McLEAN, Va. -- The Washington Commanders' 2026 schedule was released along with the rest of the NFL slate Thursday.
The Commanders open with two key rival games, at the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys, that will set a tone for the season. It's also the first time Washington has played consecutive NFC East games to open the season since 1999. The home opener is against the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, which will also be quarterback Jayden Daniels' first home game since dislocating his elbow in Week 9 last year against the Seahawks last year.
And one bad season did not diminish Washington in the eyes of the league, at least when it comes to popularity. The Commanders play twice on Monday night, once on Sunday night as well as the obligatory Thursday night game. They played five such games in 2025 -- and lost each one.
Here's what's in store for the Commanders:
Commanders 2026 regular-season schedule
Week 1: Sept. 13 at Philadelphia Eagles
Week 2: Sept. 20 at Dallas Cowboys
Week 3: Sept. 27 vs. Seattle Seahawks
Week 4: Oct. 4 vs. Indianapolis Colts (in London)
Week 5: Oct. 11 vs. New York Giants
Week 6: Oct. 19 at San Francisco 49ers (MNF)
Week 7: Bye
Week 8: Nov. 1 vs. Philadelphia Eagles (SNF)
Week 9: Nov. 8 vs. Los Angeles Rams
Week 10: Nov. 12 at New York Giants (TNF)
Week 11: Nov. 23 vs. Cincinnati Bengals (MNF)
Week 12: Nov. 29 at Arizona Cardinals
Week 13: Dec. 6 at Tennessee Titans
Week 14: Dec. 13 vs. Houston Texans
Week 15: Dec. 20 vs. Atlanta Falcons
Week 16: Dec. 26 at Minnesota Vikings
Week 17: Jan. 2 at Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 18*: vs. Dallas Cowboys
*Date for Week 18 to be determined
Strength of schedule: The Commanders have the 16th-hardest schedule in the league (opponents had a .502 winning percentage in 2025).
DraftKings over/under win total: 7.5
ESPN analyst Mike Clay's projected win total: 6.4
Biggest takeaway
Washington doesn't have the luxury of easing into its season, with two road NFC East games followed by a home opener against Seattle. The Commanders play five of their first eight games against teams that made the postseason in 2025. For a team coming off a 5-12 year, and with a coaching staff that could be on the hot seat, a good start is imperative. Since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, Washington has started 0-2 nine times, making the postseason only once. Only eight of 51 teams have made the postseason after such a start since the NFL expanded the postseason to 14 teams in 2020.
Circle these dates
Weeks 10-13. After a tough stretch, on paper, in the first eight games, Washington starts to catch a break. It's imperative that the Commanders emerge from these four games with a 3-1 record. The teams they'll face (Giants, Bengals, Cardinals, Titans) were a combined 16-52 last season.
Each team has undergone numerous changes. So they are different, but they all still face questions about how good they'll be. If Washington can go, say, 4-4 in its first eight games and then win three of four in this stretch, it'll be well-positioned for a final playoff push.
Bold prediction
Washington will win three of its first five games. While that might not be spectacular, it would be impressive considering the first three games. The Commanders do have the benefit of the unknown in the first two weeks, with a new coordinators as well as new schemes on both sides of the ball. That will lead to growing pains, but it also could lead to them surprising a team early in the season.
Could Dan Quinn land on the hot seat early in the year?
After going 5-12 in Quinn's second season, it's uncertain what it will take for him and his staff to see a fourth year. They did go 12-5 in Year 1 and they still have Daniels at quarterback. But the Commanders made numerous changes to their staff and roster. Quinn never lost the locker room last season even while going 2-10 in the final 12 games. But an 0-3 start would likely ignite questions about his future in Washington. Only one team of 25 have made the postseason since the NFL expanded its postseason to 14 teams in 2020.