The Seattle Seahawks will begin their title defense on Sept. 9 against the New England Patriots, the team they defeated in Super Bowl LX. The game will be played at Lumen Field, seven months after Seattle claimed the championship.

The matchup is one of several notable games revealed Thursday when the NFL released its full 272-game 2026 schedule.

It marks the third time Super Bowl opponents have met in the following season's Week 1, and only the second time in the actual season opener. The previous instance came in 2016, when the Denver Broncos hosted the Carolina Panthers after defeating them in Super Bowl 50.

Defending champions carry a strong record in that spot. Since 2004, teams opening the following season have gone 16-5. Seattle also holds an edge in Super Bowl rematch history overall. Defending champions are 8-3 in the 12 previous such meetings, which have occurred in four straight seasons.

"We thought it was a really fun way to start the season again with New England in Seattle, coming off that Super Bowl, certainly a ton to play for," NFL executive Hans Schroeder told the Associated Press.

New England will be led by quarterback Drake Maye under coach Mike Vrabel, the reigning AP Coach of the Year. Vrabel is returning to the sideline after missing Day 3 of the NFL draft to seek counseling following the release of photos of him with football reporter Dianna Russini at an Arizona resort. Russini subsequently resigned from The Athletic.