The Washington Commanders' hopes of returning to the playoffs in 2026 will depend on several factors. One that can't be ignored is their schedule.
Thankfully, the league did them one big favor in that regard when it seemed a nightmare scenario might unfold.
The Commanders will play an international game next season in London, for only the second time in franchise history and the first since 2016. That was the Dustin Hopkins missed chip-shot game that resulted in a tie against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Traveling overseas is never easy, and it can throw a team's rhythm off for multiple weeks. Fortunately, Washington only has to do it once.
Commanders spared dreaded two-week London stay after many feared the worst
There was concern that the Commanders might have to play multiple times in the United Kingdom, with a potential matchup against London's adopted "home" team, the Jacksonville Jaguars, on the table. NBC Sports insider JP Finlay even discussed the possibility on 106.7 The Fan.
New leaks indicate the Commanders might be playing the Jaguars in London this year. pic.twitter.com/DVbrcbARmC
— 106.7 The Fan (@1067theFan) May 11, 2026
Internet sleuths deduced that Washington could be facing Jacksonville on October 11, in addition to playing at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium the prior Sunday. However, it turns out that the Jaguars will be "hosting" the Philadelphia Eagles on that date instead.
The Commanders will play in London in Week 4, against the Indianapolis Colts. This will count as a home game for Washington, leaving the team with eight true home contests and eight road matchups.
This is the only leaked Commanders matchup of the 2026 season thus far, but the entire schedule is set to be released on Thursday. It's a safe bet that Washington will not have as many nationally televised games as it did a year ago, for starters, when the team went 10 weeks without a 1 p.m. Eastern Time window contest.
The Commanders can likely expect a few prime-time showdowns and at least one holiday contest, whether on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, or Christmas Eve. But after going 5-12 a season ago and 0-8 in standalone games, they figure to be mostly confined to the standard time slot of early Sunday afternoon.
It might be comforting for some fans to be out of the spotlight, but it also comes with a darker reality: this team is not expected to draw eyeballs.
At the end of the day, it is what it is. You play the team in front of you at the location you're given.
Losers complain about their schedule. Winners find a way.
Add us as a preferred source on Google