The New England Patriots are officially back.
New England will open the 2026 regular season on Wednesday, Sept. 9, with a primetime road matchup against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:20 p.m. ET, with the game airing nationally on NBC and streaming on Peacock. In the Boston market, the game will air on NBC 10 Boston.
And there is considerably more riding on this season opener than the usual Week 1 anticipation.
The Patriots and Seahawks are meeting just seven months after Seattle defeated New England in Super Bowl LX. That makes Wednesday night’s NFL Kickoff Game a Super Bowl rematch, with the defending champion Seahawks beginning their title defense at home against the team they beat for the Lombardi Trophy.
It will also be a historic night for New England. This will be the first Wednesday game in franchise history and the NFL’s first Week 1 Super Bowl rematch since the Denver Broncos hosted the Carolina Panthers to open the 2016 season.
Here’s everything Patriots fans need to know about how to watch, stream and listen to Wednesday night’s season opener.
What Channel Is Patriots vs. Seahawks On?
Patriots-Seahawks will air nationally on NBC, with kickoff set for 8:20 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Sept. 9.
For viewers in the Boston area, the game will be available on NBC 10 Boston.
Football Night in America will begin the night’s coverage at 7 p.m. ET from Lumen Field before the 8:20 p.m. kickoff.
Mike Tirico will handle play-by-play for the game, with Cris Collinsworth serving as analyst. Melissa Stark and Kaylee Hartung will report from the sidelines.
For fans looking for the essentials:
- Matchup: New England Patriots at Seattle Seahawks
- Date: Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026
- Time: 8:20 p.m. ET / 5:20 p.m. PT
- Location: Lumen Field, Seattle
- TV: NBC; NBC 10 Boston locally
- Live stream: Peacock
- Local radio: 98.5 The Sports Hub
- National radio: Westwood One
How to Live Stream Patriots vs. Seahawks
The most straightforward streaming option for Patriots-Seahawks is Peacock, which will carry NBC’s coverage of the NFL Kickoff Game. NBC Sports says Peacock will stream all of its NBC NFL games during the 2026 season.
The Patriots also list NFL+ as an option for eligible out-of-market viewers, with device and geographic restrictions applying.
Patriots official ways to watch Patriots vs. Seahawks can be found here.
Because streaming availability can depend on a viewer’s location and device, fans should check eligibility before kickoff.
How to Listen to Patriots vs. Seahawks
Patriots fans in New England can listen to the game on 98.5 The Sports Hub, the flagship station of the Patriots Radio Network.
Bob Socci will handle play-by-play, while former Patriots quarterback Scott Zolak will provide color analysis. The Patriots also offer a free stream of the local radio broadcast for eligible listeners in the local market during the game.
The national radio broadcast will air on Westwood One, with Kevin Harlan calling the game alongside analyst Kurt Warner.
For SiriusXM listeners, the Patriots list channel 193 for the New England broadcast and 192 for the Seattle broadcast in vehicles. The SiriusXM app channels are 821 for New England and 828 for Seattle, with the national broadcast available on channel 88.
Patriots Open 2026 Season With Super Bowl LX Rematch
There won’t be much easing into the new season for Mike Vrabel’s Patriots.
New England is going straight back to Seattle for a rematch with the reigning Super Bowl champions, putting Drake Maye and the Patriots back on one of the NFL’s biggest stages immediately.
The unusual Wednesday kickoff only adds to the spotlight.
The NFL has opened its season on a Wednesday only once previously, in 2012, when the New York Giants hosted the Dallas Cowboys. For the Patriots, Wednesday night will mark an entirely new piece of franchise history.
More importantly, it begins New England’s next attempt to finish what it came painfully close to accomplishing last season.
The road starts in Seattle.
How to Watch Patriots vs. Seahawks: TV Channel, Live Stream, Time