 23 - March 2, 2026, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind.
It doesn't take long for the league to move on from the Super Bowl and turn the page toward the draft process with prospects prove their mettle through physical, mental, and interpersonal testing for NFL coaches, general managers, and scouts.
The combine helps produce critical data that front offices use for evaluation, but it's also become a popular betting event with wagering available on markets like the 40-yard dash, bench press, 3-cone drill, and more.
🏷️ When is the 2026 NFL franchise tag deadline?
Teams have from Feb. 17 through March 3, 2026 (4 p.m. ET) to designate Franchise or Transition Players.
The franchise tag allows teams to retain a pending free agent for one year by offering a one-year contract equal to the average of the top five salaries at the player's position (or 120% of their previous salary, whichever is greater).
It's a crucial tool for teams to retain top talent or force the issue with extension negotiations, and the outcomes from the franchise tag deadline often kick-start the unofficial start to free agency.
Key franchise tag dates:
- Feb. 17 - March 3: Window to apply franchise or transition tags
- March 3: Deadline to designate players (4 p.m. ET)
- July 15: Deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign long-term extensions
After the July 15 deadline, franchise-tagged players can only sign one-year contracts and cannot negotiate extensions until after their team's final regular season game.
💰 When does 2026 NFL free agency start?
The 2026 NFL free agency period officially begins on March 11 at 4 p.m. ET.
Before free agency officially opens, teams enter a "legal tampering" period from March 9-11 where they can contact and negotiate with pending unrestricted free agents through their certified agents. No contracts can officially be signed until 4 p.m. ET on March 11.
Key free agency dates:
- March 9 (noon ET): Legal tampering period begins
- March 11 (4 p.m. ET): Free agency signing period officially opens; 2026 League Year begins
- April 17: Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets
- April 22: Deadline for teams to match offer sheets on restricted free agents
Free agency can be a transformative period for some franchises who use their money to shore up key weaknesses or entice the rare star that hits the open market. It can also be a misnomer, though, as teams built primarily through free agency often struggle to sustain success over the long term.
🎯 When is the 2026 NFL Draft?
The 2026 NFL Draft will take place April 23-25 at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Penn. The Las Vegas Raiders will open the draft with the No. 1 pick, and the latest NFL draft odds have Fernando Mendoza projected to be the top overall pick.
Here's a look at the schedule for the NFL draft:
- Round 1: Thursday, April 23
- Rounds 2-3: Friday, April 24
- Rounds 4-7: Saturday, April 25
Here are some other key dates for prospects and rookies:
- Jan. 14: Deadline for underclassmen to declare for Special Eligibility
- April 15: Deadline for teams to conduct pre-draft visits with prospects
- April 23-25: NFL Draft in Pittsburgh
- May 1: Deadline to exercise fifth-year options on 2023 first-round picks
- May 1-4 or May 8-11: Post-draft rookie minicamps
💪 When are NFL training camps?
NFL training camps for the 2026 season are expected to begin in mid-to-late July, as is the usual tradition for the league. Rookie players report approximately seven days before veteran players.
Veteran reporting dates generally fall between July 20-25, with the exact dates varying by team. The league allows clubs with returning head coaches to begin offseason workout programs on April 20.
Key training camp dates:
- Mid-July: Rookies report (typically 7 days before veterans)
- Late July: Veterans report
- July 15: Deadline to sign franchise tag player extensions
📋 When does NFL preseason start 2026-27?
The NFL preseason will kick off in early-to-mid August with the annual Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 6. The rest of the preseason will begin approximately one week later and extend for three weeks before a one-week break ahead of Week 1.
⏳ When does football season start 2026-27?
The 2026 NFL regular season will begin on Thursday, Sept. 10, with the NFL Kickoff Game featuring the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.
The first Sunday of the 2026 NFL season is scheduled for Sept. 13, while the Monday Night Football season opener will be on Sept. 14.
🌍 NFL International Games 2026
The NFL's push to expand its international footprint continues in 2026 with nine international games planned across four continents. The league has already announced games in London (x3), Paris, Madrid, Munich, Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, and Melbourne.
We'll learn the full schedule and details for all nine international games later this summer with the NFL schedule release expected to be on Wednesday, May 13.
🦃 When are NFL Thanksgiving games?
The annual NFL Thanksgiving games will take place on Thursday, Nov. 26, and will feature three games - two of which will include the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions, who traditionally play every year on the holiday.
🎄 When are NFL Christmas games?
The annual NFL Christmas games will take place on Thursday, Dec. 25. The slate of Christmas Day games will be announced when the full NFL schedule is released in May.
🆚 When do the 2026-27 NFL playoffs start?
The 2026-27 NFL playoffs will start on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2027, with the wild-card round lasting through Monday, Jan. 18. That will be followed by the NFL Divisional Round on Jan. 23-24 and the NFL Conference Championships on Sunday, Jan. 31.
Here's an early look at the 2026-27 NFL playoff schedule:
- Wild Card Round: Jan. 16-18, 2027
- Divisional Round: Jan. 23-24, 2027
- Conference Championships: Jan. 31, 2027
- Super Bowl 61: Feb. 14, 2027
🏆 When is the 2027 Super Bowl?
Super Bowl 61 is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 14, 2027, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. This will mark the first time the Super Bowl has been played on Valentine's Day, and it will also be the latest Super Bowl ever on the calendar.
Here's an early look at the details for Super Bowl 2027:
- Date: Sunday, Feb. 14, 2027
- Time: 6:30 p.m. ET (expected)
- Location: SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, Calif.)
- TV: TBD
📺 When is the 2026 NFL schedule released?
The full 2026 NFL schedule, including dates and times for all 272 regular season games, is expected to be released in mid-May. Based on the release date in the past, you can almost certainly expect that date to be Wednesday, May 13.
If last year serves as an example, we can expect the schedule to be announced at 8 p.m. ET on NFL Network and ESPN, with individual teams typically beginning to release their schedules on social media in the hours before the league-wide announcement.
In the 24-48 hours leading up to the official release, certain marquee matchups may be announced or leaked, including:
- Season opener featuring the defending Super Bowl champion
- Week 1 games
- Super Bowl rematch
- International games
- Thanksgiving and Christmas games
❓ 2026-27 NFL schedule FAQs
When does the 2026-27 season start?
The 2026 NFL season will start on Thursday, Sept. 10, with the NFL Kickoff Game.
When do the 2026-27 NFL playoffs start?
The 2026-27 NFL playoffs will start with the Wild Card Round on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2027.
When is the 2027 Super Bowl?
Super Bowl 2027 is on Sunday, Feb. 14, 2027, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. This will be the first Super Bowl played on Valentine's Day.
When is the 2026 NFL Draft?
The 2026 NFL Draft will take place April 23-25, 2026, in Pittsburgh, Penn., with events held at Acrisure Stadium, Point State Park, and other venues throughout the city.
When does 2026 NFL free agency begin?
The 2026 NFL free agency signing period begins at 4 p.m. ET on March 11, 2026.
When is the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine?
The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine takes place Feb. 23 - March 2, 2026, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind.
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