ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Fireworks. Two national anthems. A packed house. And Josh Allen's touchdown run.
The Buffalo Bills even rolled out a new grass carpet in hosting the Detroit Lions in the first regular-season game in their new $2.1 billion Highmark Stadium on Thursday night. Some six minutes in, Bills quarterback Allen capped a 10-play, 85-yard opening drive by scoring on a 1-yard run.
As a border city, Buffalo paid tribute to its fanbase by having both the U.S. and Canadian anthems performed with both country’s flags displayed on the field.
The Toronto musical group Barenaked Ladies was greeted by a loud cheer before singing “O, Canada.” They were followed by Hawaiian-born actress and singer Auli’i Cravalho performing “The Star-Spangled Banner.” U.S. pop group OneRepublic was scheduled to perform at halftime.
Fireworks went off about 90 minutes before game time and then again during the opening ceremonies.
Fans unfurled three banners with the words Bills and Mafia, and a logo commemorating the stadium’s inaugural season. An elaborate light show then followed with fans wearing bracelets that blinked, followed by a fireworks display as the Bills offensive starters were introduced, with Allen greeted by a roar and chants of “M-V-P! M-V-P!”
As for the turf, the new grass looked improved.
The Bills chose to resod the entire field ahead of schedule following their preseason finale against Pittsburgh on Aug. 27. They did so after the original turf, which had been laid down in October, showed signs of wear and tear, and with large divots having to be replaced during two preseason games and two practices.
Bills players indicated after practicing in the stadium on Tuesday that the grass felt firmer, and noticed a larger infill of sand. That was evident in pregame warmups when clumps of sand came up when players made hard cuts on the field.
During the opening drive, an on-field official was spotted having to tamp down a clump of grass that came up at the 30.
The field was painted for the first time, with the word “BILLS” in large white block letters featured prominently in both end zones over red-painted grass. The team’s charging Buffalo logo was also added at midfield.
The new stadium has a capacity of just over 60,000, about 12,000 less than the old facility which now lies in rubble across the street.
What’s different is the layout, with the new facility’s seating structure built more vertically in placing viewers more on top of the action. The new building also features a canopy, which helps project crowd noise directly on to field.
Bills fans began arriving two and three days earlier, with a private lot nearly filled with RVs by Tuesday. And there were lengthy lineups before the gates opened, and despite a slight drizzle that fell.
See AP’s full NFL coverage here
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) runs the ball against the Detroit Lions during the first half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
A general view of the exterior of Highmark Stadium is shown before an NFL football game between the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions in Orchard Park, N.Y., Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
An inuagural season sign is shown on the field at Highmark Stadium before an NFL football game between the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions in Orchard Park, N.Y., Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
STOCKHOLM (AP) — Sweden’s left-leaning opposition won a narrow majority in the country’s national election, a complete vote count showed on Thursday.
The Swedish Election Authority said the four opposition parties won 176 seats in the 349-seat Riksdag, Sweden’s parliament, in Sunday’s election. The four parties that make up or support the outgoing conservative-led government took 173 seats.
Center-right Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson posted a letter on X shortly after the final results were announced, saying he would resign from his position as the head of government.
Magdalena Andersson, the opposition leader and a former prime minister, said that “the Swedish people have voted for a new direction for our country, voted for cohesion and against division,” Swedish news agency TT reported.
It was not immediately clear exactly what government NATO’s newest member will get for the next four years. Sweden, a country of about 10.6 million inhabitants, is also a member of the European Union.
Andersson hopes to regain the prime minister's job, which she lost in 2022. Her center-left Social Democrats finished as the biggest single party with 99 seats, despite losing eight seats.
But she will still face a complicated task to turn the result into a government because of tensions within the left-leaning bloc.
The opposition’s small lead was initially uncertain but was confirmed after early votes that didn’t arrive at polling stations by Election Day, including overseas ballots, were counted.
Kristersson has led Sweden with a three-party, center-right coalition. The parliamentary majority relied on outside support from the Sweden Democrats, an anti-immigration party that has far-right roots but has moved toward the political mainstream.
Kristersson had held out the prospect of Cabinet seats for the Sweden Democrats this time, if the governing coalition won. However, it was a disappointing election for the Sweden Democrats, who dropped into third place behind the outgoing prime minister's Moderates and took 62 seats, 11 fewer than in the last parliament.
Andersson faces the task of overcoming differences in the opposition bloc. The Center Party, which aligned with the left because it does not wish to govern with the Sweden Democrats, also doesn’t want to go into government with the Left Party at the other end of the spectrum.
Any combination across the traditional right-left division would also be complicated. But there is broad political consensus in Sweden on several major issues, such as support for Ukraine and the decision to join NATO, whose 32nd member it became in 2024.
Election workers count early votes and overseas votes in Stockholm City Hall, in Stockholm, Sweden, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026. (Christine Olsson/TT News Agency via AP)
An election worker counts early votes and overseas votes in Stockholm City Hall, in Stockholm, Sweden, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026. (Christine Olsson/TT News Agency via AP)
Leader of the Sweden Democrats party Jimmie Åkesson speaks during the Sweden Democrats election night watch party, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Stockholm. (Pontus Lundahl/TT News Agency via AP)
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson arrives at the Moderate Party election watch night in Stockholm, Sweden, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (Christine Olsson/TT News Agency via AP)
Social Democrats party leader Magdalena Andersson speaks during the Social Democrats' election night watch party, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Stockholm. (Jonas Ekströmer/TT News Agency via AP)
