2025 NFL Schedule Release: Key Prime-Time Matchups, International Games & How to Watch

The 2025 NFL schedule is finally here, and it packs a season-long punch of marquee showdowns, global showcases and holiday blockbusters that will keep fans glued from September kickoff through the first weekend of January. H2: Key Release Details The league unveiled all 272 regular-season games on May 14 during a primetime special on NFL Network, NFL.com and NFL+ at 8 p.m. ET. The 18-week slate begins Thursday, Sept. 4, and ends Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, setting the table for an expanded postseason race. H2: Opening Night & Week 1 Headliners • Kickoff Game: Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles (Sept. 4, NBC) • First Friday game in Brazil: Kansas City Chiefs vs. L.A. Chargers at São Paulo (Sept. 5, YouTube) Other Week 1 highlights include Lamar Jackson vs. Josh Allen in Buffalo on Sunday Night Football and a classic NFC North clash—Vikings at Bears—on Monday night. H2: Primetime Showcases Every Night of the Week • Thursday Night Football streams exclusively on Amazon Prime, kicking off with Commanders–Packers in Week 2. • Sunday Night Football features 14 division battles, headlined by Ravens-Chiefs (Week 4) and Lions-Chiefs (Week 6). • Monday Night Football doubles up four times, starting with a Vikings-Bears/Chargers-Raiders twin bill in Week 1. • Netflix grabs Christmas Day rights for a triple-header featuring Cowboys-Commanders, Lions-Vikings and Broncos-Chiefs. H2: A Record Seven International Games The NFL pushes its global footprint with contests in five countries: • São Paulo (Week 1) – Chiefs vs. Chargers • Dublin (Week 4) – Vikings vs. Steelers • London (Weeks 5 & 6) – Vikings-Browns, Broncos-Jets • Berlin (Week 10) – Falcons vs. Colts • Madrid (Week 11) – Commanders vs. Dolphins A potential game in Rio de Janeiro is still “to be confirmed,” giving 2025 the most international dates ever. H2: Thanksgiving to New Year’s—Holiday Football Feast • Thanksgiving triple-header returns: Packers-Lions, Chiefs-Cowboys, Bengals-Ravens • Black Friday: Bears-Eagles on Amazon • Christmas Day: first-ever NFL games on Netflix • New Year’s weekend flex scheduling ensures playoff implications in every window. H2: Streaming & TV Primer – NBC/Peacock: Kickoff, Sunday Nights & one Wild Card – CBS & FOX: Sunday afternoon double-headers all season – ESPN/ABC: Monday Nights plus Wild Card and Divisional games – Amazon Prime: All Thursday nights + Black Friday – Netflix: Exclusive Christmas slate – NFLN & YouTube: Select international and exclusive matchups H2: Bye Weeks & Flex Scheduling Bye weeks begin in Week 5 and run through Week 14, while the NFL’s flex rules allow NBC, ESPN and Amazon to swap in higher-stakes tilts from Week 5 onward. Week 18 remains “TBD” for maximum drama. H2: Plan Your Season Fans can download printable team-by-team schedules, sync the master calendar to mobile devices, and purchase tickets directly through links on NFL.com/schedule. For the full week-by-week grid—including preseason and playoff dates—visit NFL Operations’ complete schedule hub. Whether you’re scouting fantasy lineups, booking flights to London or counting down to that Thanksgiving rivalry, the 2025 NFL schedule offers more primetime, more streaming choices and more international flair than any season in league history.