When Do NFL Tickets Go On Sale? 2026 Season, Playoffs and International Games

Check today’s get-in prices for upcoming NFL games on TicketScanner’s NFL page.

When do NFL tickets go on sale?

NFL single-game tickets typically go on sale around the schedule release in mid-May, but timing varies by team. For 2026, the league released all 272 regular-season games on Thursday, May 14, and most teams opened sales that evening or the next morning. Season-ticket holders and waitlist members usually get a presale first, so the public sale opens after those buyers have had first pick.

The 2026 season opened Wednesday, Sept. 9, with the Patriots at the Seahawks. The questions that matter now are about the rest of 2026 (dates that can still change, international games, the playoffs) and the 2027 cycle.

The NFL ticket calendar at a glance

When does the NFL schedule come out?

The NFL has released its full schedule in mid-May for five straight seasons: May 12, 2022; May 11, 2023; May 15, 2024; May 14, 2025; and May 14, 2026. The international slate came out a day earlier, on May 13, and broadcast partners were scheduled to reveal select games during their May 11-13 upfronts.

No 2027 release date has been announced as of Sept. 14, 2026. If the pattern holds, expect it in mid-May 2027, with single-game sales following within hours.

What happened on May 14: on-sale timing by team

The league’s schedule page said single-game tickets were on sale for games “as they’re revealed” through NFL Ticket HQ, its network of licensed sellers. Each team still sets its own window.

• Colts: 7:30 p.m. ET on May 14 through Ticketmaster, first come, first served. Fans on the Colts Official Priority List got first access.
• Browns: 7:30 p.m. on May 14, the same moment the team revealed its schedule on its own website and social channels.
• Bears: 7:30 p.m. CT through Ticketmaster, after a 6:30-7:15 p.m. CT presale for season-ticket holders and the Season Ticket Priority List.
• Rams: a limited number of tickets at 4:30 p.m. PT on May 14, while season-ticket members got exclusive inventory for the first 24 hours. The team says more may become available closer to game day.
• Chiefs: Friday, May 15. Jackson County, Missouri, taxpayers got an 8 a.m. presale, season-ticket members 10 a.m., and the public 11 a.m. CT.

Public sales opened within hours of the schedule release, and presales took the first pick. But a sellout on schedule night is not final: some teams release held inventory later, and resale fills in the rest.

NFL season tickets, PSLs and waitlists

Season tickets renew before the schedule is even out. The Packers announced 2026 prices on Feb. 27, 2026, with regular-season stadium bowl seats ranging from $143 to $218 per game.

At some stadiums, buying season tickets also means buying a personal seat license. The Falcons describe a PSL as ownership of a particular seat at Mercedes-Benz Stadium that grants the right to buy season tickets. You cannot buy Falcons season tickets without one, and PSL owners can transfer or resell the license. Season-ticket members, who must own a PSL, also get first access to playoff tickets.

Lambeau Field has been sold out on a season-ticket basis since 1960, and more than 155,000 people were on the Packers’ waiting list as of February 2026.

Other teams charge a deposit to hold your spot:

• Patriots: $100 per seat, two to four seats per account, applied to your balance once you buy season tickets. Waitlist perks include presales and playoff ticket access, subject to availability.
• Bengals: a one-time, nonrefundable $150 per seat, up to four seats, applied in full to the eventual purchase. The team says joining does not assure seats for the upcoming season.

Official resale versus other resale marketplaces

NFL Ticket HQ includes Ticketmaster, SeatGeek, Sports Illustrated Tickets and, since May 2026, Tixr, allowed to sell both primary and resale tickets for clubs it works with. Which one handles a team’s primary sale depends on the team.

Ticketmaster calls itself the Official Ticket Marketplace of the NFL and runs the NFL Ticket Exchange, where season-ticket holders and other fans resell verified tickets, including for sold-out games. Independent resale marketplaces list the same games, often with different inventory and fee structures.

