The NFL season begins Wednesday. Here's a look at how to watch and some of the top storylines

The NFL regular season kicks off on Wednesday night as the defending Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks, take on the New England Patriots at home. The season will feature a total of 272 games across 32 teams, with nine international matches adding to the excitement. The final game of the season, Super Bowl 61, is scheduled for February 14 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

The opening game will feature the Los Angeles Rams against the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia, the following Thursday at 8:35 p.m. EDT. Subsequent games will be held on Sunday, Sept. 13. Notable matchups include Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys facing the New York Giants, and Kyler Murray making his debut with the Minnesota Vikings against the Green Bay Packers. Patrick Mahomes, returning from a knee injury, will play for the Kansas City Chiefs against Bo Nix.

Several star players are expected to be healthy for the 2026 season, including Mahomes, as well as tight end George Kittle, edge rusher Nick Bosa, and linebacker Fred Warner of the San Francisco 49ers. Other returning players include Micah Parsons from the Green Bay Packers, Malik Nabers from the New York Giants, Daniel Jones from the Indianapolis Colts, and Nnamdi Madubuike from the Baltimore Ravens.

The NFL's international games span across seven countries, with the 49ers and Rams playing the first game in Australia. Other international matchups include Baltimore Ravens vs. Dallas Cowboys in Rio de Janeiro, Indianapolis Colts vs. Washington Commanders in London, Philadelphia Eagles vs. Jacksonville Jaguars in London, Houston Texans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars in London, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. New Orleans Saints in Paris, Cincinnati Bengals vs. Atlanta Falcons in Madrid, and Minnesota Vikings vs. San Francisco 49ers in Mexico City.