The Dallas Cowboys’ full 2026 regular-season slate landed with a bang in Dallas and beyond, featuring a Sunday Night Football opener against the New York Giants, an international game in Rio de Janeiro vs. the Baltimore Ravens, and the Thanksgiving Day clash with the Philadelphia Eagles. Mike Doocy and former Cowboys safety George Teague offered early takes in a video titled “Instant reaction to the 2026 Dallas Cowboys schedule,” while the team leaned into its lighter side with the “Tyler Intelligence Agency” bit starring Tyler Booker, Tyler Guyton and Tyler Smith. This piece lays out the key matchups, primetime windows, preseason plans and notable storylines that will define the Cowboys’ 2026 run.

The schedule release always brings equal parts optimism and practical planning for fans, and Thursday’s reveal was no different. Fans will circle the Week 1 trip to MetLife for a primetime kickoff against the Giants, which sets the tone right away with a 7:20 p.m. CT start on NBC. That opener continues a recent pattern of the Cowboys and Giants meeting early in the year, and it guarantees national eyes on Dallas immediately.

One of the most eye-catching items is the Week 3 trip to Rio de Janeiro for the game against the Baltimore Ravens, a genuine international event that breaks a 12-year international drought for the franchise. Playing in Brazil is more than a novelty; it’s a chance to expand the Cowboys’ brand globally and test travel routines early in the season. Logistics aside, it’s a rare showcase that adds a unique storyline to the 2026 campaign.

The Thanksgiving Day game returns with a heavyweight matchup, as the Cowboys host the Philadelphia Eagles at 3:30 p.m. CT on Nov. 26. Thanksgiving games are tradition and pressure rolled into one, and this marks the first Turkey Day meeting between these rivals since 2014. For Dallas, that date on the calendar is part ritual, part playoff audition, and it will be a focal point for fans and media alike.

Local bragging rights are also on the docket early, with an in-state road trip to face the Houston Texans in Week 4 at noon CT. It marks the Cowboys’ first visit to Houston since 2018, which adds a layer of anticipation for Texas football fans who follow every intrastate showdown. That noon kickoff will be a daytime test of depth and focus for both clubs.

Prime-time exposure is strong across the schedule, not limited to the opener. The Cowboys have Thursday Night Football on Oct. 8 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and they hit Sunday Night Football again in Green Bay on Oct. 18. Monday nights include the Week 7 trip to Philadelphia and a Dec. 7 visit to Seattle, so Dak Prescott and company will see plenty of national windows to make statements and close out marquee weeks on big stages.

Before the regular season, the Cowboys will play three preseason games: a Week 1 visit to the Seattle Seahawks, a Week 2 trip to the Arizona Cardinals, and a home preseason finale against the New Orleans Saints. The final preseason game is listed in bold in the team’s announcements, which is traditionally where coaches get their last looks before final roster decisions. No specific dates or times have been announced for those tune-ups yet.

Below is the full 2026-27 regular season schedule with kickoff times listed in Central Time. Home games are shown in bold where applicable.

• Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 13 @ New York Giants (7:20 p.m. on NBC)
• Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 20 vs. Washington Commanders (3:25 p.m. on FOX)
• Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 27 vs. Baltimore Ravens (Brazil) (3:25 p.m. on CBS)
• Week 4: Sunday, Oct. 4 @ Houston Texans (12 p.m. on FOX)
• Week 5: Thursday, Oct. 8 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7:15 p.m. on Amazon Prime)
• Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 18 @ Green Bay Packers (7:20 p.m. on NBC)
• Week 7: Monday, Oct. 26 @ Philadelphia Eagles (7:15 p.m. on ESPN)
• Week 8: Sunday, Nov. 1 vs. Arizona Cardinals (12 p.m. on FOX)
• Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 8 @ Indianapolis Colts (12 p.m. on FOX)
• Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 15 vs. San Francisco 49ers (3:25 p.m. on FOX)
• Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 22 vs. Tennessee Titans (12 p.m. on FOX)
• Week 12: Thursday, Nov. 26 vs. Philadelphia Eagles (Thanksgiving) (3:30 p.m. on FOX)
• Week 13: Monday, Dec. 7 @ Seattle Seahawks (7:15 p.m. on ESPN)
• Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 13 BYE WEEK
• Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 20 @ Los Angeles Rams (3:25 p.m. on CBS)
• Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 27 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (7:20 p.m. on NBC)
• Week 17: Sunday, Jan. 3 vs New York Giants (12 p.m. on FOX)
• Week 18: Saturday/Sunday Jan. 9/10 @ Washington Commanders (Time & network TBD)

All times are CT. The team leaned into personality with its schedule announcement video, which features the offensive linemen trio forming the “Tyler Intelligence Agency” and using a double agent gag to preview opponents. Expect coaches and players to tweak preparation once travel windows and exact game-day operations are finalized, but the headline moments are set and worth circling on any fan’s calendar.