The NFL’s 2026 season is opening in a way that’s already rubbing plenty of fans the wrong way: with a rare Wednesday night game.
Instead of the usual Thursday-night kickoff featuring the defending champions, the league will start with a Super Bowl rematch between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks on Wednesday night. Then comes another twist the next day, when the NFL stages an international game in Australia between the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night.
For a lot of viewers, more football is usually a good thing. This setup, though, has sparked immediate pushback online, with fans making it clear they don’t love the league moving its marquee start off the traditional night.
“The NFL season starting on a Wednesday is still lame,” one fan wrote on X.
“I’m sure it’s probably been said a million times by now, but I absolutely can’t stand how the NFL season is kicking off on a Wednesday,” Connor Griffin of Barstool Sports said.
“NFL having their first game on a Wednesday is stupid can’t convince me otherwise,” a second fan commented.
“NFL football on a Wednesday is gross. Feels like they’re on the verge of overplaying their hand chasing that international love that will never EVER take off like they want to,” another fan declared.
The league’s explanation is pretty clear: this is about growing its international reach. Roger Goodell has already said the Australia game won’t be a one-off.
“There’s no question that we’re going to be playing here again,” Goodell said. “Our view is that we’re coming here for the long term.
We don’t come as a one-off. This isn’t a circus.”
The NFL also has games lined up in Madrid, London, Paris and other notable cities this season.
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