The NFL regular season opens on Thursday night when the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles host the Dallas Cowboys.
It's the beginning of a 272-game slate — 17 contests for all 32 teams — including seven games that will be played in international venues. All of it leads to the playoffs and Super Bowl 60 on Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, California.
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Green Bay Packers Micah Parsons speaks at his introductory news conference Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes heads off the field following a preseason NFL football game against the Chicago Bears Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson laughs as he talks with teammates on the sideline in the first half of a preseason NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen watches during the first half of an NFL preseason football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
The Eagles and Cowboys play on Thursday before the first international game of the season on Friday between the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
After that, a full slate of games is set for Sunday, Sept. 7.
Among the intriguing matchups: Pittsburgh's 41-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers takes the field for the Steelers against the New York Jets while the Baltimore Ravens travel to face the Buffalo Bills in an elite quarterback matchup between two-time MVP Lamar Jackson and reigning MVP Josh Allen.
To finish off the first week, the Minnesota Vikings travel to face the Chicago Bears on “Monday Night Football.”
Sept. 14: The Eagles travel to face the Kansas City Chiefs for Week 2 in a rematch of Super Bowl 59, which the Eagles won 40-22.
Sept. 28: Two-time All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons will make his return to Dallas when the Green Bay Packers travel to face the Cowboys on Sunday night. Parsons was traded to the Packers after a lengthy contract dispute with the Cowboys, which dominated preseason headlines.
Nov. 27: The Thanksgiving tripleheader is stacked with good games. The Packers face the Detroit Lions, the Chiefs play the Cowboys and the Cincinnati Bengals face the Ravens.
International games: On top of the Chiefs-Chargers matchup in Brazil, there will be six games played in Europe throughout the schedule. The first is when the Minnesota Vikings face the Steelers on Sept. 28 in Dublin.
There are a bunch of familiar teams at the top of the BetMGM Sportsbook Super Bowl odds, with the defending champion Eagles at 7-1 odds to hoist the Lombardi Trophy in February. The Ravens and Bills are also at 7-1 odds.
After that, the Chiefs (8-1), Lions (10-1) and Packers (13-1) round out the top six. Kansas City is the three-time defending AFC champion and has won three Super Bowls since 2020.
As for the longest shots: The Cleveland Browns and New Orleans Saints start the season at 300-1 odds.
The most popular sport in the United States is also among the most confusing to watch, thanks to a myriad of streaming services and exclusive online broadcasts.
For those who still have a cable subscription, most games played by the local team can be viewed on local affiliates. Many national games will also be available, but that’s not always the case.
One of the best ways to stream the NFL this season is by subscribing to YouTubeTV and paying for the NFL Sunday Ticket service, though it's fairly pricey at $276 for new subscribers and more for returners. Here are some other options for those who don't have cable.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Green Bay Packers Micah Parsons speaks at his introductory news conference Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes heads off the field following a preseason NFL football game against the Chicago Bears Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson laughs as he talks with teammates on the sideline in the first half of a preseason NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen watches during the first half of an NFL preseason football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Several Middle Eastern allies of the United States have urged the Trump administration to hold off on strikes against Iran for the government’s deadly crackdown on protesters, according to an Arab diplomat familiar with the matter.
Top officials from Egypt, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar have raised concerns in the last 48 hours that a U.S. military intervention would shake the global economy and destabilize an already volatile region, said the diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the sensitive conversations.
Oil prices fell Thursday as the markets appeared to take note of President Donald Trump’s shifting tone as a sign that he’s leaning away from attacking Iran after days of launching blistering threats at Tehran for its brutal crackdown.
Nevertheless, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Thursday maintained that “all options remain on the table” for Trump as he deals with Iran.
Here's the latest:
The White House and a bipartisan group of governors are pressuring the operator of the mid-Atlantic power grid to take urgent steps to boost energy supply and curb price hikes, holding a Friday event aimed at addressing a rising concern among voters about the enormous amount of power used for artificial intelligence ahead of elections later this year.
The White House said its National Energy Dominance Council and the governors of several states, including Pennsylvania, Ohio and Virginia, want to try to compel PJM Interconnection to hold a power auction for tech companies to bid on contracts to build new power plants.
