New England Patriots

This will mark the first time in 10 years that the NFL will open a new season with a rematch of the previous year’s Super Bowl.

By Conor Ryan

May 14, 2026 | 7:23 AM

1 minute to read

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The New England Patriots will reportedly open a new season of football with a very familiar foe.

​According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Patriots will begin the 2026 season on the road against the Seattle Seahawks in an anticipated rematch of Super Bowl LX on Wednesday, Sept. 9.

That bout at Seattle’s Lumen Field — which will be broadcast on NBC — will mark the first time in 10 years that the NFL will open a new season with a rematch of the previous year’s Super Bowl.

The Patriots will look to secure a different outcome this time around against the Seahawks, as New England’s improbable run to Super Bowl LX ended with a crushing 29-13 defeat at Levi’s Stadium.

It was a rough performance from Drake Maye and the rest of New England’s offense in that matchup against a stacked Seattle defense, with the Patriots’ second-year QB knocked for two interceptions and a lost fumble while completing 27 of his 43 passes.

Seattle recorded six sacks, 11 QB hits, and posted eight tackles for a loss in their win.

It won’t get much easier for New England in September against a still-loaded Seahawks roster, especially with Seattle’s already raucous home crowd expected to be even louder on a night where they hang their second Super Bowl banner.

The full 2026 NFL schedule will be released on Thursday evening, but several games have already been announced for multiple teams.

In a release posted Wednesday morning, the NFL revealed its schedule of international games — with the Patriots set to play the Detroit Lions in Munich, Germany on Nov. 15. Kickoff is set for 9:30 a.m. EST, with New England officially listed as the road team at Allianz Arena.