The 2026 NFL season officially kicks off Sunday, September 13, with an NFC East matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants. The game is scheduled for 8:20 p.m. ET and will be broadcast nationally on NBC.
This season opener marks the beginning of John Harbaugh's tenure as head coach of the Giants. Harbaugh, a Super Bowl champion, was hired by the Giants in January on a five-year contract after an 18-season run with the Baltimore Ravens.
Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart will lead a revamped offense. However, a key offensive player, wide receiver Malik Nabers, is listed as questionable for the game. Nabers suffered an ACL tear in Week 4 of the 2025 season. The team bolstered its receiving corps earlier this summer by signing veteran wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who previously played for the Giants from 2014 to 2018.
Fans without cable can stream the game for free through a DIRECTV trial. A five-day free trial of the MySports genre pack, which includes NBC, is available. New subscribers to this genre pack also receive $20 off per month for their first six months.
The Giants' 2026 schedule includes a Week 1 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams on September 21, followed by games against the Tennessee Titans and Arizona Cardinals in the subsequent weeks. Their schedule features a mix of CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, and Amazon Prime Video broadcasts throughout the season.