On Thursday, the Las Vegas Raiders unveiled their 2026 schedule. All 32 NFL teams announced their 17-game slate simultaneously, which was a media spectacle.
The Raiders will travel 21,099 miles in 2026, the 12th-most in the league. Based on opponents' 2025 record, they also have the seventh-highest strength of schedule at .529.
For the first time since 2010, the Raiders will not appear in a single primetime game, which is not surprising considering their record over the past several years. Except for late-season flex, Fernando Mendoza and the Silver and Black will not receive any national spotlight on Monday, Thursday, Saturday or Sunday nights. Las Vegas is the only NFL team not to play an international game this decade, a streak that now stretches to seven seasons. The Raiders last played internationally in London in 2019.
Let's break the slate.
Week 1: Las Vegas Raiders open season against Miami
The Raiders opened at Allegiant Stadium, marking the first time the building has hosted a weekend game since 2021. Every Raiders game through 2026 is scheduled for a Sunday. This is likely the film debut of Kirk Cousins or Fernando Mendoza, both Miami natives. Las Vegas last hosted the Dolphins in 2021, winning 31-28.
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Week 2: at Los Angeles Chargers
Las Vegas faces its first AFC West opponent in Week 2 when it travels to SoFi Stadium to face the Los Angeles Chargers. It was last year's meeting against the Chargers that Brock Bowers recorded a one-handed touchdown grab on his shoelaces. In the first 17 weeks, the Raiders are expected to play 11 games on CBS and six games on Fox.
Week 3: at New Orleans
The road trip continues in New Orleans as the Raiders visit the Saints. This is the first of three consecutive games away from Allegiant Stadium and the third consecutive meeting between the teams at Caesars Superdome. The series is split between those games. The Saints won on Halloween Eve in 2022. Two years later, the Raiders won the game as Aidan O'Connell threw for 242 yards and two touchdowns.
Also Read: Las Vegas Raiders Draft Recap: Getting to know the picks including Fernando Mendoza
Week 4: vs. Kansas City
October begins with the Kansas City Chiefs at home inside Allegiant Stadium. The Chiefs could work with Patrick Mahomes or backup Justin Fields depending on Mahomes' recovery from a torn ACL. The injury occurred a few weeks before the Raiders won the 2025 season finale on Daniel Carlson's 60-yard walk-off field goal.
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Week 5: at New England
The Raiders travel to Gillette Stadium to face the defending AFC champion New England Patriots. Las Vegas defeated New England in Week 1 last year, with then-rookie Ashton Jeanty scoring a touchdown in his NFL debut. A win in Foxborough would even the all-time series at 18-18-1. It is the first of three games scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. PT. The rest come in the 1 pm PT window.
Week 6: vs. Buffalo
The Raiders will host their second consecutive AFC East opponent on October 18, looking for their first win over Buffalo since the franchise moved to Las Vegas. The Silver and Black lost to the Bills in 2020 and 2023. Cousins last faced Buffalo in 2022, leading Minnesota to a 33-30 overtime win capped by a one-handed fourth-and-18 grab from Justin Jefferson.
Also Read: Where is Terron Johnson? The Raiders' best offseason trade has quietly disappeared
Week 7: vs. Los Angeles Rams
The Raiders also clinched the NFC West this season, and the Los Angeles Rams came to Las Vegas in first. This is the first time that the franchise has hosted Los Angeles since relocating in 2020. The Raiders have lost by a combined six points in the last two meetings at SoFi Stadium (2022, 2024). This match is also Davante Adams' first game against his former team after the trade.
Week 8: at New York Jets
Las Vegas concludes its AFC East slate against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. The Raiders have won four of the last five meetings, including the last two meetings in 2020 and 2023. The 2023 game at Allegiant Stadium was highlighted by O'Connell's 7-yard touchdown catch of Michael Mayer. In 2020, Darren Waller posted 13 receptions for 200 yards and two touchdowns. Derek Carr capped it off with a 46-yard touchdown pass to Henry Ruggs III with five seconds remaining.
Week 9: at San Francisco
The famous Bay Area rivalry has returned. The Raiders made their first trip to Levi's Stadium since 2018, also drawing the 49ers in their third preseason game. The Raiders last hosted San Francisco in 2023, when Davante Adams passed for 150 yards and two touchdowns, including a 60-yard score.
Week 10: vs. Seattle
Head coach Clint Kubiak is facing his former team for the first time since winning the Super Bowl in Seattle. Kubiak brought offensive coordinator Andrew Janko and offensive line coach Rick Dennison with him to Las Vegas. The Seahawks will play in Las Vegas for the first time on Nov. 15. The game is capped with the Raiders facing three NFC West teams in four weeks. The last meeting was in 2022, when Josh Jacobs had an 86-yard walk-off touchdown run.
Also read: 'No excuses': Clint Kubiak issues clear warning to Raiders coaches and front office
Week 11: at Denver
The annual trip to Mile High takes place the week before Thanksgiving. Denver reached last season's AFC Championship Game with former Raider Jarrett Stidham under center. The tour is limited to three consecutive weeks on CBS.
Week 12: at Cleveland
Weather could become a factor in back-to-back road games before the bye. The matchup will reveal a lot about where the offense stands. The Browns fielded one of the NFL's top defenses last year. Cleveland is led by Myles Garrett and Carson Schwesinger, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year and Defensive Rookie of the Year, respectively. Garrett set the single-season sack record with 23 in 2025.
ALSO READ: Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver depth chart 2026: No clear No. 1 option heading into training camp
Week 13: Bye
Las Vegas got its long-awaited bye a week before the playoff race. That would set the Giants up for a potential playoff run, whether Mendoza or Cousins is under center.
RELATED: Las Vegas Raiders tipped to pursue All-Pro pass-catcher
Week 14: vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Las Vegas returns from the bye with three straight home games, starting with the Chargers. It is the first of three December games. The Raiders play each of their three AFC West opponents in the final five weeks of the regular season.
Week 15: vs. Denver
For the second time in four weeks, the Raiders and Broncos completed the season series, this time at Allegiant Stadium. This will either be in the middle of a stretch run or bring valuable minutes to Mendoza. Las Vegas looks for its first home win over the Broncos since Week 18 of the 2023 season. That win made it eight consecutive wins over Denver, a streak that began when the team moved to Las Vegas.
RELATED: Why analysts already consider the Raiders out of the 2026 playoffs
Week 16: vs. Tennessee
The home finale comes a few days after Christmas. The Raiders have won four of the last six meetings with Tennessee, including last year, when Maxx Crosby sacked 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward twice in a 20-10 win at Allegiant Stadium. Week 16 is also the third Raiders home game in the last four meetings since 2019.
Week 17: at Arizona
The Raiders head down Highway 93 to Phoenix to face the Cardinals for the first time since 2022. It is their first trip to Glendale since 2018, a game Carlson won on a 35-yard field goal as time expired during his rookie season. Arizona's backfield also includes Jeremiah Love, who was selected two spots after Mendoza last month.
Week 18: at Kansas City
The season ends at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, marking the third time since 2022 that the Raiders and Chiefs have finished the regular season against each other. A lot could be on the line. The Raiders can clinch a playoff seed and rest their starters. They may fight for position. Or Mendoza could be playing valuable minutes in the final game of his rookie season.