Neither route is automatically cheaper. Compare the total price including mandatory fees, the delivery method, and what happens if a game moves or is not played. The Bears, for example, promised refunds on contingent playoff tickets to single-game buyers who purchased through Ticketmaster. TicketScanner shows the get-in price across the resale marketplaces it monitors in one place.

NFL international games tickets: London, Paris, Madrid and Rio

The NFL scheduled a record nine international regular-season games in 2026. The first, 49ers vs. Rams at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, was played Sept. 10 (ET). Eight remain:

These tickets did not go on sale on schedule night. When the NFL announced the international slate on May 13, it said general on-sale details would come later, with American Express presales for select games. For London, Madrid and Paris, hospitality packages came first and general admission about a month later; Rio used a card presale, then a public sale:

• NFL London tickets (Tottenham): hospitality from June 5, general admission from July 7 at 12 p.m. BST. The Jaguars sold their Wembley game directly.
• Madrid: hospitality June 5, general admission July 9, both at midday CEST.
• Paris: hospitality June 18, general admission July 16 at 12 p.m. CEST, through Ticketmaster France.
• Rio de Janeiro: an American Express presale May 27-31, then the public sale June 9 at 10 a.m. local time through Ticketmaster in Brazil.

For the Tottenham, Madrid and Paris games, buyers needed an NFL Ticketmaster account, and each account was limited to six tickets per game. Starting in 2026, the NFL also shows the total price including mandatory fees for international games.

TicketScanner tracks three of these games:

Source: TicketScanner daily price tracking, snapshot Sept. 13, 2026. Cheapest listed ticket across the resale marketplaces TicketScanner monitors, in USD before fees.

Flex scheduling and “Date TBD” games

The date and kickoff time on your ticket can change after you buy it. For 2026, the NFL’s flex rules allow Sunday Night Football to swap games up to twice in Weeks 5-10 and in any week from 11 to 17. Monday Night Football can flex in Weeks 12-17, and Thursday Night Football up to twice in Weeks 13-17. Only Sunday afternoon games, or games listed as TBD, can move into those slots, and Sunday afternoon games can also shift between 1 p.m. and 4:05 or 4:25 p.m. ET.

The notice is short. The league tells ticket holders that flex changes come “generally at least 12 days in advance,” but only six days for Sunday games in Weeks 14-17, while Thursday decisions generally come 21 days out.

Late-season Saturdays add more uncertainty. Two Week 17 games will be played Saturday, Jan. 2 (one at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBC and a Peacock-exclusive prime-time game), both chosen from a pool of four designated games. In Week 18, three games will be played Saturday, Jan. 9, and the rest on Sunday, Jan. 10, but specific dates and times will not be announced until Week 17 ends.

What this means for buying: if you have to fly in, a Week 18 ticket confirms the weekend but not the specific day or kickoff time. A flex can also change the price of your game. In TicketScanner’s Sept. 13 snapshot, prime-time Sunday and Monday night games carried a median get-in about 66% higher than Sunday 1 p.m. games (full breakdown in how much NFL tickets cost).

How to get NFL playoff tickets

Fourteen teams make the playoffs. For the 2026 season, Wild Card Weekend begins Saturday, Jan. 16, 2027, the divisional round is Jan. 23-24, and the conference championships are Sunday, Jan. 31.

Teams sell home playoff tickets before they know they will host. The Ravens required PSL owners to opt in by 5 p.m. Dec. 9, 2025, and would charge cards only if the team clinched the AFC North and knew which round it would host. That condition mattered: Baltimore finished 8-9 and missed the playoffs. The Bears opened sales for a possible Wild Card and divisional home game on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025: a 10 to 10:45 a.m. presale for season-ticket holders and the priority list, then the public at 11 a.m. The Bears promised full refunds within seven to 10 days to Ticketmaster buyers if the games were not played at Soldier Field.

In these examples, season-ticket and PSL holders came first, then priority lists, then the public. After that, resale is the main source.

