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ESPN to deliver company's largest NFL game portfolio ever, headlined by top-tier matchups on "Monday Night Football" and the International Series on NFL Network; Super Bowl LXI punctuates the season on ESPN and ABC
Among MNF signature matchups: Broncos-Chiefs, Giants-Rams, Eagles-Bears, Bills-Rams, Cowboys-Eagles, Bears-Seahawks, Bills-Vikings, Chargers-Ravens, Cowboys-Seahawks, Patriots-Chiefs, Giants-Lions
NFL Network airs first game from Paris, also brings fans games from London and Madrid
Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Lisa Salters and Laura Rutledge return as voices of Monday Night Football and Super Bowl LXI
Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli embarks on sixth season
Super Bowl LXI serves as historic milestone, ESPN's first-ever Super Bowl presentation
Powered by marquee matchups, star quarterbacks and Super Bowl favorites, ESPN will deliver its largest NFL game portfolio in company history during the 2026-27 NFL season, a landmark year culminating with Super Bowl LXI, ESPN's first-ever Super Bowl presentation. Comprised of Monday Night Football and NFL Network, the company will present 28 games during the regular and postseason, plus Super Bowl LXI, marking game 29.
ESPN's 2026-27 regular-season slate features 26 games - 17 Monday Night Football matchups, a Week 18 Saturday Doubleheader and seven games on NFL Network. Of the 17 Monday Night Football games, 10 of those will be simulcast on ABC, including seven in the first nine weeks. The additional seven Monday Night Football games will air exclusively on ESPN. Capping off the regular season, ESPN's Week 18 doubleheader will consist of two games (to be announced) with playoff implications, also simulcast on ABC.
On NFL Network, five of its seven games (Weeks 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9) are NFL International Series matchups, including its first game from Paris, while its two remaining games will occur on Saturday of Week 16 as part of a doubleheader. Between Monday Night Football and NFL Network, ESPN will bring fans eight games in the month of October. This season marks the first year of NFL Network's inclusion in ESPN's portfolio, following ESPN's acquisition of the network in 2025.
For the fourth consecutive season, ESPN will also present both a Wild Card playoff game and a Divisional Round matchup, also simulcast on ABC. ESPN's portfolio of games will be played within the company's 'Year of the Super Bowl,' which culminates with Super Bowl LXI on Feb. 14, 2027, live from SoFi Stadium across ESPN and ABC.
A Spanish-language telecast will be available for all ESPN and NFL Network games, with most on ESPN Deportes.
ESPN's Monday Night Football schedule features every 2025-26 division winner and playoff team, resulting in highly anticipated matchups featuring iconic franchises and star power. Highlights include:
Early season historic rivals: A Cowboys-Eagles (Week 7) blockbuster NFC East showdown, after the season begins with a Broncos-Chiefs (Week 1) AFC West battle.
MVP quarterbacks in must-see matchups: Beginning in Week 1, the NFL's last four league MVPs (Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes and Matthew Stafford) will appear on Monday Night Football five times over the season's first 10 weeks with Giants-Rams (Week 2), Bills-Rams (Week 5), Bills-Vikings (Week 9) and Chargers-Ravens (Week 10).
Super Bowl Champs: The Seattle Seahawks will host two marquee Monday Night Football matchups against NFC heavyweights - the Chicago Bears (Week 8) and the Dallas Cowboys (Week 13).
Recent AFC Champs: Patriots-Chiefs (Week 15) go head-to-head as Drake Maye faces Mahomes for the first time in his career, Monday Night Football's second game at Arrowhead Stadium this season.
Finishing the season strong: Giants-Lions (Week 16) precedes Monday Night Football's finale featuring Texans-Packers in the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field (Week 17).
Top Super Bowl contenders: In addition to the multiple appearances by the Bills, Rams, Chiefs, Eagles and Seahawks, Monday Night Football will feature each of the top 10 Super Bowl favorites, including the 49ers (vs. Commanders, Week 6). The Ravens, Patriots, Chargers and Packers are also in the top 10.
NFL Network's seven-game slate includes international matchups in London, Madrid and Paris. Highlights include:
AFC South showdown: Texans-Jaguars (Week 6) highlights the lineup, with both teams entering the season after 12-plus-win campaigns in 2025.
Overseas debuts: Bengals' Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase, and Commanders' Jayden Daniels are set to make their international debuts.
Return of the Birds:The Eagles will play on NFL Network for the first time since 2018.
In Week 16, NFL Network will air two of the following four matchups: Buccaneers-Falcons, Commanders-Vikings, Panthers-Steelers and/or Bengals-Colts. The matchups will be announced at least two weeks prior to Dec. 26.
Buck, Aikman, Salters, Rutledge return as voices of Monday Night Football
Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Lisa Salters and Laura Rutledge return for their second full season together as ESPN's Monday Night Football quartet. Buck and Aikman enter their 25th season as a broadcast duo, extending their record as the longest-running booth pairing in NFL history. Salters begins her 15th season on the MNF sidelines, continuing her tenure as the longest-serving sideline reporter in franchise history, while Rutledge adds to her extensive run covering both the NFL and college football for ESPN.
Peyton and Eli Manning return for sixth season
Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli is back for its sixth season, with 12 games beginning in Week 1. The brothers will return for Super Bowl LXI, the 13th game of the season. The remaining schedule will be announced before the start of the season.
ESPN will air one preseason game, Raiders-Texans, on Aug. 20. Additionally, during the NFL preseason, 12 more out-of-market games will stream live on the ESPN App for fans with an ESPN Unlimited plan, while NFL Network will also present numerous out-of-market live games. All 49 preseason games will either be available live or through replay on NFL Network. The full schedule will be announced in the coming weeks.
More on Super Bowl LXI
ESPN's 2026-27 NFL portfolio is delivered within the company's "Year of the Super Bowl," a 12‑month, multi‑platform celebration of America's biggest sporting event. Already underway, ESPN will spotlight the sport's biggest moments, personalities and teams through year‑round storytelling, shoulder programming and immersive experiences, culminating with ESPN's first‑ever Super Bowl presentation, simulcast on ESPN and ABC.
Note: One additional ABC simulcast will be added during the course of the season; flex scheduling can be utilized for MNF beginning in Week 12 and continuing through Week 17.
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