The Denver Broncos schedule for the 2026 season is officially set, and it delivers one of the toughest opening stretches in franchise history alongside a pair of marquee holiday matchups. The reigning AFC West champions will open the year on the road against the Kansas City Chiefs and close it with a rematch of last season’s AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots. In between, fans can expect three prime-time showcases, a Black Friday game, and a Christmas Day clash at Empower Field at Mile High.
Below is a complete look at every game on the Denver Broncos schedule, including dates, opponents, kickoff times, and broadcast details, along with context on what makes this slate one of the most demanding in the league.
╔══════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║ KEY POINTS SUMMARY ║ ╠══════════════════════════════════════════════╣ ║ • Season opens Monday, Sept. 14 at Chiefs ║ ║ on Monday Night Football ║ ║ • Five of first six opponents made the ║ ║ 2025 playoffs ║ ║ • Three prime-time games: MNF, SNF, and TNF ║ ║ • Black Friday game at Steelers (Nov. 27) ║ ║ • Christmas Day home game vs. Bills (Dec. 25) ║ ║ • Bye week falls in Week 10 (Nov. 15) ║ ║ • Season finale rematch vs. Patriots and ║ ║ Chargers to close out the year ║ ╚══════════════════════════════════════════════╝
Denver Broncos 2026 Regular Season Schedule
Week 1: Monday, Sept. 14 — at Kansas City Chiefs (Monday Night Football) 6:15 p.m. MT, ESPN The Broncos open on the road against the Chiefs for the first time in franchise history, marking their first season-opening prime-time appearance since 2022.
Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 20 — at Jacksonville Jaguars 2:05 p.m. MT, CBS
Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 27 — vs. Los Angeles Rams (Sunday Night Football) 6:20 p.m. MT, NBC Denver’s home opener arrives in prime time against a 2025 playoff qualifier.
Week 4: Sunday, Oct. 4 — at San Francisco 49ers 2:25 p.m. MT, CBS
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 11 — at Los Angeles Chargers 2:05 p.m. MT, CBS
Week 6: Thursday, Oct. 15 — vs. Seattle Seahawks (Thursday Night Football) 6:15 p.m. MT, Prime Video Denver hosts the defending Super Bowl champions in a Thursday night showcase, capping a stretch in which five of the Broncos’ first six opponents made last season’s playoffs.
Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 25 — at Arizona Cardinals 2:05 p.m. MT, CBS
Week 8: Sunday, Nov. 1 — vs. Kansas City Chiefs 2:25 p.m. MT, CBS
Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 8 — at Carolina Panthers 11:00 a.m. MT, CBS
Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 15 — Bye Week
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 22 — vs. Las Vegas Raiders 2:25 p.m. MT, CBS
Week 12: Friday, Nov. 27 — at Pittsburgh Steelers (Black Friday) 1:00 p.m. MT, Prime Video This marks the franchise’s first-ever Black Friday appearance, part of a demanding late-season road-heavy stretch.
Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 6 — vs. Miami Dolphins 2:05 p.m. MT, Fox
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 13 — at New York Jets 11:00 a.m. MT, CBS
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 20 — at Las Vegas Raiders 2:25 p.m. MT, CBS
Week 16: Friday, Dec. 25 — vs. Buffalo Bills (Christmas Day) 2:30 p.m. MT, Netflix A rematch of last season’s Divisional Round playoff game, this holiday matchup kicks off a season-closing stretch entirely against 2025 playoff teams.
Week 17: Saturday/Sunday, Jan. 2-3 — at New England Patriots Time and network TBD A rematch of last year’s AFC Championship Game. This contest is among four candidates league-wide to be flexed into a Saturday broadcast window.
Week 18: Saturday/Sunday, Jan. 9-10 — vs. Los Angeles Chargers Time and network TBD The regular-season finale marks the first time since the 2019-2020 seasons that Denver closes out consecutive years against the same opponent.
Preseason Schedule
Ahead of the regular season, the Broncos will play three preseason games:
at Atlanta Falcons — Friday, Aug. 14, 7:00 p.m. ET vs. Green Bay Packers — Aug. 20-23 (exact date TBD) vs. Minnesota Vikings — Aug. 27-30 (exact date TBD)
Preseason games will air locally on 9NEWS, with all preseason and regular-season contests also broadcast on KOA, the team’s flagship radio station.
What Stands Out on the Broncos’ 2026 Slate
The Denver Broncos schedule is built around two demanding bookends. The season opens with a run against five 2025 playoff teams in the first six weeks, including the Jaguars, Rams, 49ers, Chargers, and Seahawks, with the only non-playoff opponent in that span being the Chiefs. The year then closes with three consecutive games against 2025 playoff qualifiers, starting with the Christmas Day matchup against Buffalo and continuing into rematches against New England and the Chargers.
In total, Denver faces 10 games against teams that reached the playoffs a season ago, making this one of the most challenging schedules the franchise has faced under head coach Sean Payton. The Broncos also avoid three consecutive road games all season, though they do face stretches of three-of-four and four-of-six games away from home in the middle and closing portions of the year.
The Week 10 bye is the earliest scheduling slot for Denver since 2023, giving the team a chance to reset before a second-half push that features six of eight AFC West division opponents, plus the Black Friday and Christmas Day standalone matchups.
Prime-Time and Standalone Games
Denver was awarded three national prime-time windows for 2026:
- Monday Night Football — Week 1 at Chiefs
- Sunday Night Football — Week 3 vs. Rams
- Thursday Night Football — Week 6 vs. Seahawks
In addition, the Broncos will play two standalone holiday games: the Black Friday matchup at Pittsburgh in Week 12 and the Christmas Day home game against Buffalo in Week 16. Both represent firsts or rarities for the franchise, with Denver making its first-ever Black Friday appearance and its first Christmas Day home game.
Home and Away Breakdown
Denver’s home slate includes matchups against the Rams, Seahawks, Chiefs, Raiders, Dolphins, and Bills, while road trips take the team to Kansas City, Jacksonville, San Francisco, Los Angeles (Chargers), Arizona, Carolina, Las Vegas, Pittsburgh, New York (Jets), and New England. The Chargers series splits with one road game in Week 5 and the home finale in Week 18.
Fans planning to attend games at Empower Field at Mile High should note that limited single-game tickets for the 2026 season are already on sale, with the Christmas Day game against Buffalo and the Sunday Night Football opener against the Rams expected to be among the most in-demand dates.
Final Thoughts on the Broncos’ 2026 Schedule
Between a road-heavy opening month against playoff-caliber competition and a season-ending gauntlet featuring two rematches from last year’s playoff run, the Denver Broncos schedule sets up a season that will test the team’s depth and consistency from Week 1 through Week 18. With three prime-time appearances, a Black Friday game, and a Christmas Day showcase, Denver will be squarely in the national spotlight throughout 2026.
What matchup on the Broncos’ 2026 schedule are you most excited to watch — drop your prediction in the comments and check back for updates as game times and TV details are finalized!