ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — In 2026, the Broncos' quest to defend the AFC West begins with a prime-time showdown on the road.
After ending the Chiefs' nine-year run atop the division in 2025, Denver will open its season with a "Monday Night Football" matchup in Kansas City. The game will mark the first time the Broncos have ever opened their season on the road against the Chiefs, and it will also be the first time since 2022 that Denver will begin its season in prime time. The Broncos will aim to secure their first Week 1 road win since 2021.
In addition to the Week 1 matchup, the Broncos are set to host Kansas City in Week 8 (Sunday, Nov. 1, 2:25 p.m. MT, CBS). Denver has won the last three meetings between the two teams at Empower Field at Mile High.
In Week 5, Denver will travel west to face the Los Angeles Chargers (Sunday, Oct. 11, 2:05 p.m. MT, CBS) and aim to secure the team's first win at SoFi Stadium since 2023. The matchup with Los Angeles comes during a tough opening stretch; not only will the game represent the fourth consecutive contest against a 2025 playoff team, but a short week capped by a "Thursday Night Football" matchup with the Seattle Seahawks will follow.
Denver will not see the Chargers again until the team's regular-season finale. After hosting the Chargers in Week 18 of 2025, the matchup will mark the first time since 2019 and 2020 that the Broncos will end the regular season against the same opponent in consecutive seasons. Like all games in the final weekend of the season, the matchup has yet to be scheduled.
Denver will not get its first look at the Klint Kubiak-led Raiders until after the team's Week 10 bye. Las Vegas — which selected quarterback Fernando Mendoza first overall in the 2026 NFL Draft — will travel to Empower Field at Mile High in Week 11 (Sunday, Nov. 22, 2:25 p.m. MT, CBS). The Broncos, who have swept the Raiders in each of the last two seasons, will then travel to Las Vegas in Week 15 (Sunday, Dec. 20, 2:25 p.m. MT, CBS).
The Broncos posted a 5-1 AFC West record — highlighted by the team's first sweep of the Chiefs since 2014 — in 2025.
For a complete list of AFC West games, see below:
Week 1: vs. Kansas City Chiefs, Monday, Sept. 14 , 6:15 p.m. MT, ESPN/ABC
Week 5: at Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2:05 p.m. MT, CBS
Week 8: vs. Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2:25 p.m. MT, CBS
Week 11: vs. Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2:25 p.m. MT, CBS
Week 15: at Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, Dec. 20, 2:25 p.m. MT, CBS
Week 18: vs. Los Angeles Chargers, Saturday, Jan. 9 OR Sunday, Jan. 10 (date and time TBD)
