The Seattle Seahawks will begin their title defense against the New England Patriots on Wednesday to kick off the 2026 NFL season. The matchup marks a rematch of Super Bowl LX, which the Seahawks won roughly seven months earlier.

The Wednesday night scheduling is tied to an unusual NFL decision, per Field Gulls. The league scheduled the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers to play the following night in Melbourne, Australia, necessitating the Seahawks' season opener move to Wednesday.

According to reporting from Pats Pulpit, the teams will play in what is expected to be ideal football weather at Seattle's Lumen Field—similar conditions to those during their Super Bowl matchup in February. Looking ahead, ESPN's coverage raises questions about whether the Seahawks can repeat, noting they are not favored to win either the Super Bowl or their division heading into 2026.