The NFL released the full 2026 schedule on Thursday, and the Dallas Cowboys finally got to see what their slate of games would look like. The opponents have been known for months, but the time and date of the matchups weren’t set until now.
The Cowboys appeared to have a tough road to ttravel even before the order was known, and that hasn’t changed. There are two stretches of the schedule that will be particularly challenging,, but there is also a soft spot that could help the Cowboys reset. Here is what’s in store for the Cowboys on the 2026 schedule.
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Rough first two months
The first seven weeks might tell fans everything about these Cowboys., They’ll face a stretch of games that will test their endurance before the team even gets to November.
Once again, the Cowboys’ season starts against the New York Giants, then they’ll return to play their first home game against the Washington Commanders. Neither opponent was great last year, but divisional games are rarely easy and both teams look like they’re much improved from last season. After those NFC East battles, stiffer tests await.
Starting in Week 3 with a matchup in Brazil against the Baltimore Ravens, Dallas will play three games in 12 days. After their international contest, the team will fly home before going on the road to play one of the more physical teams in the league in the instate rival Houston Texans. Four days later, the Cowboys host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday Night Football.
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That’s a lot for a three-week stretch, but it’s only part of the first seven game gauntlet that will test the Cowboys. From Week 4 to Week 7, the team will play three playoff teams from last season; they’ll be at the Texans in Week 4, head to Lambeau Field in Week 6, and host the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 7 on Monday Night Football.
A team may not be able to secure a playoff spot in September and October, but the Cowboys could lose one if they don’t play well early on.
Primetime favorites
No matter who tries to pry the title away, the Cowboys are still America’s Team and the schedule proves it. Much to Jerry Jones’ delight, his squad will play six primetime contests: one on Thursday night, three Sunday nights, and two Monday Night Football games, as well as a seventh standalone game on Thanksgiving.
That number is tied for tops in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams.
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Among the oddities of the schedule, the Cowboys will play three straight primetime games in Weeks 5-7, against the Buccaneers, Eagles and Green Bay Packers. Then they won’t have another primetime matchup until Week 13 when they travel to play the Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks on MNF, before ending their standalone slate by hosting the Jacksonville Jaguars on SNF in Week 16.
8 games against playoff teams
Each season is different, but the Cowboys will have eight games against teams who made the playoffs last year. Five of those contests will come on the road, including two away games against the NFC championship participants from last year, and the team will play four straight games against playoff teams from 2025.
That gauntlet begins with the Eagles on Thanksgiving in Week 12 and ends with the Jaguars in Week 16. Luckily for Dallas, they do have their bye week sandwiched in between those four matchups.
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If one includes the Buccaneers and Ravens, who were both in contention for a playoff spot in Week 18 of last year, it’s 10 playoff-caliber teams on the schedule.
Soft middle, late bye
After the road matchup with the Eagles in Week 7, the Cowboys have possibly their easiest string of games. Starting on November 1, from Week 8 through Week 11, Dallas plays three teams that had losing records and also aren’t expected to be contenders this year. This includes two games against teams who had just three wins in 2025, the Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans.
The only difficult game in that stretch is the Week 10 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers.
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If Dallas can survive a difficult start to the season, the schedule eases up and gives them a chance to get healthy in the middle of the campaign before a tough ending.
Another benefit to the schedule for the Cowboys is their late bye week. The Week 14 off week is the latest for the team since 1990 and is the last bye week given by the NFL. Getting extra rest late in the season could help a late season surge.
Start, and end, season on the road, again
For the third time in four seasons, the Cowboys will start and finish their schedule on the road. Ironically, in 2023, Dallas began their season on Sunday Night Football against the Giants and ended it on the road against the Commanders, just like they do this year. It’s also the last time the Cowboys went to the postseason, so perhaps it’s good omen for the 2026 season.
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Cowboys 2026 Schedule
Week 1: at New York Giants – Sunday, Sept. 13 (8:20 p.m. ET)
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Cowboys 2026 Schedule
Week 1: at New York Giants – Sunday, Sept. 13 (8:20 p.m. ET)
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Cowboys 2026 Schedule
Week 2: vs Washington Commanders – Sunday, Sept. 20 (4:25 p.m. ET)
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Cowboys 2026 Schedule
Week 3: vs Baltimore Ravens – Sunday Sept. 27 (4:25 p.m. ET) at Maracana Stadium, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
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Inside the 7 most intriguing weeks on the Cowboys’ 2026 schedule
Week 4: at Houston Texans – Sunday, October 3 (1 p.m. ET)
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Cowboys 2026 Schedule
Week 5: vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Thursday, October 8 (8:15 p.m. ET)
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Inside the 7 most intriguing weeks on the Cowboys’ 2026 schedule
Week 6: at Green Bay Packers – Sunday October 18 (8:20 p.m. ET)
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Inside the 7 most intriguing weeks on the Cowboys’ 2026 schedule
Week 7: at Philadelphia Eagles, October 26, MNF, (8:15 p.m.) ET
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Cowboys 2026 Schedule
Week 8: vs Arizona Cardinals, November 1 (1 p.m. ET)
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Cowboys 2026 Schedule
Week 9: at Indianapolis Colts, November 8 (1 p.m. ET)
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Inside the 7 most intriguing weeks on the Cowboys’ 2026 schedule
Week 10: vs San Francisco 49ers, November 15 (4:25 p.m. ET)
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Cowboys 2026 Schedule
Week 11: vs Tennessee Titans, November 22 (1 p.m. ET)
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Cowboys 2026 Schedule
Week 12: vs. Philadelphia Eagles, November 26 (4:30 p.m. ET)
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Inside the 7 most intriguing weeks on the Cowboys’ 2026 schedule
Week 13: at Seattle Seahawks, Monday Dec. 7 (8:15 p.m. ET)
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Inside the 7 most intriguing weeks on the Cowboys’ 2026 schedule
Week 15: at Los Angeles Rams, December 20 (4:25 p.m. ET)
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Cowboys 2026 Schedule
Week 16: vs Jacksonville Jaguars, December 27, SNF (8:20 p.m. ET)
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Cowboys 2026 Schedule
Week 17: vs New York Giants, January 3, 2027 (1 p.m. ET)
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Top storylines from the 2026 schedule for the Dallas Cowboys