Mark your calendars, football fans—the NFL schedule release is almost here, and this year's slate is shaping up to be one for the history books.

The league confirmed that the full 2026 regular-season schedule will drop on Thursday, May 14, during a primetime special airing on ESPN2 and NFL Network. That's right in line with recent years, but what's happening behind the scenes is anything but routine.

Before the big reveal, all of the NFL's major broadcast partners are holding their upfront presentations to advertisers, and you can bet football will be the star of the show. NBC kicks things off Monday morning at Radio City Music Hall, with Fox and Amazon following later that same day. Expect at least one marquee game announcement from each—these "breadcrumb" reveals are a time-honored tradition that builds anticipation for the full schedule.

But the real buzz is around the league's evolving media landscape. The NFL is still finalizing deals to sell rights to five games acquired through its recent equity partnership with ESPN and Disney. Netflix, which has been clear about wanting to deepen its relationship with the league, is the frontrunner to snag at least part of that inventory—including a potential Thanksgiving Eve game that would be a major coup for the streaming giant.

Two games are already locked in: The 49ers will face the Rams on Thursday, September 10, in Melbourne, Australia, with Netflix again a strong candidate to broadcast it. Meanwhile, the Cowboys take on the Ravens in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, September 27, at 4:25 p.m. ET, part of a record nine global games planned for the season.

Whether you're tuning in on traditional TV or streaming, one thing is clear: the way we watch NFL football is changing fast, and this schedule release is your first look at the future of the game.