The NFL's annual schedule release has been a mid-May staple for the past half-decade, but 2026 could break that tradition. League officials have confirmed that a delay is possible, thanks to a high-stakes negotiation over a five-game streaming package.
Mike North, the NFL's vice president of broadcast planning, dropped the news on the It's Always Game Day in Buffalo podcast. While the league's target remains the second week of May, North admitted that pushing it to the third week—May 19, 20, or 21—is officially on the table. 'Is there any magic to May 12, 13, 14? No,' he said. 'Is there any real downside to May 19, 20, or 21? No.'
The holdup? A five-game streaming package that's still being hammered out. North explained that the league needs to finalize when and where those games will be played before the full schedule can be locked in. 'These five games that are out there as a package that are being negotiated right now—love to know when, where those games are going to be played so we can schedule them accordingly,' he said.
According to reports, YouTube is the frontrunner for the streaming rights, with Netflix and FOX also in the mix. Until a deal is struck, fans will have to wait. North made it clear that the final call rests with Commissioner Roger Goodell. 'None of us know the date yet because we don't know when we're going to walk into his office and present him one,' he said. 'If we walk in there on May 11th or 12th and he's not happy with where we are, he'll send us back downstairs, and we'll keep grinding.'
North even joked about the pressure, saying, 'I'm sure at some point he's going to say, "All right you morons, I'm not giving you any more time. We got to go." I hope it doesn't get to that point.'
This isn't the first time the NFL has faced scheduling scrutiny. Earlier this year, the league dropped a hint that the 2026 schedule drop was coming in May, but now that timeline looks shaky. Meanwhile, other sports have their own scheduling headaches—just ask fans fuming over late tip-offs or states bracing for storms that could wreck game days.
For now, the NFL is urging patience. North emphasized that the schedule won't slip into June, but the third week of May is a real possibility. 'If it slides to the 18th, 19th, or 20th, the world will keep spinning,' he said.
As negotiations continue, fans can only wait—and hope that the league's next big announcement doesn't get delayed any further.
