Thursday Night Football 2026 begins its regular-season run on September 17, when the Detroit Lions travel to face the Buffalo Bills at 8:15 p.m. ET. The game will stream on Prime Video and NFL+, with Buffalo’s new Highmark Stadium hosting its first regular-season Bills game.
The NFL has already released the complete 2026 schedule. Prime Video will stream 17 games during its fifth season carrying the Thursday night package. The schedule also includes special holiday matchups on Black Friday, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.
For fans planning their football calendars, the 2026 slate offers a mixture of divisional rivalries, high-profile quarterbacks and important late-season games. Most Thursday night contests will begin at 8:15 p.m. ET.
When Does Thursday Night Football 2026 Begin?
The first regular-season Thursday night game is scheduled for September 17.
Detroit will visit Buffalo in Week 2. The Lions-Bills matchup will kick off at 8:15 p.m. ET and will be available through Prime Video and NFL+.
There is no regular-season Thursday night game in Week 1. The NFL’s 2026 regular season begins earlier in September, while the Thursday night package starts during Week 2.
The Buffalo game carries additional significance because the Bills will open their new Highmark Stadium for the 2026 season. The Lions matchup is scheduled to serve as the venue’s first regular-season game.
Complete 2026 Thursday Night Football Schedule
The NFL has announced the full regular-season schedule. Here are the 17 Prime Video games currently scheduled:
| Week | Date | Matchup | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 2 | Sept. 17 | Detroit Lions at Buffalo Bills | 8:15 p.m. ET |
| Week 3 | Sept. 24 | Atlanta Falcons at Green Bay Packers | 8:15 p.m. ET |
| Week 4 | Oct. 1 | Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns | 8:15 p.m. ET |
| Week 5 | Oct. 8 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Dallas Cowboys | 8:15 p.m. ET |
| Week 6 | Oct. 15 | Seattle Seahawks at Denver Broncos | 8:15 p.m. ET |
| Week 7 | Oct. 22 | New England Patriots at Chicago Bears | 8:15 p.m. ET |
| Week 8 | Oct. 29 | Carolina Panthers at Green Bay Packers | 8:15 p.m. ET |
| Week 9 | Nov. 5 | Jacksonville Jaguars at Baltimore Ravens | 8:15 p.m. ET |
| Week 10 | Nov. 12 | Washington Commanders at New York Giants | 8:15 p.m. ET |
| Week 11 | Nov. 19 | Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans | 8:15 p.m. ET |
| Week 12 | Nov. 27 | Denver Broncos at Pittsburgh Steelers | 3 p.m. ET |
| Week 13 | Dec. 3 | Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Rams | 8:15 p.m. ET |
| Week 14 | Dec. 10 | Minnesota Vikings at New England Patriots | 8:15 p.m. ET |
| Week 15 | Dec. 17 | San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Chargers | 8:15 p.m. ET |
| Week 16 | Dec. 24 | Houston Texans at Philadelphia Eagles | 8:15 p.m. ET |
| Week 17 | Dec. 31 | Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals | 8:15 p.m. ET |
The NFL’s official 2026 schedule lists these matchups and kickoff times for the Prime Video Thursday night package.
Lions and Bills Open the Regular-Season Slate
Detroit and Buffalo headline the first Thursday night game of the 2026 regular season.
The Bills enter the season after finishing 12-5 in 2025 and reaching the divisional round of the playoffs. Buffalo did not win the AFC East last season, ending a five-year run of division titles.
Detroit finished 9-8 in 2025 after winning the NFC North in each of the previous two seasons. The Lions will therefore enter the matchup looking to start a turnaround against a Buffalo team also coming off a disappointing playoff finish.
The matchup also brings several prominent offensive players into the national spotlight. Buffalo has quarterback Josh Allen and running back James Cook, while Detroit features Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams.
Prime Video Remains the Main Streaming Home
Prime Video continues as the primary U.S. home for Thursday Night Football.
The 2026 season represents Prime Video’s fifth season with the package. The service will stream 17 NFL games during the regular season, including the special Black Friday contest.
NFL+ will also provide access to the Thursday night games. The NFL’s streaming information lists the Week 2 Lions-Bills matchup as available on both Prime Video and NFL+.
Fans should check their local listings and service availability before each game because viewing options can differ by location and platform.
Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit Return
Prime Video’s familiar broadcast team is returning for the 2026 season.
