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Monday Night Football is a weekly staple in the NFL calendar, serving as the concluding showdown of each week of football action.
The games occupy a designated stand-alone spot in prime time every Monday throughout the season, excluding Week 18, and are broadcasted on ESPN. Later in the season, from Weeks 12 to 17, there is the opportunity for games to be flexed into the Monday night slot, in order to provide fans with higher stakes matchups as the playoffs creep closer.
A big change to the MNF schedule this season is the fact that the NFL is no longer scheduling doubleheaders on Monday night. The short-lived experiment in which two games were played on Monday night was not popular among fans, prompting the league to nip it in the bud heading into 2026. As it should always have been, Monday Night Football games in 2026 will all be stand-alone showdowns.
Following the official schedule release for the 2026 NFL season, we now know the matchups for every Monday Night Football clash in the upcoming campaign. Although a late-season flex is always a possibility, here’s the tentative MNF schedule:
Week 1
Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs
The first Monday Night Football spectacle of the ‘26 season will pit together two AFC West rivals in the Broncos and Chiefs. The game is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 14 from Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium.
Week 2
New York Giants at Los Angeles Rams
Jaxson Dart and the Giants will head out West to take on the Rams on MNF in Week 2. The two sides haven’t played each other since December of 2023, but they’ll face off in prime time from SoFi Stadium on Sept. 21.
Week 3
Philadelphia Eagles at Chicago Bears
Two playoff teams from the 2025 season will be this year’s third Monday Night Football showcase. The Eagles will head to Soldier Field to take on the Bears on Monday, Sept. 28 in a rematch of last season’s Black Friday showdown.
Week 4
Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints
An NFC South rivalry will be the stand-alone game on Monday night in Week 4, as the Falcons take on the Saints at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Oct. 5. This game will mark the 20th anniversary of the "Domecoming," the Saints' first game back in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
Week 5
Buffalo Bills at Los Angeles Rams
This figures to be one of the most exciting Monday Night Football games of the season. The Bills will head out to SoFi Stadium to take on the Rams on Oct. 12, in what will be L.A.’s second MNF game in the first five weeks of the campaign.
Week 6
Washington Commanders at San Francisco 49ers
The Commanders and Niners haven’t played since 2023, but they’ll be in prime time for Week 6’s edition of Monday Night Football. The game will be played at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on Oct. 19.
Week 7
Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles
A classic NFC East rivalry will be the stand-alone spectacle on Monday, Oct. 26. The Cowboys will travel to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Dallas hasn’t won on the road in Philly since 2022.
Week 8
Chicago Bears at Seattle Seahawks
Monday Night Football in Week 8 will pit two ‘25 playoff teams against one another, as Caleb Williams and the Bears will head to Seattle for a showdown against the Seahawks on Nov. 2 from Lumen Field.
Week 9
Buffalo Bills at Minnesota Vikings
The Bills’ second MNF game of the season will be played at U.S. Bank Stadium in Week 9, home of the Vikings. Buffalo and Minnesota haven’t played since their classic overtime battle in 2022, but they’ll be center stage in prime time on Nov. 9.
Week 10
Los Angeles Chargers at Baltimore Ravens
Justin Herbert and the Chargers will head to Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium in Week 10, slated to take on the Ravens in prime time.
Week 11
Cincinnati Bengals at Washington Commanders
The Bengals will be in D.C. for the first time since 2020 for the Week 11 edition of Monday Night Football. The Commanders will host Cincinnati on Nov. 23 at Northwest Stadium, a rematch of the Week 3 classic in 2024.
Week 12
Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The second NFC South showdown scheduled for Monday Night Football will come in Week 12, when the Panthers make the short trip to Tampa to take on the Buccaneers on Nov. 30.
Week 13
Dallas Cowboys at Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks will be hosting two Monday Night Football games this year with the second coming in Week 13 against the Cowboys, who will be playing their second road MNF game.
Week 14
Pittsburgh Steelers at Jacksonville Jaguars
Another matchup between ‘25 playoff teams, the Steelers will take on the Jaguars at EverBank Stadium for Monday Night Football on Dec. 14.
Week 15
New England Patriots vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Drake Maye and the Patriots take on Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in a Week 15 Monday Night Football showdown. The game will be played at Arrowhead Stadium on Dec. 21.
Week 16
New York Giants vs. Detroit Lions
The Giants will travel to Detroit on Dec. 28 to take on the Lions at Ford Field in Week 16 on Monday Night Football. It’ll be the Giants’ second Monday night road game of the season.
Week 17
Houston Texans at Green Bay Packers
A game that could feature some intense winter weather will come in Week 17, when the Texans head to Green Bay’s Lambeau Field for a MNF showdown on Jan. 4.
Week 18
N/A
Teams without a Monday Night Football game in 2026
The following teams were not scheduled to play on Monday night in the upcoming season:
- Arizona Cardinals
- Cleveland Browns
- Indianapolis Colts
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Miami Dolphins
- New York Jets,
- Tennessee Titans
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KARL RASMUSSEN
Karl Rasmussen is a staff writer for Sports Illustrated. A University of Oregon alum who joined SI in February 2023, his work has appeared on 12up and ClutchPoints. Rasmussen is a loyal Tottenham, Jets, Yankees and Ducks fan.
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