The Los Angeles Chargers enter the 2026 season trying to convert regular-season consistency into postseason success. Jim Harbaugh’s team finished 11-6 in 2025, earned its second consecutive playoff appearance and placed second in the AFC West. However, the season ended with a disappointing 16-3 Wild Card loss to New England.
Los Angeles responded with substantial changes around Justin Herbert. Mike McDaniel replaced Greg Roman as offensive coordinator, Chris O’Leary took control of the defense, and the roster added center Tyler Biadasz, tight end David Njoku and first-round edge rusher Akheem Mesidor.
The 2026 schedule provides an early opportunity to build momentum, but a difficult midseason run, four cross-country trips and two unresolved late-season division games could determine whether the Chargers finally advance in January.
Los Angeles Chargers 2026 Full Schedule
The Chargers will play eight designated home games, nine road games and have their bye in Week 7. One road game requires no travel because the Chargers will face the Rams at SoFi Stadium as the visiting team.
The dates, kickoff times and television assignments for Weeks 17 and 18 have not been announced. Those details are marked TBD rather than estimated. All confirmed kickoff times below are listed in Eastern Time.
The Los Angeles Chargers’ 2026 regular-season schedule includes 17 games and a Week 7 bye. All confirmed kickoff times are listed in Eastern Time. Week 17 and Week 18 details remain TBD.
Los Angeles Chargers 2026 Regular-Season Schedule
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| Wk | Date | Opponent | Location | Time | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sun, Sept. 13 | vs.Arizona Cardinals | SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA | 4:25 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 2 | Sun, Sept. 20 | vs.Las Vegas Raiders | SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA | 4:05 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 3 | Sun, Sept. 27 | atBuffalo Bills | Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, NY | 1:00 p.m. ET | FOX |
| 4 | Sun, Oct. 4 | atSeattle Seahawks | Lumen Field, Seattle, WA | 4:25 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 5 | Sun, Oct. 11 | vs.Denver Broncos | SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA | 4:05 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 6 | Sun, Oct. 18 | atKansas City Chiefs | Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO | 4:25 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 7 | Sun, Oct. 25 | Bye Week | — | — | — |
| 8 | Sun, Nov. 1 | atLos Angeles Rams | SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA | 4:05 p.m. ET | FOX |
| 9 | Sun, Nov. 8 | vs.Houston Texans | SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA | 4:05 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 10 | Mon, Nov. 16 | atBaltimore Ravens | M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD | 8:15 p.m. ET | ESPN |
| 11 | Sun, Nov. 22 | vs.New York Jets | SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA | 4:05 p.m. ET | FOX |
| 12 | Sun, Nov. 29 | vs.New England Patriots | SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA | 8:20 p.m. ET | NBC |
| 13 | Sun, Dec. 6 | atTampa Bay Buccaneers | Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL | 1:00 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 14 | Sun, Dec. 13 | atLas Vegas Raiders | Allegiant Stadium, Paradise, NV | 4:05 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 15 | Thu, Dec. 17 | vs.San Francisco 49ers | SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA | 8:15 p.m. ET | Prime Video |
| 16 | Sun, Dec. 27 | atMiami Dolphins | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL | 1:00 p.m. ET | FOX |
| 17 | TBD | vs.Kansas City Chiefs | SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA | TBD | TBD |
| 18 | TBD | atDenver Broncos | Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, CO | TBD | TBD |
Note: Dates, kickoff times and television assignments are subject to NFL scheduling changes. Week 17 and Week 18 details remain TBD.
Chargers Strength of Schedule
Los Angeles has the tied ninth-hardest schedule based on its opponents’ 2025 results. Those teams produced a combined 151-138 record and a .522 winning percentage. The Chargers will play eight games against teams that reached the previous postseason, evenly divided between home and road matchups.
A projection-based measurement produces a more moderate outlook. Sharp Football Analysis ranks Los Angeles 20th when schedules are ordered from easiest to hardest using current projected win totals. That translates to approximately the 13th-hardest projected slate rather than a top-10 gauntlet.
The difference illustrates the uncertainty surrounding schedule-strength calculations. Los Angeles faces Buffalo, Seattle, New England, Houston and the Rams, but it also draws Arizona, the Jets and rebuilding Miami. Much will depend on whether the AFC West improves around the Chargers.
Chargers Marquee and Primetime Games
The Chargers have three confirmed primetime appearances and no international game.
The first comes in Week 10 against Baltimore on Monday Night Football. The matchup features Justin Herbert against another elite quarterback and reunites the Chargers with former defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, now Baltimore’s head coach. It also preserves the Harbaugh family connection surrounding Jim and John Harbaugh.
In Week 12, New England visits SoFi Stadium for Sunday Night Football. This is the most obvious revenge game on the schedule because the Patriots ended Los Angeles’ previous season with a 16-3 Wild Card victory.
The third confirmed national game is a Week 15 Thursday Night Football matchup against San Francisco. Jim Harbaugh facing his former organization provides an additional storyline, while the four-day turnaround following the Raiders game adds competitive difficulty.
Three circle-the-calendar matchups stand above the rest:
Week 3 at Buffalo: Herbert faces Josh Allen in the first season of Buffalo’s new stadium.
Week 8 at the Rams: The Battle of Los Angeles occurs at SoFi Stadium, but the Chargers are officially the road team.
Week 12 vs. New England: Los Angeles gets a nationally televised opportunity to respond to its latest playoff disappointment.
