In 2006, the NFL implemented a “flex schedule,” a procedure designed to promote quality Sunday night games and give surprise teams a chance to force their way into prime time. For the 2026 season, a flexible schedule will include Sunday Night Football, Monday Night Football and Thursday Night Football.
Please note that the NFL continually reviews its scheduling procedures to ensure exciting and meaningful games are available to as many fans as possible and therefore additional changes to flexible scheduling may be implemented in the future.
Current flexible planning procedures:
Flexible scheduling is in effect during the following windows (the “Flexible Scheduling Windows”):
For Sunday Night Football, it can be used up to two times between Weeks 5 and 10, and any week during Weeks 11 through 17.
For Monday Night Football, it can be used any week from Weeks 12-17.
For Thursday Night Football, it can be used up to two times between Weeks 13 and 17.
During flexible scheduling windows, games originally scheduled for Sunday Night Football (on NBC), Monday Night Football (ESPN or ABC), and Thursday Night Football (on Prime Video) are tentatively scheduled and subject to change.
Only Sunday afternoon games (or those listed as TBD) may be moved to Sunday evening, Monday evening or Thursday evening, in which case the game originally scheduled for Sunday, Monday or Thursday evening would be moved to Sunday afternoon.
Sunday afternoon games may also be moved between 1 p.m. and 4:05 p.m. or 4:25 p.m. ET.
Schedule for week 18.
As in previous seasons, for Week 18, the final weekend of the season, the Saturday, Sunday afternoon and Sunday evening game schedule is not assigned. The schedule for week 18 will be announced at the end of week 17.
Additional information about flexible scheduling
The game tentatively scheduled for Sunday Night Football, Monday Night Football or Thursday Night Football during the flexible scheduling windows will generally be listed at 8:20 p.m. ET, 8:15 p.m. ET and 8 p.m. ET, respectively.
The majority of Sunday games will generally be listed at 1 p.m. ET during flexible scheduling windows, with the exception of games played in the Pacific or Mountain time zones, which will be listed at 4:05 p.m. or 4:25 p.m. ET.
For Sunday Night Football in weeks 5 through 13 and for Monday Night Football in weeks 12 through 17, the NFL will decide and announce no later than 12 days before the game which game will be played on Sunday evening and which game will be played on Monday evening.
For Sunday Night Football in Weeks 14-17, the flextime decision will generally be made no later than six days prior to the game.
For Thursday Night Football in Weeks 13-17, the flextime decision will generally be made no later than 21 days prior to the game.
Fans and ticket holders should be aware that NFL games in flexible scheduling windows are generally subject to change at least 12 days in advance (and at least 6 days in advance for Sundays in Weeks 14-17) and should plan accordingly.
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