Breaking: Seahawks Week 1 Opener Moves to Wednesday Night Because of Australia
The NFL just made an official move that affects the Seahawks' entire Week 1 plans, and it all comes down to geography and prime time TV. Instead of hosting the usual Thursday night season opener, the Super Bowl LX champion Seahawks will now kick off on Wednesday night of Week 1. Why? Because the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers are heading to Melbourne, Australia to open their season, and the league had to shuffle the entire schedule around it.
Wednesday Night Football in the Emerald City
The Seahawks will take the field on NBC at 8:20 p.m. ET that Wednesday. The league still hasn't announced who they'll be facing, so we're all sitting here wondering which team is coming to Lumen Field for this historic matchup. But here's the thing: this is a pretty rare move. The last time the NFL opened a season on a Wednesday night was way back in 2012 when the Super Bowl XLVI champion New York Giants faced the Dallas Cowboys. That change happened to avoid conflict with then-President Barack Obama's speech at the Democratic National Convention on Thursday night. So yeah, Wednesday openers don't happen often.
The Australia Factor
Meanwhile, the Rams and 49ers will play their Thursday night game from the other side of the world. They're kicking off at 10:35 a.m. local time in Australia, which translates to 8:35 p.m. ET. The league hasn't announced a broadcast partner for that game yet, but it's a massive international event either way. The NFL has been leaning into international matchups lately. Last year, the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers played in São Paulo, Brazil. In 2025, the Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs opened their season on Friday in São Paulo. This year, the Australia game forced the hand, changing everything for Seattle's Week 1 schedule.
The defending champs are ready to roll, even if it means doing it on a Wednesday night. Stay locked in for the opponent announcement.
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.