The NFL has defended its approach to the 2026 schedule after criticism over a reduced number of Sunday afternoon games. The league is set to have 197 Sunday afternoon games during the 2026 season. That is down from 198 in 2025 and 211 in 2021,

The amount of NFL games airing on Sunday afternoons continues to shrink as we head into the 2026 season. Fewer NFL regular season games will air on Sunday afternoons in 2026, as the league continues to spread the love to various broadcasting partners and streaming networks.

In every other professional sports league, the schedule unveil isn’t celebrated as a tentpole event. In the NFL, however, it’s become a momentous occasion — for better or worse — during the offseason.

The NFL unveiled its full international schedule for the 2026 season, featuring a record nine games outside the United States.

The NFL has a clear vision of what its ideal regular season looks like. And like a pound-and-ground offense that keeps churning downfield, one 5-yard run after

It's all but assumed the NFL will switch to an 18-game regular-season schedule, and a timeline of when is becoming more clear.