The Chargers Schedule 2026 gives fans a clear look at the Los Angeles Chargers’ path through the upcoming NFL season. The schedule features AFC West rivalry games, difficult road trips, nationally televised matchups, and several important games against teams from outside the division.
The Chargers open their regular season at home against the Arizona Cardinals on September 13 before facing the Las Vegas Raiders one week later. They then begin a challenging stretch that includes trips to Buffalo, Seattle, and Kansas City. The team receives its bye in Week 7 before returning to action against the Los Angeles Rams.
This guide breaks down the 2026 Chargers schedule by week, including preseason games, regular-season opponents, dates, kickoff times, home and away status, the bye week, and the games that could have the biggest impact on the season.
Chargers Schedule 2026 at a Glance
The 2026 Los Angeles Chargers regular-season schedule consists of 17 games across 18 weeks, with one bye week. The Chargers are scheduled to play nine home games and eight road games during the regular season.
Here is the complete schedule currently published by the NFL:
| Week | Date | Opponent | Location | Kickoff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sept. 13 | Arizona Cardinals | Home | 4:25 p.m. ET |
| 2 | Sept. 20 | Las Vegas Raiders | Home | 4:05 p.m. ET |
| 3 | Sept. 27 | Buffalo Bills | Away | 1:00 p.m. ET |
| 4 | Oct. 4 | Seattle Seahawks | Away | 4:25 p.m. ET |
| 5 | Oct. 11 | Denver Broncos | Home | 4:05 p.m. ET |
| 6 | Oct. 18 | Kansas City Chiefs | Away | 4:25 p.m. ET |
| 7 | — | Bye Week | — | — |
| 8 | Nov. 1 | Los Angeles Rams | Away | 4:05 p.m. ET |
| 9 | Nov. 8 | Houston Texans | Home | 4:05 p.m. ET |
| 10 | Nov. 16 | Baltimore Ravens | Away | 8:15 p.m. ET |
| 11 | Nov. 22 | New York Jets | Home | 4:05 p.m. ET |
| 12 | Nov. 29 | New England Patriots | Home | 8:20 p.m. ET |
| 13 | Dec. 6 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Away | 1:00 p.m. ET |
| 14 | Dec. 13 | Las Vegas Raiders | Away | 4:05 p.m. ET |
| 15 | Dec. 17 | San Francisco 49ers | Home | 8:15 p.m. ET |
| 16 | Dec. 27 | Miami Dolphins | Away | 1:00 p.m. ET |
| 17 | TBD | Kansas City Chiefs | Home | TBD |
| 18 | TBD | Denver Broncos | Away | TBD |
The NFL lists the Week 17 Chiefs game and Week 18 Broncos game without finalized kickoff times. Week 18 scheduling is determined after the conclusion of Week 17, Chargers Schedule 2026 so those details should be checked again closer to the end of the regular season.
Chargers Preseason Schedule 2026
Before the regular season begins, the Chargers are scheduled to play three preseason games.
| Preseason Week | Date | Opponent | Location | Kickoff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preseason 1 | Aug. 13 | Houston Texans | Away | 8:00 p.m. ET |
| Preseason 2 | Aug. 20 | San Francisco 49ers | Home | 10:00 p.m. ET |
| Preseason 3 | Aug. 27 | Los Angeles Rams | Home | 10:00 p.m. ET |
The preseason opens with a road trip to Houston. The Chargers then return to SoFi Stadium for consecutive home games against San Francisco and the Rams.
Preseason results generally matter less than regular-season results, but these games provide opportunities to evaluate players competing for roster spots and establish team depth before the meaningful games begin.
Chargers Regular Season Schedule 2026
Arizona Cardinals at Chargers
Date: September 13, 2026
Location: SoFi Stadium
Kickoff: 4:25 p.m. ET
The Chargers begin their regular-season campaign at home against the Arizona Cardinals. Starting at SoFi Stadium gives Los Angeles an opportunity to establish momentum immediately.
