The NFL season is due to begin in a few months, but fans have yet to see a schedule. The calendar is usually out by this time, but this year, there’s an uncharacteristic delay. According to an insider, the holdup is due to global pop stars still busy kicking up storms at NFL stadiums. Even though the two worlds have long been interlinked, there’s bound to be some inconveniences caused to either party. 

This fall, several NFL stadiums have already been booked for concerts of Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, and other artists. FOX Sports’ Greg Auman has pointed out some instances of these concerts clashing with the NFL timetable, which is keeping the league busy on the drawing board. The insider, however, labelled these overlaps as “rare.”

“Usher and Chris Brown play AT&T Stadium on Thursday/Saturday/Sunday of Week 1, so Cowboys will open the season on the road (or play Monday),” Auman shared on X. “Same for Usher and Chris Brown in Atlanta in Week 9, playing at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday and Sunday, and at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Sunday of Week 10. Bruno Mars plays Tampa on Sunday, Sept. 13, so Bucs will either be on the road in Week 1 or play a different day.

“Same for Mars with Dolphins in Week 2 and 49ers in Week 5, with Sunday dates in NFL venues. Ed Sheeran plays Saturday night concerts in seven NFL stadiums during the season, meaning those teams will likely be on the road that week or playing Thursday/Monday.”

The NFL is already the highest-revenue sports league in the world. But as it turns out, it is still powerless when it comes to pop stars. Those events won’t move, which means the NFL must first work around the concert calendar before finalizing football games.

Earlier this week, NFL V.P. of broadcast planning, Mike North, said that the schedule may not arrive until after May 18. A lot of effort goes into planning these games, because the league has to balance far more than football. It must account for stadium availability, team requests, travel demands, and television broadcast windows. The NFL has to think about its entire audience, and how and when to reach them best. 

Earlier, North also suggested that unresolved broadcasting negotiations may have contributed to the delay. The NFL still needs to finalize rights for a five-game package for the 2026 season. Reports have linked FOX, Netflix, and YouTube to the bidding process, with YouTube reportedly emerging as the favorite to win the race.

“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,” North noted in his statement.

Here is a list of the NFL teams whose 2026 season schedules will be affected by these concerts:

• Dallas Cowboys
• Philadelphia Eagles
• Atlanta Falcons
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• New England Patriots
• Indianapolis Colts
• Carolina Panthers

Which NFL team could suffer the most from the concerts?

Ed Sheeran’s Saturday-night concerts could still allow NFL teams to host Monday Night Football games after quick field turnarounds. Thursday games, however, seem much less realistic because Sheeran’s crew reportedly starts setup and sound checks on Fridays. That scheduling issue could force the entire NFC South division on the road between Weeks 4 and 9. Still, the Dallas Cowboys appear to face the biggest headache.

The Usher and Chris Brown concert at AT&T Stadium falls during Week 1 of the 2026 season, meaning Dallas likely won’t host a Sunday home opener. Those same artists will also perform at SoFi Stadium (Rams/Chargers home) during Week 10, making a Cowboys road game in Los Angeles difficult unless the NFL schedules it for Thursday or Monday.

Meanwhile, Bruno Mars will take over the Buccaneers’ stadium in Week 9, which could affect a potential Cowboys-Bucs matchup. Then comes Ed Sheeran’s Week 7 concert at AT&T Stadium. That could push the Cowboys on the road or into a primetime Thursday or Monday slot if the team doesn’t have a bye. 

Interestingly, a Monday night home game might actually help the Cowboys. Some extra time for preparation, rest, and recovery can give the Cowboys an early advantage. But in its entirety, America’s team will not have an easy time this season, with its opponent list being ranked fourth-hardest. The scheduling issues that have put the Cowboys on the road will definitely play a role in how the team fares during this stretch.

The Cowboys are among a good number of teams hoping to bounce back this season, after a very disappointing campaign last year. The NFL schedule will soon reveal how much slack they are given on the calendar.