Field Level Media
03 Sep 2025, 20:25 GMT+10
(Photo credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)
Fans of Friday night NFL games: savor the contest this week between the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers from Sao Paolo, Brazil.
That's because there won't be a Friday night clash in the opening week in 2026. Hans Schroeder, the COO of NFL Media, confirmed that with reporters on Tuesday.
The little-known Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 prohibits NFL games from being broadcast within 75 miles of a college or high school football game between the second Friday night in September and the second Saturday in December.
And since the NFL now opens the season on the first Thursday after Labor Day, the date of that federal holiday dictates where the second Friday falls on the calendar.
Under the law, the next eligible Friday night slot won't come until 2029.
The NFL could find a way around that, however, if it decides to hold a Friday game in the afternoon on a non-holiday weekend. That wouldn't violate the law, which specifies games cannot start at 6 p.m. or later. An international game conceivably could start in prime time locally with a Friday afternoon start time in the United States.
The league has added a Black Friday game. This year, the Chicago Bears will travel to Philadelphia to meet the Eagles in a 3 p.m. game on Nov. 29.
--Field Level Media
Get a daily dose of Pittsburgh Star news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Pittsburgh Star.
More InformationINDIANAPOLIS, Indiana: Eli Lilly reported that its experimental GLP-1 pill helped overweight adults with type 2 diabetes lose an average...
(Photo credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images) Fans of Friday night NFL games: savor the contest this week between the Kansas City Chiefs...
(Photo credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images) George Springer, Bo Bichette and Daulton Varsho will look to flex their muscles again...
(Photo credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images) The Chicago Cubs won't have right fielder Kyle Tucker in their lineup when they go for...
(Photo credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images) Shohei Ohtani hit his 100th home run with the Los Angeles Dodgers on the hardest hit...
(Photo credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images) Casey Mize made the American League All-Star team this season, but he hasn't pitched...
BANGKOK, Thailand: Thailand's Constitutional Court has removed Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office, ruling that she broke...
OTTAWA, Canada: India and Canada have restored diplomatic ties by appointing new high commissioners to each other's capitals, ending...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Three senior officials at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention resigned this week, citing deep concerns...
SEOUL, South Korea: South Korea's former First Lady Kim Keon Hee and ex-Prime Minister Han Duck-soo were both indicted on August 29...
HONG KONG: A Hong Kong court has said it will announce the verdict in media tycoon Jimmy Lai's national security trial at a later date,...
NEW DELHI/ISLAMABAD: Torrential rains pounding parts of Pakistan and India have left a trail of destruction, killing at least 34 people...
