September 4th of this year is a big day for Americans and not only for the American people. It is the date on which the NFL season was scheduled to start. The National Football League is the most prestigious professional American football league in the world. It has 32 teams and has been a huge sporting event since the league was founded in 1920, and the United States in particular has been a big part of it. The 18-week regular season culminates in the annual playoffs and the famous Super Bowl, which is watched by millions of viewers around the world.

The new season officially begins on 4 September 2025. This year, the Philadelphia Eagles, the reigning Super Bowl champions, will face the Dallas Cowboys in the traditional kickoff game, the first game of the season. The game will be played in Philadelphia and will kick off at 8:20 p.m. local time. Since it is a major sporting event, it will be broadcast live on NBC, among other places.

The Big Start

The start of the season is different every year, although usually the NFL starts in the first half of September. This is primarily so that the regular season ends in early January, the playoffs are played by the end of January, and the Super Bowl is played on the first or second Sunday in February. In addition, the date is set shortly after the end of the preseason to give teams time to fine-tune their lineups and tactics

The rivalry between the Eagles and Cowboys adds a special edge to the start of the season, as it is one of the most traditional rivalries in the entire league. The Philadelphia Eagles, who won the Super Bowl in February 2025, received their victory rings in a ceremony on July 19, 2025. Every year this act occurs during the preseason, millions of viewers can’t wait to see who the winner will be this year.

The international dimension

The NFL is no longer just played in the USA. A record number of international games will take place in 2025. They will take place in London, Berlin, Dublin, Madrid and Brazil. The very next day after the start of the season, on 5 September 2025, fans can look forward to a game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers in São Paulo.

The first week of play will offer several attractive duels. The entire regular season has 272 games. It is scheduled to end on January 4, 2026, followed by the playoffs, which will end on February 8 in Santa Clara, California. The Super Bowl will also be held there.

The National Football League is no longer just the preserve of Americans. Fans all over the world watch it, even live, thanks to streaming platforms. ━━ The National Football League is no longer just the preserve of Americans. Fans all over the world watch it, even live, thanks to streaming platforms. ( Source: Fredrick Lee /  Unsplash+ )

Growing popularity

The National Football League is trying to reach a wider and wider audience. It is no longer true that the sport is the preserve of men; it has long been untrue that it only affects America. In Britain, for example, Channel 5 will bring free-to-air matches every Sunday night. It will also be possible to watch the NFL on streaming platforms such as Peacock and Prime Video. This makes the games available to fans around the world.

The start of a new season symbolizes more than just a sporting event. For American football fans, it is a day when new heroes are literally born.