Chargers Division Games
The AFC West schedule begins with Las Vegas visiting SoFi Stadium in Week 2. The Chargers travel to Allegiant Stadium for the rematch in Week 14, immediately before their short-week game against San Francisco.
Denver visits Los Angeles in Week 5. The return game will be played in Denver during Week 18, marking the second consecutive season in which the Chargers close against the Broncos. The exact day and kickoff time remain unconfirmed. Denver won the AFC West in 2025, making these meetings especially important to Los Angeles’ division-title hopes.
The Chargers visit Kansas City in Week 6 and host the Chiefs in Week 17. Los Angeles swept Kansas City in 2025 for the first time since 2013, but repeating that result will be difficult.
With Kansas City and Denver scheduled in the final two weeks, the AFC West race could remain unsettled until the last weekend.
Chargers Toughest Stretch of the Season
The hardest four-game stretch appears between Weeks 3 and 6.
Los Angeles begins with a cross-country trip to Buffalo before visiting the defending champion Seahawks in Seattle. The Chargers then return home for a divisional test against Denver before traveling to Arrowhead Stadium to face Kansas City. The NFL itself described the broader Weeks 3-10 section as a seven-game gauntlet, with the Week 7 bye separating its two halves.
This stretch combines elite quarterbacks, difficult road environments, considerable travel and two AFC West games. A 2-2 result would be manageable. Going 3-1 would establish the Chargers as a serious conference contender.
Chargers Easiest Stretch and Potential Winning-Streak Window
The clearest opportunity to bank victories comes immediately.
Los Angeles opens at home against Arizona and remains at SoFi Stadium to face Las Vegas. Arizona is an infrequent opponent and won only three games in 2025, while the Chargers have won five consecutive home games against the Raiders.
Beginning 2-0 would be especially valuable because the schedule becomes considerably more difficult in Week 3. The Chargers cannot treat a divisional game as automatic, but the combination of home-field continuity and limited travel makes the opening fortnight their best winning-streak window.
Chargers Home vs. Away Breakdown
The Chargers have eight designated home games and nine road games. However, their Week 8 road matchup against the Rams will also be played at SoFi Stadium, meaning Los Angeles effectively receives a ninth game in its home venue without home-team control of tickets, sidelines or presentation.
The travel burden is concentrated in four cross-country trips: Buffalo, Baltimore, Tampa Bay and Miami. The Week 10 Monday night game in Baltimore is followed by a six-day turnaround before the Jets visit Los Angeles.
The most demanding rest situation arrives in December. The Chargers play at Las Vegas on Sunday, December 13, and host San Francisco four days later. They then receive an extended break before traveling to Miami on December 27.
The Week 7 bye is well positioned between the difficult Kansas City trip and the Battle of Los Angeles.
Chargers Key Storylines to Watch
The Patriots rematch will attract the most attention because of how decisively New England ended Los Angeles’ 2025 season. Herbert and Harbaugh have produced consecutive 11-win campaigns, but the franchise still needs a playoff victory to validate its progress.
Week 10 carries multiple coaching connections. Former Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter now leads Baltimore, while Jim Harbaugh again faces his brother John in a matchup between expected AFC contenders.
Mike McDaniel’s Week 16 return to Miami is another major storyline. McDaniel now controls Herbert’s offense after previously serving as the Dolphins’ head coach. His familiarity with Miami’s personnel may influence preparation on both sides.
The Rams game offers a rare shared-stadium matchup, and Arizona’s Week 1 visit is only the second season-opening meeting between the Chargers and Cardinals in franchise history.
Chargers Season Outlook and Prediction
Los Angeles has the quarterback, coaching staff and defensive talent required to return to the postseason. The key question is whether McDaniel can help Herbert produce a more explosive and adaptable offense.
The additions of Biadasz and Njoku should strengthen the middle of the formation, while the expected return of tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt could significantly improve protection. Mesidor joins Khalil Mack and Tuli Tuipulotu in a pass-rush group that must replace departed production.
The Chargers should compete for the AFC West, but the schedule creates several potential trouble spots. Weeks 3-6 are difficult, the Patriots and Texans could influence Wild Card tiebreakers, and the final two division games remain flexible.
Prediction: 10-7.
That record should place Los Angeles firmly in the AFC Wild Card race and could be enough to challenge for the division if Denver regresses or Kansas City starts slowly. An 11- or 12-win season is possible if McDaniel immediately elevates the offense. Falling to 9-8 becomes plausible if the offensive line suffers more injuries or the Chargers struggle during their four cross-country trips.
The regular season is no longer the primary measurement for this team. The Chargers must win a playoff game for 2026 to feel like a meaningful step forward.
Conclusion
The Los Angeles Chargers’ 2026 schedule offers an intriguing combination of early opportunity, national-stage matchups and late divisional pressure. Fans can look forward to a Battle of Los Angeles, a playoff rematch against New England, another Harbaugh-connected game in Baltimore and two potentially decisive AFC West contests to close the season. The arrival of Mike McDaniel gives Herbert and the offense a fresh direction, but the demanding Weeks 3-10 stretch will provide an immediate test. Los Angeles should remain a playoff contender; the larger question is whether this team can finally produce its breakthrough in January.
Nevaeh Ruben has led editorial strategy and sourcing standards at bullardcharger.com . He oversees all sports tournament guides, analysis and data verification across every major sport. Every figure on this site is published to the standards he established.