You're sitting there, the weather is finally starting to turn, and the air feels just a bit crisper. That’s usually the moment it hits you. You realize the Sundays spent doing yard work or wandering through a craft fair with your spouse are almost over. It's time. But every year, the calendar shifts just enough to make you double-check: when does regular football season start exactly?
It isn't just one date. Honestly, it’s a rolling launch.
Most people are looking for the NFL kickoff, which traditionally lands on the Thursday following Labor Day. For 2026, that puts the opening night on September 10. But if you’re a college fan, your "New Year" happens much sooner. The NCAA likes to jump the gun with "Week 0," often landing in late August. It’s a staggered rollout that keeps fans on their toes and sports bars frantically checking their satellite subscriptions.
The NFL Kickoff: Thursday Night Lights
The NFL doesn’t just start; it explodes. Since 2004, the league has followed a very specific tradition where the defending Super Bowl champion hosts the opening game on a Thursday night. It’s a massive spectacle. Usually, there’s a concert. There’s a banner drop. There’s a lot of hype.
If you're marking your calendar for the 2026-2027 cycle, the "Kickoff Game" is slated for September 10, 2026. This is the official answer to when does regular football season start for the pros. The rest of the league follows suit that Sunday, September 13, with the first Monday Night Football doubleheader wrapping up the opening weekend on September 14.
The league office, led by Commissioner Roger Goodell and the scheduling gurus like Howard Katz, meticulously plans this. They want the highest possible ratings right out of the gate. That’s why you almost always see a marquee matchup. Think divisional rivals or a rematch of a high-stakes playoff game from the previous January.
Why Thursday? Because the NFL essentially owns a day of the week now. By starting on Thursday, they create a four-day media cycle that dominates the news. You get the Thursday headlines, the Friday reactions, the Saturday college chaos, and then the Sunday NFL blitz. It’s a relentless machine.
College Football and the Week 0 Phenomenon
College ball is different. It’s more chaotic. It’s more regional. And it starts earlier.
The NCAA "regular" season begins with Week 0. This is a relatively recent term that describes a handful of games played the Saturday before the full Labor Day weekend slate. For 2026, Week 0 falls on August 29. These games aren't usually the massive Top-10 matchups, but when you've been starving for football since February, a matchup between mid-major teams in Ireland or a late-night Mountain West clash feels like a feast.
The "real" opening weekend for most major conferences—the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, and ACC—happens over Labor Day weekend. This year, that means a massive four-day stretch of games starting Thursday, September 3, and running through Labor Day Monday, September 7.
If you’re a fan of a school like Alabama, Ohio State, or Texas, your season likely begins during this window. It’s a marathon. You’ve got teams playing in "Kickoff Classics" at neutral sites like Atlanta, Arlington, or Charlotte. These games are designed for TV and to give teams a resume-building win before they even hit conference play.
Why the Start Date Moves Every Year
It’s all about the calendar. The NFL is tethered to Labor Day. Since Labor Day can fall anywhere from September 1 to September 7, the season start date fluctuates accordingly.
The league has a "primary" schedule of 18 weeks (17 games plus a bye week). They have to work backward from the first Sunday in February, which is the designated Super Bowl window. If the Super Bowl is Feb 1, the season starts earlier. If it’s Feb 8, they have more breathing room.
Television networks like CBS, FOX, NBC, and ESPN/ABC also have a huge say in this. They pay billions. Literally billions. So, when they say they want a specific window for a high-profile game, the league listens.
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- The Broadcast Window: Games are staggered to ensure no two "premium" games overlap.
- The International Factor: With games in London, Munich, and potentially South America, the "start" of the season now includes logistical hurdles that didn't exist twenty years ago.
- Player Safety: You’ll notice the preseason has been shortened to three games. This was a trade-off for the 17th regular-season game. It means the "regular season" starts a week earlier than it used to in the old 16-game format.
High School Football: The True Early Starters
We can't talk about when the season starts without mentioning the Friday Night Lights. In many parts of the country—especially Texas, Florida, and Georgia—high school football starts well before the pros.
In some states, "Zero Week" for high schools begins in mid-August. By the time the NFL kicks off on September 10, some high school teams are already three or four games into their season. It’s the grassroots engine of the sport. If you're looking for a football fix in August and don't want to watch NFL backups play in the preseason, your local high school stadium is the place to be.
Logistics for the Modern Fan
Knowing when does regular football season start is only half the battle. You have to know where to watch it. The landscape has shifted dramatically. It’s not just "turn on the TV" anymore.
You’ve got games on Amazon Prime (Thursday nights). You’ve got games on Peacock or Netflix (special holiday windows or international games). You’ve got the traditional Sunday afternoon blocks on CBS and FOX. If you aren't prepared, you'll be staring at a "Log In" screen while your team is lining up for the opening kickoff.
- Check your subscriptions in August. Don't wait until the Thursday night opener to realize your streaming app needs an update or a renewed payment.
- Update your fantasy rosters. Most leagues hold their drafts in the ten days leading up to the September 10 opener. If you're drafting in July, you're asking for trouble with preseason injuries.
- Sync your calendars. Use a digital calendar that auto-updates with your team's schedule. Google Calendar and Outlook have built-in "Interesting Calendars" features for NFL and NCAA teams.
The Preseason "Fake" Start
Don't get fooled by the Hall of Fame Game. It usually happens in early August in Canton, Ohio. It looks like football. It sounds like football. But it isn't the regular season.
The starters rarely play more than a series, if they play at all. It’s a developmental tool for coaches to see which undrafted free agents deserve a roster spot. While it’s tempting to count this as the "start," it’s really just the appetizer. The real stakes begin when the wins and losses actually count toward the standings in September.
Actionable Steps for the 2026 Kickoff
To make sure you don't miss a single snap of the 2026 season, follow this timeline.
August 15-20: This is your tech check. Verify your streaming logins for Amazon Prime, YouTube TV (if you have Sunday Ticket), and any other regional sports networks.
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August 29: Catch the Week 0 college games. It’s the best way to shake off the "offseason rust" and get used to the Saturday rhythm again.
September 3-7: The Labor Day College Football Blitz. This is the best weekend for pure volume. From Thursday night through Monday night, there is almost always a game on.
September 10: The Big One. Order your wings early. The NFL regular season officially begins.
Football season is a marathon, not a sprint. The start dates are spread out to maximize exposure and revenue, but for the average fan, it’s just about knowing when to be on the couch. Mark September 10 for the NFL and August 29 for college. Everything else is just waiting.