Opening-day games can be especially important because they provide the first competitive look at how a team’s offseason changes translate into regular-season football.
Las Vegas Raiders at Chargers
Date: September 20, 2026
Location: SoFi Stadium
Kickoff: 4:05 p.m. ET
The AFC West rivalry continues in Week 2 when the Las Vegas Raiders visit Los Angeles.
This is the Chargers’ second consecutive home game, giving them a favorable opportunity to begin the season in front of their home crowd before a demanding road stretch.
Chargers at Buffalo Bills
Date: September 27, 2026
Location: Buffalo
Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. ET
The Chargers’ first road game comes against the Buffalo Bills.
This matchup introduces an early travel challenge and gives Los Angeles an important test outside the AFC West. Buffalo’s home environment can make the trip particularly demanding.
Chargers at Seattle Seahawks
Date: October 4, 2026
Location: Seattle
Kickoff: 4:25 p.m. ET
Los Angeles stays on the road in Week 4 for a meeting with the Seattle Seahawks.
The Chargers therefore face back-to-back road games in Weeks 3 and 4, making this an important early-season test of travel, preparation, and roster depth.
Denver Broncos at Chargers
Date: October 11, 2026
Location: SoFi Stadium
Kickoff: 4:05 p.m. ET
The Chargers return home to face AFC West rival Denver.
Division games carry additional significance because the results can directly influence the AFC West standings and potential postseason positioning.
Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs
Date: October 18, 2026
Location: Kansas City
Kickoff: 4:25 p.m. ET
Los Angeles closes its pre-bye stretch with a road matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs.
This is one of the most notable games on the early portion of the schedule because it combines a divisional rivalry with a difficult road environment.
Chargers Bye Week
The Chargers’ bye arrives in Week 7.
The timing gives the team a chance to recover after six regular-season games and prepare for the second half of the schedule.
A bye week can also provide additional preparation time for upcoming opponents while allowing injured players an opportunity to recover.
Chargers at Los Angeles Rams
Date: November 1, 2026
Location: SoFi Stadium
Kickoff: 4:05 p.m. ET
The Chargers return from their bye against the Los Angeles Rams.
Although both teams play at SoFi Stadium, the Chargers are listed as the visiting team for this matchup. That makes this an unusual local rivalry and an important post-bye game.
Houston Texans at Chargers
Date: November 8, 2026
Location: SoFi Stadium
Kickoff: 4:05 p.m. ET
The Houston Texans visit Los Angeles in Week 9.
The game gives the Chargers another home opportunity following their meeting with the Rams and starts a stretch in which Los Angeles alternates between home and road contests.
Chargers at Baltimore Ravens
Date: November 16, 2026
Location: Baltimore
Kickoff: 8:15 p.m. ET
The Chargers travel to Baltimore for a Monday night matchup with the Ravens.
The prime-time setting makes this one of the most prominent games on the Chargers schedule. Playing on the road at night also creates a different preparation challenge compared with a typical Sunday afternoon game.
New York Jets at Chargers
Date: November 22, 2026
Location: SoFi Stadium
Kickoff: 4:05 p.m. ET
The Chargers return home to face the New York Jets.
After the Monday night road game in Baltimore, Los Angeles has a home game the following Sunday, giving the team a chance to settle back into its normal routine.
New England Patriots at Chargers
Date: November 29, 2026
Location: SoFi Stadium
Kickoff: 8:20 p.m. ET
The New England Patriots visit the Chargers in a nationally prominent Sunday night game.
This matchup begins an important late-season portion of the schedule. With the playoff race typically becoming more significant in November and December, every game during this period can carry additional importance.
Chargers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Date: December 6, 2026
Location: Tampa Bay
Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. ET
Los Angeles travels to Florida to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Chargers will need to manage the long-distance road trip while maintaining focus during the closing weeks of the regular season.
Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders
Date: December 13, 2026
Location: Las Vegas
Kickoff: 4:05 p.m. ET
The Chargers make their second trip to face the Raiders in 2026.
