2026 NFL schedule: Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants is Week 1 Sunday night game

TL;DR

The Dallas Cowboys will face the New York Giants in the first Sunday night game of the 2026 NFL season on September 13. This matchup marks the eighth time in 15 years that these NFC East rivals open the season against each other.

Key points

Dallas Cowboys vs New York Giants on September 13, 2026
First Sunday night game of the 2026 NFL season
Eighth time in 15 years these teams open the season together

Mentioned in this story

John HarbaughDak PrescottJaxson DartArvell ReeseCaleb Downs

Dallas CowboysNew York GiantsSeattle SeahawksChicago Bears

NEW YORK (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys are set to visit the New York Giants in the first Sunday night game of the 2026 NFL season on Sept. 13. The league on Monday announced the Week 1 matchup of NFC East rivals at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The full schedule will be released Thursday with other games revealed in the coming days. This is the eighth time in the past 15 years the Cowboys and Giants are opening the season against each other. Dallas is always a national television draw as “America's Team,” and New York could get more prime time exposure with Super Bowl winner John Harbaugh coaching and Jaxson Dart established as the franchise quarterback coming off his eventful rookie year. It is set to be Harbaugh's Giants debut. If healthy, it would also be the first meaningful game between Dart and Dak Prescott. While each started the season finale on Jan. 4, the teams were eliminated from playoff contention by then. This also could be the NFL debuts for a pair of former Ohio State teammates: Giants linebacker Arvell Reese, taken with the fifth pick, and Cowboys safety Caleb Downs, drafted not long after at No. 11. Dallas at New York also means neither of those teams will be the visitor at Seattle on Wednesday night, Sept. 9, when the defending champion unveil their Super Bowl banner and kick off the season. , , , the or a title-game rematch against are the remaining possibilities. \\_ AP NFL:

Q&A

When is the Dallas Cowboys vs New York Giants game in 2026?

The game is scheduled for September 13, 2026.

What significance does the Cowboys vs Giants matchup have for the 2026 NFL season?

This matchup is notable as it marks the eighth time in 15 years that the Cowboys and Giants open the season against each other.

Who are the key players to watch in the Cowboys vs Giants game?

Key players include Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart, along with former Ohio State teammates Arvell Reese and Caleb Downs.