With the 2025 NFL regular season officially over, the Los Angeles Chargers now know every team they'll play in 2026.
While the complete week-to-week slate for the '26 season won't be released until sometime this spring, typically in mid-May, the full list of the 14 opponents the Bolts will battle was finalized the moment the '25 campaign concluded.
For those who might not be overly familiar with exactly how each team's 17-game schedule is constructed, here's how it breaks down:
- Six games against every other team within the division — two per team; one at home and one on the road
- Four games against teams from a specific division within its conference on a rotating, three-year cycle; two at home and two on the road
- Four games against teams from a specific division in the opposing conference on a rotating, four-year cycle; two at home and two on the road
- Two games against teams from the two remaining divisions within the same conference based on the previous season's standings; one at home and one on the road.
- One game against a team from a division from the opposing conference on a rotating, four-year cycle that the team isn't already scheduled to play based on the previous season's standings.
So, how do things shake out for the Chargers in 2026?
The Chargers will play eight games in 2026 against teams that made the NFL Playoffs
First up, of course, the Chargers will play their usual two games each against their fellow franchises from the AFC West in the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, and Las Vegas Raiders.
Next, with the three-year intraconference rotation dictating that all AFC West teams will play all AFC East teams in 2026, Los Angeles will face the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, and New York Jets.
The four-year interconference cycle dictates that all AFC West teams will play all NFC West teams, meaning the Bolts will battle the Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, and Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks, Rams, and Niners, of course, took three of the top six slots on the NFC side of the playoff bracket and had a combined regular-season record of 38-13. So, that's a tough draw.
As the Chargers finished second in the AFC West, they'll play the second-place teams from the other two AFC divisions they're not already scheduled to play, meaning they'll square off with the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans. Yes, it's another game with the Texans, who've had the Bolts' number recently. And one has to think Baltimore will bounce back after an average season.
And lastly, the rotating cycle dictates that every AFC West team will play the NFC South team that finished in the same position in 2025, meaning Los Angeles will take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
As 2026 is an even year, each AFC team will have eight home games, which obviously means the Chargers will host eight games at SoFi Stadium—unless they're chosen to serve as the home team in one of the International Series games.
Chargers 2026 home opponents
- Denver Broncos
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Las Vegas Raiders
- New England Patriots
- New York Jets
- Arizona Cardinals
- San Francisco 49ers
- Houston Texans
Chargers 2026 road opponents
- Denver Broncos
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Buffalo Bills
- Miami Dolphins
- Los Angeles Rams
- Seattle Seahawks
- Baltimore Ravens
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
For those keeping track of such things, the Chargers' 2026 schedule will feature eight games against teams that made the postseason, with two against the Broncos, as well as matchups with the Patriots, 49ers, Texans, Bills, Rams, and Seahawks.