The 2026 NFL season kicks off on Wednesday with a high-profile rematch of the Super Bowl, setting the stage for a wide-open race for the championship. This season will feature a record nine international games across four continents, culminating on Valentine’s Day in Los Angeles at SoFi Stadium. The offseason brought major changes, including roster reshuffling, new coaching staffs, and shifting odds for the Super Bowl, making the path to the title difficult to predict. The Seattle Seahawks will open the season by raising their championship banner before facing the New England Patriots in the league’s first Wednesday opener since 2012. This unusual scheduling allows for the NFL’s most ambitious international expansion yet, with games scheduled in seven countries and eight different venues. The international schedule begins in Australia, where the San Francisco 49ers face the Los Angeles Rams at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, marking the league’s first regular-season game in the country. The tour continues with stops in Rio de Janeiro, London, and cities like Paris, Madrid, Munich, and Mexico City. These games reflect the NFL’s growing global appeal and effort to expand its international footprint. Major changes have taken place across the league since the Seattle Seahawks secured their second Super Bowl title in February. The Los Angeles Rams, already seen as title favorites, made a bold move by acquiring star defensive end Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns in exchange for draft picks and veteran defensive end Jared Verse. Aaron Donald also returned from a brief retirement to rejoin the team he led to a Super Bowl title in 2022. Meanwhile, the New England Patriots, who rose from the bottom of the AFC East to the Super Bowl in a single season, added offensive firepower by acquiring wide receiver A.J. Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles. Seattle, meanwhile, is looking to repeat with a largely intact roster, though they face questions in the backfield after Super Bowl MVP running back Kenneth Walker III signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. The Kansas City Chiefs, led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, face uncertainty as he returns from a season-ending ACL injury to his left knee. Mahomes, who has led the Chiefs to three Super Bowl titles in five years, did not play in any preseason games as a precaution but appears ready for the season opener against the Denver Broncos on September 14. Wide receiver Xavier Worthy expressed confidence in Mahomes’s recovery, praising his relentless work ethic and leadership. Meanwhile, attention has shifted to top draft pick Fernando Mendoza in Las Vegas, though his debut may be delayed as the Raiders have named veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins as their starter. The offseason also saw a record-tying 10 teams appoint new head coaches, including several first-time coaches like Jesse Minter with the Baltimore Ravens and Joe Brady with the Buffalo Bills. One of the most intriguing storylines of the season is the pairing of 42-year-old four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers with new head coach Mike McCarthy in Pittsburgh. The duo previously won a Super Bowl together with the Green Bay Packers in 2011. Former Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, who stepped down in January, believes this veteran pairing has the potential to surprise opponents. “I think that's the only reason Aaron comes back,” Tomlin said. “He believes it, I believe it.” This mix of youth and experience highlights the NFL’s evolving landscape as it heads into the 2026 season.