The Las Vegas Raiders' 2026 schedule features no primetime games and the seventh-toughest strength of schedule. They will travel 21,099 miles, ranking 12th in the league for travel distance.
Key points
Raiders have no primetime games in 2026
Seventh-toughest strength of schedule at .529
Traveling 21,099 miles, 12th-most in the league
Last international game was in 2019
All games scheduled for Sundays
Las Vegas RaidersMiami DolphinsLos Angeles ChargersNew Orleans Saints
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On Thursday, the Las Vegas Raiders unveiled their 2026 schedule. All 32 NFL teams announced their 17-game slates simultaneously, a media spectacle.
The Raiders will travel 21,099 miles in 2026, the 12th-most in the league. They also own the seventh-toughest strength of schedule at .529, based on opponentsâ 2025 records.
For the first time since 2010, the Raiders will not appear in a single primetime game, which isnât surprising given their record over the past several years. Barring a late-season flex, Fernando Mendoza and the Silver and Black will get no national spotlight on Monday, Thursday, Saturday, or Sunday night. Las Vegas is also the only NFL team that has not played an international game this decade, a streak now stretching to seven seasons. The last time the Raiders played internationally was in 2019 in London.
Letâs break down the slate.
**Also Read:**: âNo Excusesâ: Klint Kubiak Issues Blunt Warning to Raiders Coaches and Front Office
Week 1: Las Vegas Raiders open season against Miami
Aug 17, 2022; Miami Gardens, Florida, US; A general view of a helmet on the field during practice at Baptist Health Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
The Raiders open at Allegiant Stadium, hosting a Week 1 game in the building for the first time since 2021. Every Raiders game in 2026 is scheduled for a Sunday. This one most likely marks the debut of either or Fernando Mendoza, the latter a Miami native. Las Vegas last hosted the Dolphins in 2021, winning 31-28.
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Q&A
Why do the Las Vegas Raiders have no primetime games in 2026?
The Raiders have not earned a primetime slot due to their performance in recent years, marking the first time since 2010 that they will not appear in any.
What is the strength of schedule for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2026?
The Raiders have the seventh-toughest strength of schedule in the league, with a .529 rating based on their opponents' 2025 records.
How many miles will the Las Vegas Raiders travel in 2026?
The Raiders will travel a total of 21,099 miles in 2026, which is the 12th-most in the NFL.
When was the last time the Raiders played an international game?
The last time the Raiders played an international game was in 2019 in London, making them the only NFL team without an international game in the past seven seasons.
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Aug 17, 2022; Miami Gardens, Florida, US; A general view of a Miami Dolphins helmet on the field during practice at Baptist Health Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers 2026 schedule
May 11, 2026; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh watches during offseason workouts at The Bolt. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Las Vegas faces its first AFC West opponent in Week 2 when it travels to SoFi Stadium to face the Los Angeles Chargers. This was the meeting last year against the Chargers when tight end Brock Bowers recorded a one-handed touchdown grab at his shoelaces. In the first 17 weeks, the Raiders are expected to play 11 games on CBS and six on FOX.
**Also Read:**: Michael Mayer Has Never Had a Real QB With the Las Vegas Raiders, but That Changes in 2026
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The road trip continues in New Orleans as the Raiders visit the Saints. Itâs the first of three consecutive games away from Allegiant Stadium and the third straight meeting between the teams at the Caesars Superdome. The series is split between those games. The Saints won on Halloween Eve in 2022. Two years later, the Raiders took the game as Aidan OâConnell threw for 242 yards and two touchdowns.
**Also read: Las Vegas Raiders Draft Recap: Getting to know the picks, including Fernando Mendoza**
New England Patriots
Eric Canha-Imagn Images
The Raiders travel to Gillette Stadium to face the defending AFC champion New England Patriots. Las Vegas beat New England in Week 1 last year, with then-rookie Ashton Jeanty scoring a touchdown in his NFL debut. A win in Foxborough would even the all-time series at 18-18-1. It is the first of three games scheduled to kick off at 10 a.m. PT. The rest fall in the 1 p.m. PT window.
Week 6: vs. Buffalo
Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Credit: Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Raiders host their second straight AFC East opponent on Oct. 18, looking for their first win over Buffalo since the franchise moved to Las Vegas. The Silver and Black lost to the Bills in 2020 and 2023. Cousins last faced Buffalo in 2022, leading Minnesota to a 33-30 overtime win punctuated by Justin Jeffersonâs one-handed fourth-and-18 grab.