The Super Bowl works differently. Super Bowl LXI is Sunday, Feb. 14, 2027, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, and there is no general public sale. The NFL distributes tickets to clubs, including the two teams playing and the host stadium’s teams, which sell to season-ticket holders and others. On Location sells the official hospitality packages.

NFL preseason tickets

Preseason tickets can go on sale with the regular season. The Seahawks announced their 2026 preseason schedule on May 14 alongside the regular season and said single-game tickets for all home games were on sale. Season-ticket packages can include preseason games, too. The Packers’ 2026 Gold package, for example, included the team’s 2026 preseason game.

The 2026 preseason opened with the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 6 in Canton, Ohio (Panthers vs. Cardinals), and ran Aug. 13-29. Those games were far cheaper than the regular season: across 35 preseason games, TicketScanner’s tracking showed a median get-in of $13 to $15 through the final week before each game.

What NFL tickets cost right now

According to TicketScanner’s daily price tracking (snapshot Sept. 13, 2026), the median get-in price across 211 upcoming regular-season games was $118. The middle half of games had a get-in between $73 and $201, and the full range ran from $21 to $602.

Week 1 offered an early signal on timing: across 13 games, the median get-in rose from $170 more than 60 days out to $203 in the month before kickoff, then fell to $128 on game day. That is one week of data, so treat it as a hint rather than a rule; the cross-league picture is in do tickets get cheaper closer to the game.

For prices by team, see the cheapest NFL tickets, team by team. For what drives the high end, see why NFL tickets are so expensive.

How TicketScanner measured this

TicketScanner records the get-in price (the cheapest listed ticket for each game across the resale marketplaces it monitors, in USD before fees) in a daily snapshot taken around 9 a.m. ET. The Sept. 13 sample covers 211 upcoming regular-season games with a set date across 31 home teams. TicketScanner tracks a subset of each league’s games, not every game on the schedule; Los Angeles Chargers home games are not tracked, and late-season games still listed as “Date TBD” are excluded. The Week 1 figures come from 13 completed games played Sept. 9-13, 2026, and the preseason figures from 35 games.

FAQ

When do NFL tickets go on sale for 2027?

No date is set yet. Single-game tickets go on sale with the schedule release, which has landed between May 11 and May 15 in each of the last five years. If 2027 follows the 2026 cycle, expect season-ticket renewals in late winter, the schedule in mid-May, and international game sales in early summer.

When does the NFL schedule come out?

In mid-May. The 2026 schedule was released Thursday, May 14, at 8 p.m. ET, with the international games announced a day earlier. The 2025 schedule also came out on May 14.

Can you still buy NFL tickets for the 2026 season?

Yes. Resale listings are available for upcoming games, including sold-out ones through the NFL Ticket Exchange, and some teams release more primary tickets closer to game day, as the Rams note. Week 18 games can be bought now, but their dates and kickoff times will not be set until after Week 17.

How do you get NFL playoff tickets?

Be a season-ticket holder, PSL owner or waitlist member, or watch for the team’s public sale, which can open in December for games that may never be played. The Bears’ 2025 sale opened to the public Dec. 11, with refunds promised to Ticketmaster buyers if no home game happened. After that, use resale.

When do NFL London tickets go on sale?

In summer, weeks after the schedule release. For 2026, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium hospitality packages went on sale June 5 and general admission July 7, both through NFL Ticketmaster accounts with a six-ticket limit per game. The Jaguars sold their Wembley game directly.

Compare get-in prices across marketplaces for upcoming 2026 NFL games on TicketScanner’s NFL page.

