The 2025 NFL regular season officially begins on Thursday, September 4, 2025. As is tradition, the season will kick off the first Thursday after Labor Day, with the reigning Super Bowl champions headlining opening night in a primetime matchup.
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NFL 2025 Kickoff Game: Eagles vs. Cowboys
The honor of opening the season goes to the Philadelphia Eagles, who claimed the Lombardi Trophy in February. They will host their NFC East rivals, the Dallas Cowboys, in one of the most highly anticipated season openers in recent memory.
- Matchup: Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles
- Date: Thursday, September 4, 2025
- Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
- Location: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
- TV/Streaming: NBC and Peacock
This divisional showdown not only pits two of the NFL’s most storied franchises against one another but also sets the tone for what promises to be a thrilling season.
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Week 1 NFL Schedule Tradition
While the Cowboys and Eagles will open the season on Thursday night, the rest of the league will kick off over the weekend with Sunday afternoon games, Sunday Night Football, and the traditional Monday Night Football slate. Week 1 is always one of the most anticipated stretches of the year, as fans finally see how offseason moves and draft picks translate onto the field.
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Key Takeaway
The 2025 NFL season kicks off Thursday, Sept. 4, with the defending champion Eagles hosting the Cowboys in primetime. With star power, rivalry energy, and the bright lights of NBC and Peacock’s national broadcast, opening night promises to deliver a blockbuster start to the new season.