Because Los Angeles and Las Vegas are AFC West rivals, this game could have direct implications for the division standings and late-season positioning.
San Francisco 49ers at Chargers
Date: December 17, 2026
Location: SoFi Stadium
Kickoff: 8:15 p.m. ET
The San Francisco 49ers visit SoFi Stadium on Thursday night.
The short turnaround makes this a particularly interesting scheduling spot. Teams have less recovery and preparation time between games on a Thursday, making depth and physical recovery important factors.
Chargers at Miami Dolphins
Date: December 27, 2026
Location: Miami
Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. ET
The Chargers travel to Miami for their Week 16 matchup.
This game falls deep into the regular season, when playoff positioning can become increasingly important. The road environment and late-season timing add significance to the matchup.
Kansas City Chiefs at Chargers
Date: TBD
Location: SoFi Stadium
Kickoff: TBD
The Chargers close their home schedule against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The NFL has not yet assigned a specific date or kickoff time to the game. Week 17 scheduling is handled later in the season, with the league determining the final broadcast window based partly on the competitive situation.
Chargers at Denver Broncos
Date: TBD
Location: Denver
Kickoff: TBD
The regular season concludes with the Chargers visiting the Denver Broncos.
Week 18 is always subject to late scheduling because the NFL waits until after Week 17 to finalize game times. That allows the league to place games with major playoff or division implications into appropriate broadcast windows.
Key Games on the Chargers Schedule 2026
Not every game carries the same type of significance. Several matchups stand out because of rivalry, opponent quality, scheduling position, or national exposure.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Chargers face Kansas City twice, once on the road in Week 6 and again at home in Week 17.
Those games are particularly important because both teams compete in the AFC West. Winning divisional games can provide valuable advantages in the standings and tiebreaker scenarios.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Chargers also have two meetings with Las Vegas.
The first comes in Week 2 at home, while the rematch takes place in Las Vegas in Week 14. The split home-and-away format creates two separate opportunities to gain ground within the division.
Denver Broncos
Denver appears twice on the schedule as well.
The Broncos visit Los Angeles in Week 5 before the Chargers travel to Denver for the final game of the regular season. The Week 18 meeting could be especially important if the AFC West remains competitive late in the year.
Buffalo Bills
The Week 3 trip to Buffalo represents an early non-division test.
It comes immediately after the Chargers’ opening two home games, making it their first major road challenge of the regular season.
Baltimore Ravens
The Week 10 trip to Baltimore is notable because it takes place on Monday night.
Prime-time road games often require different preparation and travel routines, making this a useful measuring point during the middle of the season.
San Francisco 49ers
The Week 15 meeting with San Francisco is scheduled for Thursday night at SoFi Stadium.
Because it comes late in the year and on a short week, physical recovery could be particularly important.
Home vs. Away Schedule
The Chargers’ 2026 schedule gives them a balanced mix of home and road games.
Home opponents
The Chargers are scheduled to host:
- Arizona Cardinals
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Denver Broncos
- Houston Texans
- New York Jets
- New England Patriots
- San Francisco 49ers
- Kansas City Chiefs
Road opponents
The Chargers are scheduled to visit:
- Buffalo Bills
- Seattle Seahawks
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Los Angeles Rams
- Baltimore Ravens
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Miami Dolphins
- Denver Broncos
This creates nine road games and eight home games during the regular season. The NFL’s official schedule confirms the full opponent and location sequence.
How the Schedule Is Structured
The Chargers’ schedule has several distinct phases.
The opening six weeks are demanding. Los Angeles starts with two home games, then travels to Buffalo and Seattle before returning home to face Denver and traveling to Kansas City.
The Week 7 bye provides a break before the team enters a long second-half stretch.
From Week 8 onward, the schedule includes a mixture of division games, cross-conference matchups, and prime-time contests. The final weeks are especially noteworthy because they include San Francisco, Miami, Kansas City, and Denver.
This structure means the Chargers could face meaningful divisional and playoff implications throughout December.
