ESPN and NFL will partner together for NFL Schedule release event

As anticipation builds for the 2026 NFL season, ESPN and NFL Network are teaming up for a major primetime event during NFL Schedule Release Week. The networks announced they will simulcast SportsCenter Special Presented by Nationwide: 2026 NFL Schedule Release on Thursday, May 14, at 8 p.m. ET, giving fans a full breakdown of the upcoming season schedule as it becomes official.

The two-hour special will air on ESPN, NFL Network, the ESPN App and NFL+, featuring live reactions, analysis and exclusive announcements surrounding the most anticipated matchups of the 2026 NFL campaign.

Leading the coverage will be longtime ESPN host Laura Rutledge alongside analysts Dan Orlovsky, Peter Schrager and Andrew Hawkins. NFL Network personality Kyle Brandt will also make a special in-studio appearance from ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut.

NFL insider Adam Schefter is scheduled to contribute breaking news and analysis throughout the evening, while Monday Night Football voices Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will also play prominent roles during release week festivities.

Before Thursday night’s full unveiling, Buck is expected to reveal an exclusive marquee Monday Night Football matchup during an appearance on Good Morning America Tuesday morning at 7:30 a.m. ET on ABC. Aikman will follow with an appearance on Get Up at 9 a.m. ET.

International game announcements will also begin rolling out ahead of the full release. On Wednesday, May 13, the remaining 2026 NFL International Games will be revealed during broadcasts of Good Morning Football and Get Up.

The schedule release arrives during what ESPN is calling its “Year of the Super Bowl,” as the network prepares for its largest NFL coverage slate ever. Following ESPN’s acquisition of NFL Network, the company will carry 29 NFL games during the 2026 season, including 19 regular-season games on ESPN platforms and seven more on NFL Network.

The season will ultimately culminate with ESPN and ABC presenting Super Bowl LXI from SoFi Stadium on Feb. 14, 2027 — marking the first Super Bowl broadcast in ESPN history.

In addition to its expanded game coverage, ESPN also highlighted enhancements to the ESPN App experience, including multiview streaming, personalized SportsCenter content, integrated fantasy sports features and betting information, all available through the network’s ESPN Unlimited subscription platform.

With the official schedule reveal only days away, fans now have several major broadcast events to watch as the road to the 2026 NFL season officially begins.