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 with the defending Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks, taking on the New England Patriots. This marks the beginning of a 272-game schedule across 17 contests for all 32 teams, including a record nine international games. The season culminates in the playoffs and Super Bowl 61, scheduled for February 14 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

Notable matchups in the opening week include Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys facing off against the New York Giants, quarterback Kyler Murray making his debut with the Minnesota Vikings against the Green Bay Packers, and Patrick Mahomes returning from a serious knee injury for the Kansas City Chiefs to take on the Bo Nix-led Denver Broncos.

Veteran players like Patrick Mahomes, Kyler Murray, and George Kittle, who have missed time due to injuries, will be looking to return for the 2026 season. Other star players such as Micah Parsons, Malik Nabers, Daniel Jones, and Nnamdi Madubuike are also expected to be back.

The NFL's international schedule spans seven countries, with the first game taking place in Australia. The 49ers and Rams kick off the international games in Melbourne on September 27, followed by a series of matches across London, Paris, Madrid, Mexico City, and back in Mexico City.

The current favorites to win Super Bowl 61 are the Los Angeles Rams, with odds of +500. Other teams with favorable odds include the Buffalo Bills (+1000), Baltimore Ravens (+1100), defending champion Seattle Seahawks (+1100), and Kansas City Chiefs (+1500). Longshot teams like the Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins offer the biggest payouts, with odds of +50000.