Dolphins 2026 – The NFL 2026 schedule drops Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET, with Dolphins leaks already circulating, including likely Week 1 and bye details.
A 7:30 p.m. ET announcement is coming, but the Miami Dolphins’ 2026 schedule buzz has already started to swirl long before the NFL officially posts the full slate.
The league is set to release the 2026 NFL schedule Thursday night at 7:30 p.m.. ET for all 32 teams.. Still, reports and partial schedule leaks have been circulating throughout the week, including items that involve the Dolphins.. While many of these leaks and rumors eventually prove accurate. the important caveat remains: until the league’s official announcement. most details are unconfirmed.
For Miami, the timing of the schedule release lands in a period of change.. The team is entering 2026 with a new general manager, a new coach, and a new quarterback.. That combination typically signals a reset. and the Dolphins’ offseason moves have reflected that idea as they moved on from several key players and added veteran free agents on inexpensive one-year deals.
Once the full schedule is confirmed, Miami’s structure will be shaped by the league’s rotation.. The Dolphins will face their AFC East opponents twice.. They’re also slated to play the AFC West and the NFC North. along with several additional teams tied to the division standings from 2025. including clubs that finished third in their divisions.
Here’s what the Dolphins’ week-by-week 2026 schedule currently shows as being leaked or reported, with any entries marked as unconfirmed denoted as such.
Week 1 is listed as Sunday, Sept.. 13, at the Las Vegas Raiders, with a kickoff time of 4:25 p.m.. ET, though it’s still marked unconfirmed.. Week 2 follows on Sunday, Sept.. 20, at the San Francisco 49ers, again at 4:25 p.m.. ET, also unconfirmed.. If these reports hold, Miami would begin the year with a quick trip west.
Week 3 is expected to be Sunday, Sept.. 27, against the Kansas City Chiefs, with a 1:00 p.m.. ET start, listed as unconfirmed.. Week 4 would take Miami to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, Oct.. 4, at 4:05 p.m.. ET, unconfirmed.. Week 5 is shown as a home matchup versus the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, Oct.. 11 at 1:00 p.m.. ET, also unconfirmed.
Week 6 is a bye. That rest week matters for a team entering with new leadership, because it can help reset rhythm and workload after the first stretch. The weeks after the bye are where the schedule’s balance—travel, division matchups, and opponent quality—could become more noticeable.
In Week 7, the Dolphins are rumored to play at the New York Jets on Sunday, Oct.. 25 at 1:00 p.m.. ET, marked unconfirmed.. Week 8 is listed as Sunday, Nov.. 1, a home game against the New England Patriots at 1:00 p.m.. ET, also unconfirmed.. Week 9 follows with a Sunday, Nov.. 8 matchup against the Detroit Lions at 1:00 p.m.. ET, unconfirmed.
Week 10 is shown as Sunday, Nov. 15, at the Indianapolis Colts at 1:00 p.m. ET, unconfirmed. Week 11 is listed Sunday, Nov. 22, at the Buffalo Bills at an unconfirmed time. Week 12 is slated for Sunday, Nov. 29, against the New York Jets at 1:00 p.m. ET, unconfirmed.
Later in the season, Week 13 is reported as Sunday, Dec.. 6, at the Denver Broncos at 4:05 p.m.. ET, unconfirmed.. Week 14 would be Sunday, Dec.. 13, at home versus the Chicago Bears at 1:00 p.m.. ET, unconfirmed.. Week 15 is listed as Sunday, Dec.. 20, at the Green Bay Packers at 1:00 p.m.. ET, unconfirmed.
Week 16 is scheduled for Sunday, Dec.. 27, at home against the Los Angeles Chargers at an unconfirmed time.. Week 17 is listed as Sunday, Jan.. 3, a home game versus the Buffalo Bills, unconfirmed.. Week 18 closes the regular season with an away game at the New England Patriots. with the date and time still listed as TBD.
As the leaked slate has been discussed online, a few themes have emerged.. One report suggested Miami could open at Allegiant Stadium against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 1 for a 4:25 p.m.. ET game.. The same reporting flow indicates the Dolphins would stay on the road in Week 2 and face the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium at 4:25 p.m.. ET.
That would make the geography of the early season a storyline of its own. The sequence—heading west in back-to-back weeks—creates an unusual travel rhythm early in the year, and it’s the kind of detail fans often look for when assessing how a team’s new roster bedding process might be affected.
Meanwhile, other reports point to division and late-season moments.. Miami’s Week 7 opponent is described as a 1:00 p.m.. ET home-to-away style matchup with the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.. And the schedule also includes expected home opponents—Buffalo Bills. New England Patriots. New York Jets. Chicago Bears. Cincinnati Bengals. Detroit Lions. Kansas City Chiefs. and Los Angeles Chargers—as part of the reported home slate.
On the road. the current list of opponents includes Buffalo Bills. New England Patriots. New York Jets. Denver Broncos. Indianapolis Colts. Green Bay Packers. Las Vegas Raiders. Minnesota Vikings. and San Francisco 49ers.. Even before the official release. that grouping hints at how Miami could be tested by both division continuity and the broader rotation across the league.
One rumor that didn’t materialize is also part of the current chatter.. Earlier speculation had Miami playing the San Francisco 49ers in Mexico City. but it was reported that the Vikings will be the team representing that international matchup.. With that clarification. the Dolphins are left with no international games in 2026. a detail that can simplify logistics for a roster still adjusting to new leadership.
Looking beyond the dates and opponents, the broader meaning of the 2026 schedule buzz comes down to timing.. For a team described as entering a reset year—with new front-office direction and a new identity at quarterback—knowing when key division games and tough stretches arrive can shape expectations long before kickoff.. The leaks may help fans build early narratives. but the league’s Thursday-night release is what will ultimately confirm whether the current list matches the final plan.
Until then, Miami fans are being told to treat every leaked item as tentative.. This is also why the schedule coverage is framed as being updated as games are leaked and announced. with unconfirmed entries flagged in the week-by-week listing.. When the official schedule lands, those question marks should either resolve quickly—or be corrected just as fast.
Super Bowl 61 odds are also listed as a related page element, underscoring how quickly schedule talk tends to merge with bigger postseason expectations as the league moves toward the next season.
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