Sources

• https://media.nfl.com/football-information/2026/news/2026-nfl-schedule-announced (2026 schedule announced May 14; 272 games over 18 weeks; opener Sept. 9, Patriots at Seahawks; two Week 17 Saturday games on Jan. 2, an NBC game at 4:30 p.m. ET and a Peacock-exclusive prime-time game, from four designated games; Week 18 on Jan. 9-10 with three Saturday games and dates set after Week 17; Wild Card Weekend Jan. 16, divisional Jan. 23-24, championships Jan. 31; Super Bowl LXI Feb. 14 at SoFi Stadium)
• https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-schedule-release-date-2026/ (2026 schedule reveal May 14 at 8 p.m. ET on NFL Network and ESPN2; international schedule May 13; broadcast partner upfronts scheduled May 11-13)
• https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/48773123/full-2026-nfl-schedule-unveiled-patriots-seahawks-week-1 (full schedule unveiled May 14, 2026; Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California; season finale Jan. 10, 2027)
• https://www.nfl.com/nfl-schedule-release/ (single-game tickets on sale for games “as they’re revealed” through NFL Ticket HQ: Ticketmaster, SeatGeek and SI Tickets; nine international games; Week 1 Monday game Broncos at Chiefs)
• https://www.nfl.com/news/2025-nfl-schedule-powered-by-aws-to-be-released-wednesday-may-14 (2025 schedule released May 14 at 8 p.m. ET)
• https://www.tickpick.com/blog/when-do-nfl-tickets-go-on-sale-nfl-schedule-tickets/ (schedule release history: 2025 May 14, 2024 May 15, 2023 May 11, 2022 May 12)
• https://www.colts.com/news/single-game-tickets-2026 (Colts single-game tickets on sale May 14, 2026, 7:30 p.m. ET via Ticketmaster, first come, first served; priority list first access; London game vs. Commanders)
• https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/nfl-announces-2026-schedule-release-date (Browns single-game tickets on sale at 7:30 p.m. May 14 with the team’s own schedule reveal)
• https://www.chicagobears.com/news/chicago-bears-to-reveal-2026-regular-season-schedule-may-14-with-single-game-tickets-and-suite-sales-to-follow (Bears 2026 single-game tickets via Ticketmaster; 6:30-7:15 p.m. CT presale for season-ticket holders and the Season Ticket Priority List; public sale 7:30 p.m. CT)
• https://www.profootballnetwork.com/when-do-nfl-tickets-go-on-sale-for-the-2026-nfl-season/ (most clubs opened at 7:30 p.m. ET May 14; Bears at 7:30 p.m. CT after a season-ticket-holder presale; sales routed to Ticketmaster, SeatGeek or SI Tickets depending on the team)
• https://www.therams.com/tickets/schedule-release-faq (Rams limited single-game release May 14 at 4:30 p.m. PT; 24-hour season-ticket-member exclusive; more tickets may become available closer to game day)
• https://www.chiefs.com/news/chiefs-single-game-tickets-set-to-go-on-sale-friday-x7910 (Chiefs single-game sale Friday, May 15, 2026: Jackson County presale 8 a.m., season-ticket members 10 a.m., public 11 a.m. CT; dynamic pricing)
• https://www.packers.com/news/packers-set-ticket-prices-for-2026-season (Packers 2026 prices announced Feb. 27, 2026; regular-season $143 to $218; Gold package includes the preseason game)
• https://www.packers.com/tickets/season-ticket-waiting-list (sold out on a season-ticket basis since 1960)
• https://spectrumnews1.com/wi/milwaukee/news/2026/02/24/packers-season-ticket-renewal-2026 (more than 155,000 people on the Packers’ waiting list, Feb. 24, 2026)
• https://www.atlantafalcons.com/tickets/psl-information (PSL definition; PSL required for Falcons season tickets; transferable and resellable; season-ticket members get first access to playoff tickets)
• https://www.patriots.com/tickets/season-tickets-waitlist (Patriots waitlist deposit $100 per seat, two to four seats, applied to balance; presales and playoff ticket access subject to availability)
