How the NFL new scheduling changes affect the Eagles in 2026

The NFL schedule has certainly changed since the league went to a 17-game schedule a few years ago. More opportunities for games equals more opportunities for TV networks.

The current 18-week schedule features a NFL Kickoff Game, nine International Series Games, three Thanksgiving Day games, and three Christmas games. There are late-season Saturday windows in the final few weeks of the season, along with the annual Black Friday game that's become a mainstay on the calendar.

Simply put, the NFL would like to put their product on every day that ends in "y" if they could. There's more football coming in 2026, with new TV windows created and how the holiday calendar falls.

International games

The league has already instituted changes in 2026 with a record nine international games. Three games will be played in London, on in Mexico City, one in Munich, one in Paris, one in Madrid, one in Rio de Janeiro, and one in Melbourne.

How does this affect the Eagles? There is a possibility the Eagles could play in an international game this season, as four of their 2026 opponents are scheduled for international games on the calendar. The Dallas Cowboys will play in Rio de Janeiro as the host team, the San Francisco 49ers are the host team in Mexico City, the Washington Commanders are in London, and the Jacksonville Jaguars have two games in London.

Four opportunities for the Eagles to play outside the United States. The London games are typically held on Sunday morning (EST). There are so set times and weeks for the Mexico City and Brazil games, but the Mexico City game as been held on "Monday Night Football" in the past while the Brazil game has typically been on Friday.

The Friday kickoff for the Brazil game won't be the case this year as the game won't be held in Week 1. What week -- and day -- the league will host the Brazil game is to be determined.

Those are just the different timeslots to the international calendar. There are other changes coming to the schedule too.

Thanksgiving Eve

The league is exploring adding a Thanksgiving Eve game to the 2026 schedule, which would be held on a Wednesday game. Because the Eagles are such a big television draw, there's a good chance they would be considered for such a game.

Would those team's bye weeks be before that Thanksgiving Eve game? That's likely possible, since the league can't play games on Saturdays in November due to the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961.

The NFL will want two teams that draw ratings for that game, especially if a new television partner comes onboard. The Eagles played on Black Friday last season and last played on Thanksgiving in 2015, so there's recent history of a holiday game.

Christmas week

Christmas Day falls on a Friday this season, an excellent opportunity for the league to use the holiday to schedule more games. The league already has three games scheduled on Christmas, two are going to Netflix and the other is scheduled for Fox.

What about Christmas Eve? That falls on a Thursday, right in the window of the "Thursday Night Football" timeslot -- so there will be a game on that night. Of course, December 26 is on a Saturday so there's a good chance the NFL will have a game on that day too.

The Eagles played on Christmas in 2017 and 2023. More recent history of the franchise playing on a holiday.

No more 'Monday Night Football' doubleheaders

The league has held several doubleheaders on "Monday Night Football" over the last few years. You might remember the Eagles being a part of them in Week 2 of the season during this stretch.

The NFL will return to broadcasting one game on Monday nights this season. The pulling of the doubleheaders means the league can use those extra games for unusual time slots, which explains the Wednesday opener in 2026 and the potential Thanksgiving Eve game. This also explains the extra game on Christmas and potentially more Saturday games late in the season.

The league wants to maximize as many prime time windows -- and days -- as they can. The elimination of the "Monday Night Football" doubleheader creates that opportunity.

Eagles in ratings

The Eagles are typically a top TV draw, but not at the level as the Kansas City Chiefs or Dallas Cowboys. The Chiefs played in four of the five highest regular season games and the Cowboys are "America's Team."

As for the Eagles? They played in the fifth-most watched game of the regular season when they played the Chiefs. Five games involving the Eagles cracked the top-100 telecasts in 2025, so the Eagles are a huge draw.

Due to America liking -- or hating -- the Eagles, they're a strong consideration for a Thanksgiving, Christmas, or prime Saturday slot late in the season. The game goes for the new standalone "Monday Night Football" window and the international games they are eligible to play in.

The Eagles simply playing on Sunday are a thing of the past.