The Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants will officially kick off the 2026 NFL season on Sunday, September 13, with an NFC East showdown at MetLife Stadium. The game marks the first Sunday Night Football broadcast of the new season and the 2026 debut for both teams.
Kickoff is scheduled for 8:20 p.m. ET. NBC's pregame coverage, "Football Night in America," will begin at 7 p.m. ET.
The matchup will air nationally on NBC, continuing its 21st season as the home of Sunday Night Football. This will be the 14th time the Cowboys and Giants have been featured as part of NBC's Sunday Night Football package.
For viewers without cable, the game can be streamed on Peacock. Coverage will also be available through NBC's digital platforms for those with participating TV provider credentials. Peacock offers Premium and Premium Plus subscription tiers, with annual plans providing a discount.
While Peacock does not offer a standard free trial, viewers may be able to stream the game without additional cost if they already have NBC through their TV provider. Live TV streaming services that carry a local NBC station might also offer free trials for new subscribers. DIRECTV is noted as a live TV streaming option that includes a five-day free trial.
Last season, the Cowboys and Giants split their two meetings. Dallas won a high-scoring overtime game in Week 2, while New York secured a victory in the season finale.
This game also signifies the start of the John Harbaugh era for the Giants and another season for the Cowboys with quarterback Dak Prescott, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, and George Pickens.
This NFC East rivalry game is set to close out Week 1 of the NFL season.