• https://www.bengals.com/tickets/season-tickets/waitlist (Bengals $150 nonrefundable per-seat deposit, up to four, applied to purchase; no assurance of seats for the upcoming season)
• https://www.sportcal.com/news/nfl-expands-ticket-hq-lineup-with-tixr-platform/ (NFL Ticket HQ, formerly NFL Ticket Network; Tixr joins Ticketmaster, SeatGeek and Sports Illustrated Tickets, May 2026, with rights to sell primary and secondary tickets)
• https://www.ticketmaster.com/nfl/ (Ticketmaster as Official Ticket Marketplace of the NFL; NFL Ticket Exchange verified resale including sold-out games; 14 teams make the playoffs)
• https://media.nfl.com/news-and-releases/international/nfl-unveils-2026-international-games-schedule (nine 2026 international games with dates, stadiums and cities; announced May 13; general on-sale information to come later; American Express presale for select games)
• https://www.nfl.com/news/2026-nfl-london-games-tickets-sales-windows (Tottenham hospitality from June 5 and general admission from July 7 at 12 p.m. BST; Jaguars manage the Wembley game directly; NFL Ticketmaster account required)
• https://www.nfl.com/international/games/london/ (London games list; six-ticket limit per account, per game)
• https://www.nfl.com/international/games/madrid/ (Madrid game Nov. 8 at the Bernabéu; general admission July 9; NFL Ticketmaster account; six-ticket limit; total price including fees shown for international games starting in 2026)
• https://www.nfl.com/news/2026-nfl-madrid-game-tickets-sales-windows (Madrid hospitality on sale Friday, June 5, and general admission Thursday, July 9, both at midday CEST)
• https://www.nfl.com/international/games/paris/ (Paris hospitality June 18 and general admission July 16 at 12 p.m. CEST via Ticketmaster France; six-ticket limit)
• https://www.lance.com.br/futebol-americano/ingressos-da-nfl-no-rio-veja-valores-datas-e-onde-comprar-para-cowboys-x-ravens.html (Rio game Sept. 27 at Maracanã; American Express presale May 27-31; public sale June 9 at 10 a.m. via Ticketmaster)
• https://www.nfl.com/legal/flexible-scheduling-procedures (2026 flex rules for SNF, MNF and TNF; eligible games; 12-day, six-day and 21-day notice; Week 18 set after Week 17)
• https://www.baltimoreravens.com/tickets/playoffs/ (Ravens PSL owners’ playoff opt-in deadline 5 p.m. Dec. 9, 2025; cards charged only if the Ravens clinch the AFC North and know which round they will host)
• https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/baltimore/news/steelers-clinch-afc-north-baltimore-ravens (Steelers clinched the AFC North with a 26-24 win over Baltimore; Ravens finished 8-9 and missed the postseason)
• https://www.fox32chicago.com/sports/chicago-bears-home-playoff-games-ticket-sales (Bears contingent playoff sale announced Dec. 9, 2025: presale 10-10:45 a.m., public 11 a.m. Thursday; refunds within seven to 10 days)
• https://www.chicagobears.com/news/chicago-bears-announce-ticketing-information-for-potential-home-postseason-games-2025 (Bears playoff tickets on sale Dec. 11, 2025, via Ticketmaster; refunds to Ticketmaster single-game buyers if no home game)
• https://www.ticketmaster.com/superbowl (Super Bowl LXI Feb. 14, 2027, SoFi Stadium; tickets distributed to clubs, not sold to the general public; NFL Ticket Exchange resale)
• https://www.sofistadium.com/events/detail/super-bowl-lxi (Super Bowl LXI date and venue; On Location as official hospitality provider)
• https://www.seahawks.com/news/seahawks-2026-preseason-schedule-announced (Seahawks preseason schedule announced May 14, 2026; single-game tickets for all home games on sale)
• https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2026-nfl-preseason-schedule-complete-dates-tv-channels-how-watch-streaming (Hall of Fame Game Aug. 6, 2026, Panthers vs. Cardinals; preseason weeks Aug. 13-29)