The Los Angeles Chargers will open their 2026 season by facing the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium Sept. 13 as part of a schedule that also includes three prime-time games.
The Chargers will play at Baltimore Nov. 16 on “Monday Night Football,” facing the Ravens and their first-year coach Jesse Minter, the Chargers’ defensive coordinator the past two seasons.
The Chargers will face the New England Patriots in a “Sunday Night Football” game at SoFi Stadium Nov. 29. The Patriots ended the Chargers’ 2025 season with a 16-3 victory in a wild-card round game Jan. 11. The Chargers 2-8 in regular-season and playoff games against New England since 2010.
The Chargers’ other prime-time appearance will be Dec. 17 at SoFi Stadium against the San Francisco 49ers in a “Thursday Night Football” game, the NFL announced Thursday as it revealed the bulk of its 2026 schedule.
The Chargers’ other home games at SoFi Stadium will be on Sept. 20 against the Las Vegas Raiders, Oct. 11 against the Denver Broncos, Nov. 8 against the Houston Texans, Nov. 22 against the New York Jets and in Week 17 against the Kansas City Chiefs, whose date will be announced no later than Dec. 21.
The Chargers’ other road games will be on Sept. 27 at Buffalo, Oct. 4 at Seattle, Oct. 18 at Kansas City, Nov. 1 against the Rams, Dec. 6 against Tampa Bay, Dec. 13 at Las Vegas, Dec. 27 at Miami and in Week 18 at Denver.
The date for the Week 18 game will be determined and announced following the conclusion of Week 17.
NFL rules allow games to be shifted in and out for prime time from the fifth through 17th weeks of the 18-week schedule.
The NFL’s schedule is based on a formula assuring that a team will face each of the 31 other teams at least once over four years.
During a season, a team plays home and road games against each of the other three teams in its division, one game each against all the teams in one division in its conference and one in the other conference, the remaining teams in its conference that finished in the same position in the standings as it did and the team from a designated division in the other conference that finished in the same position it did.
The Chargers were second in the AFC West in 2025 with an 11-6 record.
The NFL also announced Thursday that the Chargers will begin their three-game preseason schedule Aug. 13 with a road game against the Houston Texans, then play San Francisco Aug. 20 at SoFi Stadium.
The Chargers will conclude the preseason Aug. 27 by facing the Rams, who will be the designated visiting team.
Here is the Chargers’ 2026 regular-season schedule:
Sept. 13: Arizona
Sept. 20: Las Vegas
Sept. 27: at Buffalo
Oct. 4: at Seattle
Oct. 11: Denver
Oct. 18: at Kansas City
Nov. 1: at Rams
Nov. 8: Houston
Nov. 16: at Baltimore
Nov. 22: New York Jets
Nov. 29 New England
Dec. 6: at Tampa Bay
Dec. 13: at Las Vegas
Dec. 17: San Francisco
Dec. 27: at Miami
Jan. 2/3: Kansas City
Jan. 9/10: at Denver