AND THE WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED SUNDAY AFTERNOON ON THE BRIDGE. WELL, CHIEFS KINGDOM, THE SCHEDULE IS FINALLY OUT FOR THE 2026 FOOTBALL SEASON. SPORTS DIRECTOR LEN JENNINGS HERE RIGHT NOW. OPENING NIGHT WILL BE A BIG ONE. LINN. YEAH, IT’S CONFIRMED. CONFIRMED. NOW THE CHIEFS ARE GOING TO BE HOSTING THE BRONCOS ON MONDAY NIGHT. IT’S ONE OF SIX PRIME TIME GAMES FOR THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS THIS SEASON. NOT BAD. AFTER MISSING THE PLAYOFFS. ONLY THE RAMS AND BILLS HAVE MORE. TWO MONDAY NIGHT GAMES YOU CAN SEE RIGHT HERE ON KMBC. THAT’S THE SEASON OPENER AGAINST THE BRONCOS AND THE PATRIOTS IN WEEK 15. ANOTHER PRIME TIME GAME IS THANKSGIVING NIGHT IN BUFFALO IN WEEK 12. OTHER TAKEAWAYS FROM THE SCHEDULE. THE BYE WEEK IS EARLY WEEK FIVE. ALSO FOR NOON KICKOFFS THIS SEASON, TWO OF THEM ARE AT HOME.
Chiefs schedule breakdown: Thanksgiving in Buffalo, Bengals rivalry returns, tough road stretch
Updated: 10:10 PM CDT May 14, 2026
The Kansas City Chiefs are heading right back into the spotlight in 2026.The NFL released the full regular-season schedule Thursday night, and the Chiefs landed six primetime games despite missing the playoffs last season. Only the Bills and Rams have more primetime games on the schedule.Kansas City opens the year with back-to-back home games under the lights at Arrowhead Stadium. First comes a Week 1 Monday Night Football showdown against the Denver Broncos on Sept. 14, followed by a Sunday Night Football matchup against the Indianapolis Colts six days later.Then the travel begins.The Chiefs hit the road for games against the Miami Dolphins and Las Vegas Raiders before getting an early bye in Week 5. That early break could become a talking point later in the year as Kansas City faces a challenging stretch run loaded with travel and playoff-caliber opponents.One of the marquee matchups of the season comes in Week 12, when Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs head back to Buffalo for a Thanksgiving night showdown against Josh Allen and the Bills. It marks the third straight regular season Kansas City will play in Buffalo, and the Chiefs have lost their last two regular-season trips there.The Chiefs also renew their rivalry with the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 14 after the teams did not meet during the 2025 regular season. That game will be played in Cincinnati.Another scheduling quirk: Kansas City will play two road games at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. The Chiefs face the Rams on Thursday Night Football in Week 13 and later return to the same stadium for a road matchup against the Chargers in Week 17. There’s even a chance the Chiefs could make a third trip to SoFi this season since the stadium is hosting the 2027 Super Bowl.The schedule also includes a home matchup against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 16. It will be the 49ers’ first regular-season trip to Arrowhead Stadium since Patrick Mahomes’ first full season as the Chiefs’ starter. Mahomes has never lost to San Francisco and beat the 49ers twice in the Super Bowl.Kansas City also will face all four teams that reached last season’s conference championship games. Three of those games come on the road: Seattle, Buffalo and Los Angeles against the Rams. The Chiefs host New England at Arrowhead Stadium in Week 15.Kansas City travels to Seattle for Sunday Night Football in Week 7 against the defending Super Bowl champions. Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker will return to Seattle, where last year he won the Super Bowl MVP. The Chiefs finish the regular season with two AFC West games against the Chargers and Raiders, though dates and kickoff times for those matchups have not yet been announced.Another notable takeaway: Kansas City only has four noon kickoffs on the entire schedule.Here is the full 2026 Kansas City Chiefs regular-season schedule:Week 1: Monday, Sept. 14, Denver Broncos (ESPN/ABC), 7:15 p.m.Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 20, Indianapolis Colts (NBC), 7:20 p.m.Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 27, at Miami Dolphins (CBS), 12:00 p.m.Week 4: Sunday, Oct. 4, at Las Vegas Raiders (CBS), 3:25 p.m.Week 5: BYE WEEKWeek 6: Sunday, Oct. 18, Los Angeles Chargers (CBS), 3:25 p.m.Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 25, at Seattle Seahawks (NBC), 7:20 p.m.Week 8: Sunday, Nov. 1, at Denver Broncos (CBS), 3:25 p.m.Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 8, New York Jets (CBS), 12:00 p.m.Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 15, at Atlanta Falcons (CBS), 12:00 p.m.Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 22, Arizona Cardinals (CBS), 12:00 p.m.Week 12: Thursday, Nov. 26, at Buffalo Bills (NBC), 7:20 p.m.Week 13: Thursday, Dec. 3, at Los Angeles Rams (Amazon Prime Video), 7:15 p.m.Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 13, at Cincinnati Bengals (FOX), 3:25 p.m.Week 15: Monday, Dec. 21, New England Patriots (ESPN/ABC), 7:15 p.m.Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 27, San Francisco 49ers (CBS), 3:25 p.m.Week 17: TBD, at Los Angeles Chargers, TBDWeek 18: TBD, Las Vegas Raiders, TBD
KANSAS CITY, Mo. —
The Kansas City Chiefs are heading right back into the spotlight in 2026.
