The 2026 NFL schedule dropped Thursday night, and if you've got a Cowboys fan in your life, you already know the rest of the year just got organized around 17 Sundays. They've memorized the dates. They've already started arguing about the primetime spots. They've probably texted you about it.
Here's what your Cowboys fan will be watching this season — and what that means if you're the one shopping for them.
The games on the fridge
A handful of games per season set the tone for a Cowboys fan's whole year. Here are the dates that'll matter most in 2026:
- Sunday, September 13 — Cowboys at Giants (Sunday Night Football). America's Team opens the season under the lights at MetLife. Eighth time in fifteen years these two have opened against each other.
- Sunday, September 27 — Cowboys vs. Ravens in Rio de Janeiro. The NFL's first regular-season game in Brazil, on CBS/Paramount+. Cowboys representing the league on the international stage.
- Thursday, November 26 — Eagles at Cowboys (Thanksgiving Day). First Cowboys-Eagles Thanksgiving since 2014. NFC East on the holiday. 4:30 PM on FOX.
Cowboys Fan Cave Gifts
Full 2026 Cowboys Schedule
Week-by-week preview links. After each game, the preview becomes a recap with final score and highlights.
Why this matters for the gift you're picking
A Cowboys fan isn't a casual fan. They wear the star. They paint their basement. They've been workshopping their Jerry Jones opinions since 1996.
When you're shopping for the Cowboys fan in your life — your dad, your husband, your father-in-law, your kid, your grandparent — you're not buying them "a sports gift." You're buying them their team. The good news: that makes the gift easy.
Schedule release night is the loudest night of the offseason for a reason. Your fan's whole fall just took shape. Help them celebrate it.