American Football Fixtures & Schedule: Games, Dates & Times
Finding accurate American football fixtures shouldn’t mean juggling five different tabs. Whether you follow the NFL, college football, or one of the growing European leagues, this guide brings every fixture type together in one place, explained in plain English, so you know exactly what’s on, when, and how to watch it.
I’ve covered NFL schedules for UK viewers for years, and the one thing fans consistently struggle with isn’t finding a fixture list. It’s understanding why the schedule works the way it does, and how to convert US kick-off times into something that actually fits their evening.
What American football fixtures actually means
In British sporting language, a fixture is simply a scheduled match between two teams. American football fixtures cover every confirmed game across a season, including the date, kick-off time, venue and broadcaster.
Unlike football (soccer), where fixture lists are published a season in advance and rarely change, American football fixtures can shift. Flexible scheduling, weather delays and broadcast deals mean some games, particularly in the later weeks of an NFL season, aren’t locked in until a few weeks before kick-off.
Quick definition: An American football fixture is a confirmed match with a set date, time, venue and broadcaster, as opposed to a TBC (to be confirmed) slot that leagues use for flexible late-season games.
NFL fixtures: the backbone of the season
The NFL is the league most people mean when they search for American football fixtures, and it’s the most structured of the lot.
How the NFL schedule is built
Each of the 32 teams plays 17 regular season games across an 18 week span, with one bye week built in. The regular season runs from early September to early January.
Here’s the basic structure:
- Preseason – three warm-up games in August, mostly for fringe roster decisions
- Regular season – 18 weeks, 17 games per team, running September to January
- Postseason – wild card, divisional, conference championship rounds, then the Super Bowl in early February
- International fixtures – a growing slate of games played outside the US, including London, Madrid, Munich, Melbourne and Rio de Janeiro
Kick-off times UK fans need to know
Most NFL games kick off in the early hours UK time because of the US time difference. As a rough guide:
- Sunday early games (1:00pm ET) start around 6:00pm UK time
- Sunday late afternoon games (4:05pm/4:25pm ET) start around 9:00pm/9:25pm UK time
- Sunday Night Football (8:20pm ET) kicks off around 1:20am UK time
- Monday Night Football (8:15pm ET) starts around 1:15am UK time
- International games in London and Europe are shown at UK-friendly times, often mid-afternoon
If you’re based outside the UK, the same logic applies: check the ET (Eastern Time) kick-off and adjust for your own time zone rather than relying on a single converted time, since clocks change at different points in the US and UK calendar.
Where to watch NFL fixtures
- Sky Sports NFL – the main UK subscription broadcaster, covering the full season plus every play-off game
- ITVX – free highlights and a small number of live games
- Channel 5 / My5 – Monday Night Football highlights, free to air
- NFL+ – the league’s own streaming service for full and condensed games
- BBC iPlayer – occasional highlights and Super Bowl coverage
Beyond the NFL: other American football fixtures worth tracking
This is where most fixture guides fall short. They cover the NFL and stop there, but American football is played competitively well beyond one league.
College football (NCAA)
NCAA football runs a similar calendar to the NFL, starting in late August and running through bowl season in December and January. Conference fixtures, including the American Conference, SEC and Big Ten, feed into the College Football Playoff, which has become a genuine ratings rival to the NFL postseason in the US.
European leagues
American football has grown steadily across Europe, and two competitions are worth knowing:
- European Football Alliance (EFA) – runs May to August, six teams across five countries, culminating in a championship game
- American Football League Europe (AFLE) – runs May to September, eight teams from seven countries, finishing with the AFLE Gold Bowl
Neither gets the broadcast coverage of the NFL, but both stream on YouTube and dedicated platforms, and interest is rising as more NFL fans look for football outside the traditional September to February window.
Other competitive formats
Indoor and arena-style leagues, along with international tournament football sanctioned by the IFAF, also produce fixtures worth following if you want a fuller picture of the sport globally rather than just the NFL calendar.
How to read a fixture list correctly
A few habits make fixture lists far easier to use, whether you’re checking the NFL, college football or a European league.
- Always check the time zone label. ET, UK time and your local time are three different things. A fixture listed at 1:00pm without a zone attached is easy to misread.
- Look for “TBC” or “flex” markers. These indicate the game may move once broadcasters confirm their picks, usually in weeks 15 to 17 of the NFL season.
- Cross-check the broadcaster. Coverage splits across several channels and streaming services depending on the league and week, so confirm before assuming a game is free to air.
- Note bye weeks. If a team you follow appears to have no fixture in a given week, it’s likely their scheduled bye rather than a postponement.
Expert take: why fixture accuracy matters more than people think
Having tracked NFL schedules through several UK broadcast cycles, the most common mistake fans make is trusting a fixture time weeks in advance without rechecking it closer to the game. Flexible scheduling exists precisely because the NFL wants primetime slots filled with competitive matchups, and that means a Sunday afternoon game announced in the pre-season can move to Sunday night football later on.
My practical advice: treat any fixture more than three weeks out as provisional, and confirm broadcaster and kick-off time again in the week of the game itself.
Quick summary: American football fixtures at a glance
- NFL regular season: September to early January, 17 games per team
- NFL postseason: mid-January through early February, ending with the Super Bowl
- College football: late August through January bowl season
- European leagues (EFA, AFLE): May through September
- UK broadcasters: Sky Sports NFL, ITVX, Channel 5/My5, NFL+, BBC iPlayer
- Always confirm kick-off times and broadcasters close to the game date, as late-season fixtures can change
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the NFL season start each year? The NFL regular season typically starts in early September, with preseason games running through August. The exact opening date shifts slightly each year and is confirmed by the league in the spring.
How many games are in an NFL season? Each team plays 17 regular season games across an 18 week schedule, which includes one bye week. This is followed by a separate postseason for qualifying teams.
What time do NFL games kick off in the UK? Kick-off times vary by slot. Early Sunday games start around 6:00pm UK time, late afternoon games around 9:00pm to 9:25pm, and Sunday or Monday night games kick off after 1:00am UK time. International games played in Europe are scheduled at more UK-friendly afternoon times.
Where can I watch American football fixtures for free? ITVX and Channel 5’s My5 both offer free coverage, including highlights and a limited number of live NFL games. The BBC also shows occasional highlights and Super Bowl coverage.
Are American football fixtures confirmed for the whole season in advance? Most are, but not all. The NFL locks in the majority of its schedule before the season starts, though a small number of late-season games remain flexible and get confirmed only a few weeks ahead through what’s known as flexible scheduling.