The NFL released the full regular-season schedule Thursday night, and the Chiefs landed six primetime games despite missing the playoffs last season.
Only the Bills and Rams have more primetime games on the schedule.
Kansas City opens the year with back-to-back home games under the lights at Arrowhead Stadium. First comes a Week 1 Monday Night Football showdown against the Denver Broncos on Sept. 14, followed by a Sunday Night Football matchup against the Indianapolis Colts six days later.
Then the travel begins.
The Chiefs hit the road for games against the Miami Dolphins and Las Vegas Raiders before getting an early bye in Week 5.
That early break could become a talking point later in the year as Kansas City faces a challenging stretch run loaded with travel and playoff-caliber opponents.
One of the marquee matchups of the season comes in Week 12, when Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs head back to Buffalo for a Thanksgiving night showdown against Josh Allen and the Bills.
It marks the third straight regular season Kansas City will play in Buffalo, and the Chiefs have lost their last two regular-season trips there.
The Chiefs also renew their rivalry with the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 14 after the teams did not meet during the 2025 regular season. That game will be played in Cincinnati.
Another scheduling quirk: Kansas City will play two road games at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. The Chiefs face the Rams on Thursday Night Football in Week 13 and later return to the same stadium for a road matchup against the Chargers in Week 17.
There’s even a chance the Chiefs could make a third trip to SoFi this season since the stadium is hosting the 2027 Super Bowl.
The schedule also includes a home matchup against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 16. It will be the 49ers’ first regular-season trip to Arrowhead Stadium since Patrick Mahomes’ first full season as the Chiefs’ starter. Mahomes has never lost to San Francisco and beat the 49ers twice in the Super Bowl.
Kansas City also will face all four teams that reached last season’s conference championship games. Three of those games come on the road: Seattle, Buffalo and Los Angeles against the Rams. The Chiefs host New England at Arrowhead Stadium in Week 15.
Kansas City travels to Seattle for Sunday Night Football in Week 7 against the defending Super Bowl champions. Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker will return to Seattle, where last year he won the Super Bowl MVP.
The Chiefs finish the regular season with two AFC West games against the Chargers and Raiders, though dates and kickoff times for those matchups have not yet been announced.
Another notable takeaway: Kansas City only has four noon kickoffs on the entire schedule.
Here is the full 2026 Kansas City Chiefs regular-season schedule:
Week 1: Monday, Sept. 14, Denver Broncos (ESPN/ABC), 7:15 p.m.Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 20, Indianapolis Colts (NBC), 7:20 p.m.Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 27, at Miami Dolphins (CBS), 12:00 p.m.Week 4: Sunday, Oct. 4, at Las Vegas Raiders (CBS), 3:25 p.m.Week 5: BYE WEEKWeek 6: Sunday, Oct. 18, Los Angeles Chargers (CBS), 3:25 p.m.Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 25, at Seattle Seahawks (NBC), 7:20 p.m.Week 8: Sunday, Nov. 1, at Denver Broncos (CBS), 3:25 p.m.Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 8, New York Jets (CBS), 12:00 p.m.Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 15, at Atlanta Falcons (CBS), 12:00 p.m.Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 22, Arizona Cardinals (CBS), 12:00 p.m.Week 12: Thursday, Nov. 26, at Buffalo Bills (NBC), 7:20 p.m.Week 13: Thursday, Dec. 3, at Los Angeles Rams (Amazon Prime Video), 7:15 p.m.Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 13, at Cincinnati Bengals (FOX), 3:25 p.m.Week 15: Monday, Dec. 21, New England Patriots (ESPN/ABC), 7:15 p.m.Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 27, San Francisco 49ers (CBS), 3:25 p.m.Week 17: TBD, at Los Angeles Chargers, TBDWeek 18: TBD, Las Vegas Raiders, TBD