Every year, the NFL schedule release becomes one of the league’s biggest offseason events, but behind the scenes, putting together the 272-game slate is a months-long process involving league executives, broadcast partners, cloud-based computers, and thousands of scheduling possibilities.
The NFL’s schedule-making team is led by Executive Vice President of Media Distribution Hans Schroeder, Vice President of Broadcasting Planning Michael North, and Vice President of Broadcast Operations Onnie Bose.
Together, they oversee the complicated process of building an 18-week regular-season schedule that balances competitive fairness, television ratings, stadium logistics, travel concerns, and fan interest.
The NFL officially revealed one of the first marquee matchups from the 2026 season on Monday, announcing that the New York Giants will host the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1 on “Sunday Night Football” Sept. 13 at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC.
The game will mark the eighth time in the past 15 seasons that the longtime NFC East rivals have opened a season against each other.
NFL Schedule Makers Must Balance Stadiums, TV & Travel
📺: NFL Schedule Release – Thursday at 8pm ET on ESPN/NFLN
The NFL schedule is not created randomly.
Before the NFL can start assigning dates and kickoff times, the league has to sort through a long list of scheduling challenges involving all 32 teams. Stadium availability plays a major role, as concerts, conventions, baseball games, and other local events can create conflicts involving traffic, parking, travel logistics, and even field conditions.
Teams begin sending that information to the league in January so schedulers can start mapping out possible scenarios for the upcoming season.
The NFL also works closely with its television partners throughout the process to help place major rivalries and star players in the league’s biggest broadcast windows.
Matchups like Cowboys versus Giants are often prioritized for prime-time slots because of their history of drawing large audiences. The rivalry delivered one of the most-watched regular-season games in NFL history when the teams faced off on Thanksgiving in 2022.
NFL Uses Formula to Determine Every Team’s Opponents
📺: NFL Schedule Release – Thursday at 8pm ET on @nflnetwork
Although kickoff times and dates vary each year, the NFL already knows every team’s opponents years in advance because of the league’s scheduling formula.
The NFL’s 32 teams are divided into two conferences — the AFC and NFC — with four divisions in each conference.
Every team plays 17 regular-season games and receives one bye week.
Six games come against division opponents, with each team facing division rivals twice — once at home and once on the road.
Teams also play four games against another division within their own conference and four games against a division from the opposite conference.
Two additional games come against teams from the remaining conference divisions based on the previous season’s standings.
The 17th game is an extra interconference matchup also determined by division finish.
The league uses thousands of cloud-based computers to generate possible versions of the schedule before narrowing down the best options.
Cowboys-Giants Brings Several Storylines Into Week 1
The NFL’s first announced prime-time matchup of 2026 already carries several major storylines.
The Cowboys enter year two under head coach Brian Schottenheimer after an uneven 2025 season.
Dallas will also debut a revamped defense under new coordinator Christian Parker.
Meanwhile, the Giants begin a new era under head coach John Harbaugh after his long run with the Baltimore Ravens.
The matchup could also feature veteran quarterback Dak Prescott facing rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart in Dart’s first NFL regular-season start.
Additional storylines include Dallas receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens facing New York’s rebuilt secondary.
The full 2026 NFL regular-season schedule will be released Thursday, May 14, at 8 p.m. ET.
NFL Announces How Schedule Makers Build the League’s 272-Game 2026 Season