The Trump administration and governors will sign a statement of principles toward that end Friday.
▶ Read more about the administration and AI-driven power shortages
The Justice Department’s investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has brought heightened attention to a key drama that will play out at the central bank in the coming months: Will Powell leave the Fed when his term as chair ends, or will he take the unusual step of remaining a governor?
Powell’s term as Fed chair ends May 15, but because of the central bank’s complex structure, he has a separate term as one of seven members of its governing board that lasts until January 31, 2028. Historically, nearly all Fed chairs have stepped down from the board when they’re no longer chair. But Powell could be the first in nearly 50 years to stay on as a governor.
Many Fed-watchers believe the criminal investigation into Powell’s testimony about cost overruns for Fed building renovations was intended to intimidate him out of taking that step. If Powell stays on the board, it would deny the White House a chance to gain a majority, undercutting the Trump administration’s efforts to seize greater control over what has for decades been an institution largely insulated from day-to-day politics.
▶ Read more about Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell
Trump on Thursday announced the outlines of a health care plan he wants Congress to take up as Republicans have faced increasing pressure to address rising health costs after lawmakers let subsidies expire.
The cornerstone is his proposal to send money directly to Americans for health savings accounts so they can handle insurance and health costs as they see fit. Democrats have rejected the idea as a paltry substitute for the tax credits that had helped lower monthly premiums for many people.
Trump’s plan also focuses on lowering drug prices and requiring insurers to be more upfront with the public about costs, revenues, rejected claims and wait times for care.
Trump has long been dogged by his lack of a comprehensive health care plan as he and Republicans have sought to unwind former President Barack Obama’s signature legislation, the Affordable Care Act. Trump was thwarted during his first term in trying to repeal and replace the law.
▶ Read more about Trump’s health care plan
Most American presidents aspire to the kind of greatness that prompts future generations to name important things in their honor.
Donald Trump isn’t leaving it to future generations.
As the first year of his second term wraps up, his Republican administration and allies have put his name on the U.S. Institute of Peace, the Kennedy Center performing arts venue and a new class of battleships.
That’s on top of the “Trump Accounts” for tax-deferred investments, the TrumpRx government website soon to offer direct sales of prescription drugs, the “Trump Gold Card” visa that costs at least $1 million and the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, a transit corridor included in a deal his administration brokered between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
On Friday, he plans to attend a ceremony in Florida where local officials will dedicate a 4-mile (6-kilometer) stretch of road from the airport to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach as President Donald J. Trump Boulevard.
▶ Read more about Trump’s renaming efforts
Nearly a year into his second term, Trump’s work on the economy hasn’t lived up to the expectations of many people in his own party, according to a new AP-NORC survey.
The poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds a significant gap between the economic leadership Americans remembered from Trump’s first term and what they’ve gotten so far as he creates a stunning level of turmoil at home and abroad.
Just 16% of Republicans say Trump has helped “a lot” in addressing the cost of living, down from 49% in April 2024, when an AP-NORC poll asked Americans the same question about his first term.
At the same time, Republicans are overwhelmingly supportive of the president’s leadership on immigration — even if some don’t like his tactics.
There is little sign overall, though, that the Republican base is abandoning Trump. The vast majority of Republicans, about 8 in 10, approve of his job performance, compared with 4 in 10 for adults overall.
▶ Read more about the poll’s findings
Several Middle Eastern allies of the United States have urged the Trump administration to hold off on strikes against Iran for the government’s deadly crackdown on protesters, according to an Arab diplomat familiar with the matter.
Top officials from Egypt, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar have raised concerns in the last 48 hours that a U.S. military intervention would shake the global economy and destabilize an already volatile region, said the diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the sensitive conversations.
Oil prices fell on Thursday as the markets appeared to take note of President Donald Trump’s shifting tone as a sign that he’s leaning away from attacking Iran after days of launching blistering threats at Tehran for its brutal crackdown.
Nevertheless, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Thursday maintained that “all options remain on the table” for Trump as he deals with Iran.
▶ Read more about Trump and Iran
— Matthew Lee, Aamer Madhani and Ben Finley
President Donald Trump speaks during an event to honor the 2025 Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers in the East Room of the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