What Fans Should Watch in 2026
Early-season momentum
The first six games could tell fans a lot about the Chargers’ competitiveness. Two home games open the season, but the schedule quickly introduces three challenging road environments.
The bye-week timing
The Week 7 bye arrives relatively early. How effectively the Chargers use that break could influence their performance during the long second half of the season.
Prime-time exposure
The current schedule includes prominent night games against Baltimore, New England, and San Francisco.
These games provide national exposure while also testing how the Chargers handle unusual preparation and kickoff schedules.
AFC West matchups
The four divisional games against Denver, Kansas City, and Las Vegas are among the most important contests on the calendar.
A strong division record can become extremely valuable if multiple AFC West teams remain close in the standings.
The final two weeks
The Chargers finish with Kansas City and Denver.
Because Week 17 and Week 18 dates and times remain unsettled, fans should monitor official NFL schedule updates as the season progresses.
Chargers Schedule 2026 and the Playoff Picture
The NFL regular season lasts 18 weeks, Chargers Schedule 2026 but teams play only 17 games because of the bye week. The Chargers’ Week 7 break means the club has a full week without a game before returning for the second half.
The most important factor when assessing a schedule is not simply the number of difficult opponents. Timing matters too.
For example, a challenging opponent following a short week can create a different preparation problem than the same opponent after several days of rest. Likewise, consecutive road games can increase travel demands.
For the Chargers, several scheduling elements deserve attention:
- Early road stretch: Buffalo and Seattle arrive in consecutive weeks.
- Divisional competition: Kansas City, Las Vegas, and Denver appear multiple times.
- Prime-time games: Baltimore, New England, and San Francisco provide national exposure.
- Late-season travel: Miami comes in Week 16.
- Final AFC West games: Kansas City and Denver close the regular season.
The schedule alone cannot predict a final record, but it provides an important framework for understanding the season.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the Chargers 2026 regular season start?
The Chargers begin the 2026 regular season on September 13, 2026, at home against the Arizona Cardinals. The scheduled kickoff is 4:25 p.m. ET.
Who do the Chargers play in Week 1?
The Chargers host the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1 at SoFi Stadium.
When is the Chargers’ bye week in 2026?
The Chargers have their bye in Week 7, following their Week 6 road game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
How many times do the Chargers play the Chiefs in 2026?
The Chargers play the Kansas City Chiefs twice. The first game is in Kansas City in Week 6, while the second is at SoFi Stadium in Week 17.
When do the Chargers play the Raiders?
Los Angeles plays Las Vegas twice. The Raiders visit the Chargers on September 20 in Week 2, while the Chargers visit Las Vegas on December 13 in Week 14.
Who do the Chargers play in their final game?
The Chargers are scheduled to finish the 2026 regular season on the road against the Denver Broncos in Week 18. The exact date and kickoff time have not yet been finalized.
How many Chargers games are scheduled for prime time?
The published schedule includes notable night games against Baltimore on November 16, New England on November 29, and San Francisco on December 17. The NFL can also determine additional Week 17 or Week 18 broadcast windows later.
Will the Week 17 and Week 18 Chargers game times change?
Yes. The NFL has not yet assigned final dates and kickoff times to those games. Week 17 scheduling is finalized later in the season, while Week 18 times are determined after Week 17.
Conclusion
The Chargers Schedule 2026 gives Los Angeles a varied regular-season path featuring AFC West rivalries, challenging road trips, prime-time games, and an important late-season finish.
The season begins with two home games against Arizona and Las Vegas before the Chargers face Buffalo, Seattle, Denver, and Kansas City in a demanding opening stretch. After the Week 7 bye, the schedule continues with the Rams, Texans, Ravens, Jets, Patriots, Buccaneers, Raiders, 49ers, Dolphins, Chiefs, and Broncos.
The final two games remain flexible, with the NFL yet to determine their exact dates and kickoff times. For the most accurate schedule information, those details should be checked again as the season approaches and the league makes its later scheduling announcements.