Dallas Cowboys Week 1 Matchup Announced

The Dallas Cowboys will open the 2026 NFL season against the New York Giants on Sunday Night Football at MetLife Stadium.

NFL: DEC 10 Cowboys at Giants — Source: Icon Sportswire / Getty

Football season is officially gearing up, and for many Dallas Cowboys fans, one of the biggest questions every year is who do the Cowboys open the season against? Fans now have that answer, as the NFL has revealed Dallas’ Week 1 matchup ahead of the full 2026 NFL schedule release.

The Dallas Cowboys will begin their 2026 season on Sunday, September 13, when they travel to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, to take on their longtime NFC East rivals, the New York Giants. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:20 p.m. ET, and the game will be nationally televised on NBC as part of Sunday Night Football.

According to reports from NFL.com, this matchup will mark the 15th time the Cowboys and Giants have opened a season against one another, continuing one of the league’s most familiar divisional rivalries.

Historically, Dallas has dominated the rivalry overall. The Cowboys reportedly hold a 10-1 record against the Giants in season-opening matchups, including memorable wins in recent years.

The last time the two teams opened a season against each other came in 2023, when Dallas delivered a dominant 40-0 victory over New York at MetLife Stadium. The Cowboys’ defense completely controlled the game, setting the tone for one of the most lopsided season-opening wins in franchise history.

This year’s opener also brings added intrigue because it is expected to mark the beginning of a new era for the Giants under head coach John Harbaugh, while Dallas enters its second season under head coach Brian Schottenheimer.

The rivalry between the Cowboys and Giants has produced some of the NFL’s most memorable moments over the decades, and opening the season under the bright lights of Sunday Night Football only adds to the excitement. With both teams looking to make a statement early in the year, fans can expect another intense chapter in the NFC East rivalry.