Many football fans have already heard about leaks concerning the upcoming NFL regular-season schedule. On Monday, it was confirmed—though not officially—that the Washington Commanders will travel to London, England, to play on October 4, 2026. This wasn’t a rumor from a random social media account. The source turned out to be the official website of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the venue scheduled to host the game. In an effort to organize and promote the event, the site apparently released information the NFL had not yet authorized for public disclosure.
The league previously announced it would release the full regular-season schedule on Thursday, May 14, with international games to be revealed a day earlier, on Wednesday, May 13. With Week 1 kicking off on September 13, October 4 falls on the Sunday of Week 4. Notably, the stadium website later removed the information, suggesting the NFL contacted them and that the Commanders’ game details will be reposted once officially announced.
Additionally, we learned that the Commanders will not open the season against either the Dallas Cowboys or the New York Giants. The NFL announced that Dallas will visit the Giants on Sunday Night Football in Week 1. In 2025, Washington faced the Giants at Northwest Stadium in a 1:00 PM season opener. NBC has long favored Cowboys-Giants matchups, particularly in prime time, given New York’s massive market and the rivalry’s appeal. In fact, these two NFC East teams have met in Week 1 eight times over the past 15 seasons, making the network’s choice unsurprising.
Finally, the Commanders will also not face the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day in Arlington, Texas. Instead, Dallas will host another division rival, the Philadelphia Eagles, in a Week 12 game scheduled for November 26 at 4:30 PM. This will be the third Thanksgiving meeting between the Cowboys and Eagles. The first came in 1989, infamous for Eagles coach Buddy Ryan allegedly placing a bounty on Cowboys kicker Luis Zendejas and quarterback Troy Aikman—Ryan denied it, but game footage suggested otherwise. The second was in 2014. Both Thanksgiving contests were won by the Eagles (27-0 in 1989, 33-10 in 2014).