Chiefs Schedule Release Leaks: Confirmed 2026 Opponents and Dates

The month of May doesn't feature a ton for the NFL, although there are still a couple of things to look forward to. Teams like the Kansas City Chiefs have organized team activity (OTA) sessions later on, but first up is the release of the 2026-27 league schedule.

Over the years, the NFL has shifted from a larger announcement to a series of smaller reveals leading up to the complete slate. Much of that has to do with the rise of social media and streaming services coinciding with prime-time bouts generating tons of buzz.

As the week kicks off, it's known that the Chiefs have one of the tougher schedules in the sport based solely on last year's opponent win percentage. How could Kansas City fare coming off a mentally and physically trying 6-11 campaign?

While we don't know what order games will be played in until Thursday, there's plenty to discover in the interim.

NFL schedule release: Chiefs' full list of 2026 opponents

Here's a breakdown of the Chiefs' home and away foes for the 2026-27 campaign. As expected, the field consists of three games apiece versus the three other AFC West clubs: Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders.

As part of an annual rotation, head coach Andy Reid's crew faces two separate full-division slates this coming season — one from each conference. This time around, it's the AFC East and NFC West that'll battle the Chiefs. Those divisions posted respective records of 36-32 and 41-27 in 2025-26.

In a twist compared to recent years when they dominated, the Chiefs' placement in their own division sees them face some lower-level teams from the year prior. A third-place finish nets them the Cincinnati Bengals (AFC North), Indianapolis Colts (AFC South) and Atlanta Falcons (NFC South).

Kansas City plays nine road games because in 2025-26, each AFC team got to play nine outings in front of its home crowd.

Home Chiefs games in 2026

Denver Broncos
Las Vegas Raiders
Los Angeles Chargers
Arizona Cardinals
Indianapolis Colts
New York Jets
New England Patriots
San Francisco 49ers

Away Chiefs games in 2026

Denver Broncos
Las Vegas Raiders
Los Angeles Chargers
Cincinnati Bengals
Buffalo Bills
Miami Dolphins
Atlanta Falcons
Los Angeles Rams
Seattle Seahawks

Chiefs schedule rumors and dates ahead of official 2026 NFL schedule release

Here are the latest rumors and announcements regarding 2026 Chiefs schedule matchups throughout the regular season.

Chiefs vs. Broncos to cap off Week 1 slate

As announced by ESPN on Tuesday, the Chiefs will square off with the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football in Week 1. The Sept. 14 clash at 8:00 p.m. ET features two teams with quarterbacks who are recovering from significant injuries.

Could such a huge matchup this early in the season spell good things about both signal-callers' recoveries? Perhaps, but either way, it's a heck of a game to help bring the first week of the 2026 NFL season to a close.

Chiefs at Bills to take place on Thanksgiving

First leaked by NFL Nerd on X on Wednesday night, one of the headline games of the NFL's Thanksgiving slate is Chiefs at Bills. NFL insider Jordan Schultz has since confirmed the leak, adding that the outing takes place on Thanksgiving night at New Highmark Stadium.

The Week 12 game features two of the top players in the entire sport: Mahomes and Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen. The pair has gone head-to-head in some instant classics over the years, regardless of regular-season or playoff context.

The Chiefs and Bills have alternated wins and losses in their last five meetings. Buffalo took the last clash, a 28-21 outcome last season, but Kansas City is undefeated in the postseason (2-0) in that stretch. Now, the rivalry is back on for a national audience to take in.

Pair of Chiefs games leaked hours before schedule release

On Thursday morning, the aforementioned NFL Nerd account dropped a couple of additional potential Chiefs schedule leaks.

First, Kansas City is allegedly hitting the road in Week 4 to take on the Las Vegas Raiders. With new head coach Klint Kubiak at the helm, it remains to be seen whether No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick Fernando Mendoza will be under center at quarterback for that outing.

The second leak from Thursday is yet another rivalry game. The Chiefs may be facing the Cincinnati Bengals on the road in Week 14. With neither team at is peak from the AFC Championship Game days, the series has lost some steam, but both clubs clearly still aren't fans of each other.

Chiefs to get back-to-back home games to open the season?

Per NFL Nerd's Thursday morning leak, Week 2 may have the Chiefs hosting the Colts on Sunday Night Football.

This would mark yet another potential prime-time game for Mahomes and company. Indianapolis is also monitoring its quarterback (Daniel Jones) coming off a serious injury. Jones ruptured his Achilles tendon in Week 14 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

These teams last met in Week 12 of last season, with the Chiefs pulling out an ugly 23-20 overtime victory. In that contest, running back Kareem Hunt toted the ball a whopping 30 times for 104 yards and a score.

A late-season return to Monday Night Football

Leaked by the same source, the Chiefs appear to be set for another Monday Night Football matchup at home. This time, the New England Patriots would travel to KC to cap off Week 15. —Brisco

Primetime in LA

Same source, same story! Following the Chiefs' Thanksgiving in Buffalo, they're reportedly set to be on the other edge of the country the next Thursday for a Thursday Night Football showdown with the Los Angeles Rams.

This report gives us our first solid four-game stretch of KC's schedule, and it's a doozy. From Thanksgiving through December 21, the Chiefs are set to play at Buffalo, at Los Angeles, at Cincinnati and home for New England. —Brisco

No relief to round out 2026

Again from NFL Nerd on Twitter/X, the Chiefs' Week 16 game is scheduled to be against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, December 27. Kansas City will have to contend with the Bills, Chargers, Bengals, Patriots and 49ers in consecutive weeks from Thanksgiving through the end of December. —Brisco

Matchup vs. reigning champs set for Week 7

In Week 7, the Chiefs will visit the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks on Sunday Night Football, according to Jordan Schultz. It will be Kenneth Walker's return to Seattle after signing with the Chiefs in free agency this offseason. —Brisco

Most of the schedule leaks early

Using NFL Nerd's public spreadsheet, only three questions remained for Kansas City as of 4:30 p.m. CT. With vacancies in Weeks 3, 5 and 10, the Chiefs have their games at Miami and at Atlanta remaining, along with their bye week. The bye week must be Week 5 or 10, while Miami is already reportedly booked in Week 5 and 10 and Atlanta is accounted for in Week 3. That would mean that Miami must host KC in Week 3. That leaves the Falcons and the bye week to take their place in Week 5 or 10. —Brisco

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