Among the major professional sports, arguably none has an offseason as exciting as the NFL’s. From April’s seven-round draft to the annual quarterback carousel in free agency, football fans can get their fix even when games aren’t being played.
One of the biggest NFL offseason events over the years has become the annual schedule release. While teams already know their matchups for the upcoming season far in advance, they don’t have official weeks and dates for those 17 games until the league officially announces them.
A schedule of 17 games for 32 teams often takes a lot of work, so a date for the release usually isn’t decided until the NFL is a few months into its offseason. Eventually, every matchup date and prime-time status is released, building excitement for the upcoming campaign.
📲 Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
Here’s what you need to know about when the 2025 NFL schedule will be released, plus a look at the hardest and easiest schedules for the 32 teams next season.
NFL schedule release 2025
The NFL has not yet announced its date for the 2025 schedule release. However, based on past schedule releases, fans can expect the event to fall in early or mid-May.
In 2024, the schedules were released on May 15. The year prior, they were released on May 11. In every year since 2020, the NFL schedules have been released sometime in May.
Mike North, the league’s vice president of broadcast planning, said on the “It’s Always Gameday in Buffalo” podcast that the NFL is considering May 13, 14, or 15 for its schedule release, but the situation is always fluid.
There are two things known about the 2025 NFL schedules, outside of each team’s matchups: the reigning champion Eagles will kick off the new season on Sept. 4, and the Chargers will open their season in Sao Paulo, Brazil on Sept. 5.
MORE: The Sporting News’ 2025 big board of NFL Draft prospects
Who has the hardest NFL schedule in 2025?
While the schedule release offers fans the exact weeks and dates for specific matchups, NFL teams already know how difficult their schedule will be — at least based on the 2024 results.
Based on 2024 winning percentages, the Giants have the hardest schedule in the NFL for 2025. New York’s opponents next season had a combined .574 winning percentage in 2024, with matchups against the entire NFC North (Lions, Vikings, Packers, Bears) playing a significant role there. New York’s NFC East rivals (Eagles, Cowboys, Commanders) all had at least seven wins last season, only making things tougher.
With Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston now in their quarterback room, things could be tough for the Giants in 2025 as the franchise seeks to embark on a new era. Of their 14 opponents, nine made the playoffs in 2024.
Here’s a look at New York’s home and away opponents in 2025.
| Home | Away |
| Cowboys | Cowboys |
| Commanders | Commanders |
| Eagles | Eagles |
| Packers | Bears |
| Chiefs | Broncos |
| Chargers | Lions |
| Vikings | Raiders |
| 49ers | Patriots |
| Saints |
MORE: The Sporting News’ seven-round NFL mock draft
Who has the easiest NFL schedule in 2025?
Based on 2024 winning percentages, the 49ers have the easiest schedule for the 2025 NFL season. San Fransisco’s opponents had a combined .415 winning percentage last season.
Full-division matchups against two of the weakest divisions in 2024, the AFC South (Texans, Colts, Jaguars, Titans) and NFC South (Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers, Saints) are only helping ease the 49ers’ 2025 schedule.
Here’s a look at San Fransisco’s 2025 opponents.
| Home | Away |
| Cardinals | Cardinals |
| Rams | Rams |
| Seahawks | Seahawks |
| Falcons | Browns |
| Panthers | Texans |
| Jaguars | Colts |
| Titans | Saints |
| Bears | Giants |
| Buccaneers |
2025 NFL strength of schedule rankings
| Rank | Team | Opponent win pct. (2024) |
| 1 | Giants | .574 |
| 2 | Lions | .571 |
| Bears | .571 | |
| 4 | Eagles | .561 |
| 5 | Vikings | .557 |
| Cowboys | .557 | |
| Packers | .557 | |
| 8 | Commanders | .550 |
| 9 | Ravens | .533 |
| 10 | Steelers | .526 |
| 11 | Chiefs | .522 |
| Chargers | .522 | |
| 13 | Browns | .519 |
| 14 | Bengals | .509 |
| 15 | Broncos | .505 |
| 16 | Raiders | .502 |
| 17 | Rams | .491 |
| 18 | Buccaneers | .481 |
| Texans | .481 | |
| 20 | Falcons | .478 |
| 21 | Dolphins | .474 |
| Seahawks | .474 | |
| 23 | Bills | .467 |
| Jaguars | .467 | |
| 25 | Colts | .464 |
| 26 | Jets | .460 |
| 27 | Panthers | .457 |
| Cardinals | .457 | |
| 29 | Titans | .450 |
| 30 | Patriots | .429 |
| 31 | Saints | .419 |
| 32 | 49ers | .415 |
How is the NFL schedule determined?
The NFL schedule makers only decide when teams play their games. The matchups themselves are already determined by a set of rules, which is why each team already knows its home and away opponents for 2025.
Here’s how the NFL puts together each team’s schedule:
- Each team plays six divisional games, two games per opponent. One is at home, the other is on the road (six games).
- Each team faces all four teams from another division within its conference on a rotating three-year cycle. Two games are at home, two are on the road (four games).
- Each team faces all four teams from a division in the other conference on a rotating four-year cycle. Two games are at home, two are on the road (four games)
- Each team faces two more opponents from its own conference based on the prior year’s standings. For example, because the Eagles already play the entire NFC East and NFC North in 2025, they face the teams in the NFC South and NFC West that finished in the same spot in the standings as Philadelphia did (first) the previous season. In their case, it’s the Buccaneers and Rams (two games).
- Each team plays one additional game against a team from the other conference from a division it’s not already scheduled to play, based on the prior year’s standings on a rotating four-year cycle. For example, the Eagles, who will face the entire AFC West, will also take on the Bills after each team finished first in its division in 2024. The second-place, third-place, and fourth-place teams in each division are similarly paired. The home conference for this game rotates each season (one game).