Al Michaels will handle play-by-play duties, while Kirk Herbstreit returns as the lead analyst. Their return gives Prime Video continuity as it enters its fifth season with the Thursday night package.
The broadcast presentation remains a major part of the Prime Video package. Viewers can expect pregame coverage before the main Thursday night telecast.
The Schedule Includes Major Divisional Matchups
Several games on the 2026 slate feature teams from the same division.
Pittsburgh visits Cleveland on October 1 in an AFC North matchup. Washington travels to the New York Giants on November 12 for an NFC East contest.
Indianapolis visits Houston on November 19 in an AFC South meeting. The final Thursday night game of the regular season is another AFC North rivalry, with Baltimore traveling to Cincinnati on December 31.
These divisional games could become particularly important as the playoff race develops. Late-season divisional contests can have a direct impact on division standings and postseason positioning.
Seattle and Denver Meet in Week 6
One of the early standout games comes on October 15, when the Seattle Seahawks visit the Denver Broncos.
Seattle enters 2026 as the defending Super Bowl champion, while Denver also enters the season after winning the AFC West. That gives the Week 6 meeting added significance.
The game also gives Prime Video a matchup involving two teams that finished the previous season with major postseason success.
Patriots and Bears Meet in Week 7
New England travels to Chicago on October 22 for another nationally featured matchup.
The Patriots and Bears will meet at Soldier Field in Week 7, with the game scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET. It comes immediately before Carolina’s October 29 trip to Green Bay.
The back-to-back games give Prime Video two NFC North-related matchups in consecutive weeks.
Black Friday Football Returns
The 2026 Prime Video schedule also includes a special Black Friday game.
Denver will visit Pittsburgh on Friday, November 27. The game is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET rather than the normal Thursday night start time.
Because Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 26, the Black Friday contest provides a separate holiday football window.
The matchup features the Broncos and Steelers, two teams that won their divisions in 2025. That gives the holiday game an especially strong competitive profile.
Christmas Eve Brings Texans vs. Eagles
Prime Video also has a Christmas Eve game on the 2026 schedule.
The Houston Texans will visit the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday, December 24. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET.
The game falls during Week 16, placing it near the end of the regular season. By that point, playoff races and postseason positioning should be entering their decisive stages.
Ravens and Bengals Close the Thursday Slate
The final regular-season Thursday night game is scheduled for New Year’s Eve.
Baltimore will travel to Cincinnati on December 31 for an AFC North matchup. The game is scheduled to begin at 8:15 p.m. ET.
The Ravens-Bengals meeting gives the package a divisional rivalry to close its regular-season schedule. It also comes during Week 17, when playoff implications can be particularly significant.
What Time Do Thursday Night Games Start?
The standard kickoff time for the 2026 Thursday night games is 8:15 p.m. ET.
That translates to 7:15 p.m. CT, 6:15 p.m. MT and 5:15 p.m. PT for viewers across the continental United States.
The Black Friday matchup is the major exception. Denver and Pittsburgh are scheduled for 3 p.m. ET on November 27.
Fans should still check the official schedule before each game because NFL scheduling can include changes as the season progresses.
What Makes the 2026 Schedule Stand Out?
The 2026 slate combines marquee matchups with several important calendar dates.
Some of the biggest scheduling highlights include:
- Detroit at Buffalo opens the regular-season Thursday night schedule.
- Seattle visits Denver in Week 6.
- New England travels to Chicago in Week 7.
- Jacksonville visits Baltimore in Week 9.
- Kansas City travels to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 13.
- San Francisco visits the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15.
- Houston visits Philadelphia on Christmas Eve.
- Baltimore visits Cincinnati on New Year’s Eve.
The schedule also gives fans several opportunities to watch potential playoff contenders in prime-time windows.
Thursday Night Football 2026: What Fans Should Remember
The 2026 schedule is now set, giving U.S. football fans a clear roadmap for the Thursday night portion of the NFL season.
The regular-season package begins September 17 with Lions-Bills. Most games will start at 8:15 p.m. ET and stream through Prime Video, while NFL+ also offers access to the prime-time games.
Prime Video will also feature special holiday football on Black Friday, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit are returning to the booth for another season of coverage.
With the complete schedule already announced, fans can now track the matchups, mark the major dates and prepare for another season of nationally streamed NFL football.
Which Thursday night matchup are you most excited to watch in 2026? Share your pick and stay tuned for confirmed schedule updates throughout the NFL season.