The NFL is back! Well… almost. It’s preseason football. But hey… we’ll take it.
The 2026 season officially begins on Thursday, August 6 when the Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers collide in the 2026 Hall of Fame Game. Live from Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, fans will see the HOF Class of 2026 — Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Kuechly, Drew Brees, Roger Craig, and Adam Vinatieri — as they’re recognized during pregame activities.
The game won’t be streaming on Prime Video — Amazon will air a preseason game on August 27, with the streamer’s regular season Thursday Night Football coverage starting with Week 2’s Detroit Lions/Buffalo Bills matchup — but you can watch all the fun on NBC and Peacock. Plus, don’t forget that HBO’s Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Seattle Seahawks premieres Tuesday, August 4 at 9:00 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.
We know the first preseason game of the season takes place this Thursday, but when does Monday Night Football start? What’s the Monday Night Football 2026 schedule? Here’s when the first MNF game of the season airs on ESPN and ABC.
Is Monday Night Football on Tonight (August 3)?
Nope. But preseason NFL action begins later this week.
Will There Be a Monday Night Football Preseason Game?
Nope. There’s no Monday Night Football game currently scheduled for the 2026 preseason.
When Does NFL Preseason Football Start?
The first preseason game of the season takes place Thursday, August 6, on NBC and Peacock when the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals collide at 8:00 p.m. ET.
When Does Monday Night Football Start?
Monday Night Football begins on September 14 when the Kansas City Chiefs host the Denver Broncos. All the action begins at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN, ABC, and NFL+.
Monday Night Football 2026 Schedule:
Monday Night Football matchups will air on ESPN and ABC throughout the season. You’ll also be able to stream live MNF from your phone or tablet with a subscription to NFL+.
- Week 1 (September 14): Denver Broncos @ Kansas City Chiefs (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC)
- Week 2 (September 21): New York Giants @ Los Angeles Rams (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC)
- Week 3 (September 28): Philadelphia Eagles @ Chicago Bears (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC)
- Week 4 (October 5): Atlanta Falcons @ New Orleans Saints (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN)
- Week 5 (October 12): Buffalo Bills @ Los Angeles Rams (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC)
- Week 6 (October 19): Washington Commanders @ San Francisco 49ers (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC)
- Week 7 (October 26): Dallas Cowboys @ Philadelphia Eagles (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC)
- Week 8 (November 2): Chicago Bears @ Seattle Seahawks (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC)
- Week 9 (November 9): Buffalo Bills @ Minnesota Vikings (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC)
- Week 10 (November 16): Los Angeles Chargers @ Baltimore Ravens (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC)
- Week 11 (November 23): Cincinnati Bengals @ Washington Commanders (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN)
- Week 12 (November 30): Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN)
- Week 13 (December 7): Dallas Cowboys @ Seattle Seahawks (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC)
- Week 14 (December 14): Pittsburgh Steelers @ Jacksonville Jaguars (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC)
- Week 15 (December 21): New England Patriots @ Kansas City Chiefs (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC)
- Week 16 (December 28): New York Giants @ Detroit Lions (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN)
- Week 17 (January 4): Houston Texans @ Green Bay Packers (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN)
NFL Preseason Schedule For ESPN, FOX, and CBS:
- ESPN (Thursday, August 20 at 8:00 p.m. ET): Las Vegas Raiders @ Houston Texans
- FOX (Sunday, August 23 at 8:00 p.m. ET): Seattle Seahawks @ Tennessee Titans
- CBS (Friday, August 28 at 8:00 p.m. ET): Cincinnati Bengals @ Philadelphia Eagles
How To Watch Monday Night Football Online in 2026:
If you have a valid cable login, you can watch MNF live on ESPN, ABC, the ESPN website/app, or ABC.com. You can also stream Monday Night Football live with an active subscription to Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, DIRECTV, NFL+, or Sling TV.
DIRECTV, Fubo, YouTube TV, and Hulu + Live TV all offer free trials for new subscribers.
Monday Night Football returns on September 14 when the Kansas City Chiefs host the Denver Broncos on ESPN and ABC.
