When Do NFL Tickets Go On Sale? | NFL 2026 Schedule

August 31, 2026 by

NFL tickets do not have one league-wide on-sale date; for 2026, the NFL said single-game tickets went on sale as games were revealed around the May 14 schedule release. Fans can now compare tickets by matchup, date, and location.

Because the schedule announcement is always quickly followed by the teams putting 2026 NFL game tickets on sale, NFL fans typically scramble to buy single-game tickets to see their favorite teams play, whether at home or on the road. You’re probably scouring your NFL team’s schedule for dates that work for road trips to support the team in another city.

Many passionate NFL fans anxiously await the full season slate to become public so they can begin searching for football tickets. Keep reading if you’re a National Football League fan excitedly waiting for the 2026 NFL tickets to go on sale.

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The beauty of the NFL’s balanced schedule is that fans know exactly which teams will be their opponents the following year as soon as the regular season ends and NFL playoff tickets go on sale. It’s just a matter of when their team plays and what opponent.

That is the information we’ll detail below to help you get tickets to every NFL game in 2026.

When Does the NFL Schedule Come Out?

The NFL released the complete 2026 schedule on Thursday, May 14. The league had announced an 8 p.m. ET release time.

When Do NFL Tickets Go On Sale?

2026 NFL tickets are on sale now, but fans can buy them for specific game dates once the NFL’s schedule is released.

If you want to lock up your tickets to see your favorite team early, many other ticket marketplaces charge hidden fees at checkout on top of the listed price, but not TickPick, where you’ll get the best prices on NFL tickets.

Check out your team’s schedule with tickets below. If you don’t find tickets for your favorite NFL team to play, check back, as more single-game NFL tickets are added daily.

When Is the 2026 NFL Draft?

This year’s 2026 NFL Draft will be held in Pittsburgh, PA, on the city’s north shore, which includes Acrisure Stadium, home of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Day 1 features the first round of the draft (Thursday, April 23rd)
Day 2 includes the second and third rounds of the draft (Friday, April 24th)
Day 3 has rounds four through seven (Saturday, April 25th)

NFL Schedule Release History

The NFL schedule release date changes each year, but it follows the NFL Draft. The league released the 2026 schedule on May 14, continuing its run of May schedule releases that began in 2020.

Check out the list below to see when the NFL schedule was released each year over the last decade.

2026 NFL Schedule – Thursday, May 14th

2025 NFL Schedule – Wednesday, May 14th

2024 NFL Schedule – Wednesday, May 15th

2023 NFL Schedule – Thursday, May 11th

2022 NFL Schedule – Thursday, May 12th

2021 NFL Schedule – Wednesday, May 12th

2020 NFL Schedule – Thursday, May 7th

2019 NFL Schedule – Wednesday, April 17th

2018 NFL Schedule – Thursday, April 19th

2017 NFL Schedule – Thursday, April 20th

2016 NFL Schedule – Thursday, April 14th

2015 NFL Schedule – Tuesday, April 21st

2014 NFL Schedule – Wednesday, April 23rd

2013 NFL Schedule – Thursday, April 18th

What NFL Divisions Play Each Other in 2026?

The NFL’s future schedule is made possible by its eight (8) divisions of four (4) teams, with four divisions in each of the AFC and NFC conferences. Every NFL team plays six (6) games within its division, two against each of its three in-division opponents. It also faces two entire divisions outside its own, one in the AFC and one in the NFC.

NFL teams are also scheduled to play two intra-conference teams that are not in their division and have the same standing within their own divisions (1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th).

For example, the New England Patriots finished first in their division in the 2025 season and are scheduled to play the entire AFC West Division. Therefore, they will now play the two AFC teams that also finished first in their respective divisions, the Jacksonville Jaguars (AFC South) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (AFC North).

The list below should help illustrate which two NFL divisions and teams your team will face during the 2026 NFL season.

AFC East Schedule: AFC West, NFC North, NFC West for 17th game

AFC North Schedule: AFC South, NFC South, NFC East for 17th game

AFC South Schedule: AFC North, NFC East, NFC North for 17th game

AFC West Schedule: AFC East, NFC West, NFC South for 17th game

NFC East Schedule: NFC West, AFC South, AFC North for 17th game

NFC North Schedule: NFC South, AFC East, AFC South for 17th game

NFC South Schedule: NFC North, AFC North, AFC West for 17th game

NFC West Schedule: NFC East, AFC West, AFC East for 17th game

How is the NFL’s 17th Game Matchup Determined?

As of the 2021 season, the NFL added a 17th game to its regular season. The 17th game is determined by the NFL divisions that are matched against one another. It follows the same pattern mentioned above for the other intraconference opponents, except that the matchup is against a team from the opposite conference’s division that finished in the same place.

Again, using the New England Patriots as an example, the 2026 NFL 17th game schedule pits the AFC East Division winner against the NFC West Division winner. Hence, the AFC East champion Patriots play the NFC West champion Seattle Seahawks, since both finished 1st.

2026 NFL International Game Schedule

The NFL International Series refers to any NFL game played outside the United States. The league has confirmed that nine (9) games will be held internationally during the upcoming season, an increase from seven last season.

The 2026 NFL international schedule will include the following games:

Mexico City (San Francisco 49ers)
Melbourne (San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams)
London (2x Jacksonville Jaguars, Washington Commanders)
Paris (New Orleans Saints)
Munich (Detroit Lions)
Madrid (Atlanta Falcons)
Rio De Janeiro (Dallas Cowboys)

NFL Team Schedules and Interactive Team Seating Chart

Looking to see your favorite NFL team’s schedule and the best place to sit for an NFL game? Check out the list below for detailed and interactive NFL seating charts and game tickets.

How to Get Cheap NFL Tickets

Once the NFL schedule is released and tickets go on sale, you can get tickets to big games like the NFL Pro Bowl, NFL Preseason, NFL Playoffs, and even the Super Bowl without hidden fees on TickPick.

TickPick uses all-in pricing, so the price displayed for an NFL ticket is the price you pay at checkout, with no hidden service fees. Compare the available Listings by section, row, and Deal Score before you buy.