New York Giants Schedule Release: NFL announces Giants opener, and it's a special matchup for John Harbaugh's debut

May 9, 2026; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants head coach Jim Harbaugh speaks during a press conference at rookie minicamp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. John Jones-Imagn Images

John Harbaugh's tenure with the Giants will start with a predictable Dallas Cowboys matchup on Week 1's "Sunday Night Football."

New head coach John Harbaugh already knows what his debut for the New York Giants will look like. On Monday morning, the NFL announced that the Giants will open their regular season with a rivalry home game against the Dallas Cowboys.

It’s a Week 1 “Sunday Night Football” appearance, and it’s going to be at MetLife Stadium. The game will start at 8:20 p.m. (ET) on NBC.

What that means

The Giants-Cowboys game has different meanings. First, it takes both NFC East rivals from contention to play the Seattle Seahawks in the regular season opener on Wednesday, Sep. 9.

It’s also the eighth time in the last 15 years that Giants and Cowboys face off in Week 1 - that’s been a frequent theme for the fans of both teams.

Giants schedule