**Also read: Where Is Taron Johnson? The Raidersâ Best Offseason Trade Has Quietly Vanished**
Matthew Stafford, New York Jets
Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
The Raiders also draw the NFC West this season, and the Los Angeles Rams come to Las Vegas first. Itâs the first time the franchise has hosted Los Angeles since relocating in 2020. The Raiders have lost both prior meetings at SoFi Stadium (2022, 2024) by a combined six points. The matchup also marks Davante Adamsâ first game against his former team since the trade.
new york jets raiders
Dec 7, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; A general view of a Gotham City football rivalries helmet resting on the field before the game against the Miami Dolphins at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Las Vegas wraps its AFC East slate at MetLife Stadium against the New York Jets. The Raiders have won four of the last five meetings, including the last two in 2020 and 2023. The 2023 game at Allegiant Stadium was highlighted by Michael Mayerâs 7-yard touchdown catch from OâConnell. In 2020, Darren Waller posted 13 receptions for 200 yards and two touchdowns. Derek Carr capped it with a 46-yard touchdown to Henry Ruggs III with five seconds left.
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Kevin Ng-Imagn Images
The legendary Bay Area rivalry returns. The Raiders make their first trip to Leviâs Stadium since 2018, having also drawn the 49ers in their third preseason game. The Raiders last hosted San Francisco in 2023, when Davante Adams went for 150 yards and two touchdowns, including a 60-yard score.
**Also Read:**: Huge Rumor Surprisingly Links Chiefs and 49ers to Blockbuster Trade Soon
NFL: Super Bowl LX-Seattle Seahawks at New England Patriots
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Head coach Klint Kubiak faces his former team for the first time since winning the Super Bowl in Seattle. Kubiak brought offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko and offensive line coach Rick Dennison with him to Las Vegas. The Seahawks will play in Las Vegas for the first time on Nov. 15. The game caps a stretch in which the Raiders face three NFC West teams in four weeks. The last meeting came in 2022, when Josh Jacobs ripped off an 86-yard walk-off touchdown run.
**Also read: âNo Excusesâ: Klint Kubiak Issues Blunt Warning to Raiders Coaches and Front Office**
Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
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The annual trip to Mile High lands the week before Thanksgiving. Denver reached last seasonâs AFC Championship Game with former Raider Jarrett Stidham under center. The trip caps three straight weeks on CBS.
2026 NFL Defense Rankings
Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
Weather could become a factor in back-to-back road games before the bye. The matchups will say plenty about where the offense stands. The Browns fielded one of the NFLâs top defenses last year. Cleveland is led by Myles Garrett and Carson Schwesinger, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year and Defensive Rookie of the Year, respectively. Garrett set the single-season sack record with 23 in 2025.
**Also read: Las Vegas Raiders Wide Receiver Depth Chart 2026: No Clear No. 1 Option Heading into Training Camp**
Week 13: BYE
Fernando Mendoza Las Vegas Raiders
Credit: Mike Aguirre/Raiders.com
Las Vegas gets its much-needed bye week before the playoff run. This will get all the troops ready for a potential playoff run, whether Mendoza or Cousins is under center.
**Related: Las Vegas Raiders Advised to Pursue All-Pro Pass-Catcher**
Week 14: vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Las Vegas returns from the bye with three straight home games, starting with the Chargers. It is the first of three December games. The Raiders play each of their three AFC West opponents over the final five weeks of the regular season.
Week 15: vs. Denver
For the second time in four weeks, the Raiders and Broncos complete the season series, this time at Allegiant Stadium. This will either happen in the heart of the stretch run or be valuable minutes for Mendoza. Las Vegas is looking for its first home win over the Broncos since Week 18 of the 2023 season. That win also marked eight straight wins over Denver, a stretch that started when the team moved to Las Vegas.
**Related: Why Analysts Are Already Counting the Raiders Out of the 2026 Playoffs**
Jeremiyah Love
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Raiders head down Highway 93 to Phoenix to face the Cardinals for the first time since 2022. It is their first trip to Glendale since 2018, a game Carlson won on a 35-yard field goal as time expired during his rookie season. Arizonaâs backfield to watch includes Jeremiyah Love, who was drafted two spots after Mendoza last month.
Week 18: at Kansas City
Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
The season ends at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, the third time since 2022 the Raiders and Chiefs have closed the regular season against each other. A lot could be on the line. The Raiders could have a playoff seed clinched and rest starters. They could be fighting for positioning. Or Mendoza could be playing valuable minutes in the final game of his rookie season.
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