Last Updated: 20 march 2026
About the NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is the largest professional league in American football, with 32 teams currently playing. The start of a new NFL season begins in August with preseason training. This stage lasts for 3 weeks. Then, from the beginning of September to the beginning of August the regular season takes place. During this period each team plays 17 games. After this stage, 7 teams from each conference meet in the playoffs and play elimination matches. The most anticipated game in every NFL season is the Super Bowl, where the winning teams from the American Football Conference and the National Football Conference meet. It is one of the most significant sporting events not only in the United States but also around the world.
NFL 2026-27 Season: Dates, Format & Key Highlights
The NFL 2026/2027 season will be the league’s 107th edition and is set to kick off on September 9, 2026. For the first time in years, the opening game will take place on a Wednesday, featuring the Seattle Seahawks — an unusual start that already draws extra attention.
Season Format & Playoffs
The regular season will run through January 2027, with each of the 32 teams playing 17 games across 18 weeks. A total of 14 teams (7 from each conference — AFC and NFC) will advance to the playoffs to compete for the championship.
Super Bowl 2027
The season will culminate in Super Bowl LXI on February 14, 2027. As always, the Super Bowl remains one of the most-watched sporting events worldwide.
NFL Draft 2026
The NFL Draft 2026 will take place starting April 23, 2026, in Pittsburgh. It is a crucial offseason event that significantly shapes team rosters and the league’s competitive landscape.
NFL History
In the early 20s, several important meetings happened that resulted in the creation of the American Professional Football Association (APFA). The main goal of this group was to develop and make American football recognizable on a large scale. Jim Thorpe was elected as the first president of the APFA. Meanwhile, the association at the very beginning consisted of 14 teams.
On 3 October 1920, the first full week of league play began.
In 1922, the APFA changed its name. Since that time, the association has been called the National Football League (NFL).
Over the years, the format of the tournament has changed. Moreover, despite its scale as a professional football league, the NFL has faced competition from other football leagues.
Currently, the NFL is the most popular league in North America. It is important to note that the league’s greatest popularity came between 1960 and 1989, when Pete Rozelle was at the helm of the NFL. Thanks to his work, total annual attendance increased almost 6 times (from 3 million to 17 million).
The next commissioner, Paul Tagliabue, expanded the number of television contracts, which influenced the league to grow even more.
Roger Goodell, the current NFL commissioner, is focused on making the sport and players safer.
Previous NFL seasons’ results based on Super Bowl outcomes
| The year | Venue | Results |
| 2025-26 | Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California | New England Patriots (AFC) |
| 2024 -25 | Caesars Superdom, New Orleans, Louisiana | Philadelphia Eagles (NFC) |
| 2023-24 | Allegiant Stadium, Paradise (NV) | Kansas City Chiefs (AFC) |
National Football League for the 2027-28 season
There is currently no information available about exact dates for the 108th NFL season.
Keep an eye on the dates of football events and other activities in our Sporting Events Calendar.
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