If you mean American football, the NFL regular season usually starts in early September, while college football begins in late August. Preseason games start earlier, generally in August.
The exact date depends on the league, team, and year, and “football” can also mean soccer outside the United States. This guide explains the usual restart windows, points out the dates to check for the season you mean, and shows how to tell preseason games from games that count in the standings.
when will football start back up? The usual schedule
For most U.S. fans, the short answer is late August for college football and early September for the NFL regular season. NFL preseason games typically begin in August. The exact opening dates change from year to year, so a general calendar is useful for planning, but it cannot replace the current season’s official schedule.
College football often gets underway first. A small group of teams may play in an opening weekend known as Week Zero, usually in late August. The larger slate of games follows over Labor Day weekend. The NFL’s first regular-season game usually lands on a Thursday in early September, with most teams playing their first game that weekend.
Those are patterns, not promises. International games, special opening games, schedule changes, and different league calendars can shift a team’s first kickoff. Check the competition and team you follow before making travel or viewing plans.
When each major football season usually begins
“Football” covers several competitions with different calendars. Use this table as a starting point, then confirm the year and league on an official schedule.
| Competition | Usual restart window | What starts then | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| NFL | Preseason: August; regular season: early September | Exhibition games come first, followed by the games that count in the standings. | Fans tracking professional American football |
| College football | Late August or Labor Day weekend | Week Zero may feature a limited slate; the broader schedule follows. | Fans following NCAA teams and conferences |
| High school football | August or early September | Start dates vary by state, school association, and local schedule. | Families and local supporters |
| Canadian Football League | Usually June | The regular season begins well before the main U.S. fall season. | Fans following Canadian professional football |
| Soccer (association football) | Depends on the country and league | Many European leagues start in summer or early fall; other calendars differ. | Readers who mean soccer rather than American football |
The table describes common timing, not a fixed rule. For example, college schedules can start before the main Labor Day weekend, and high school schedules are set locally. A team’s first game can also fall on a different date from its league’s first game.
What starts first: preseason, training camp, or the regular season?
Football does not restart with one single event. Teams typically return to organized activities before they play games, and the stages have different purposes.
Training camp and team practices
Training camp is the period when players prepare together for the season. NFL camps generally open in the summer, with reporting dates varying by team and player status. College teams also hold preseason practices before their first game. Practices mark the beginning of preparation, but they are not public regular-season games.
Preseason games
NFL preseason games are exhibition contests. Coaches use them to evaluate players, test combinations, and prepare the roster. The results do not count toward the regular-season standings, so a preseason kickoff is not the start of the NFL regular season.
College football does not have an NFL-style set of preseason games. College teams play scheduled games that count in their records from the beginning of their season. Some early games are nonconference matchups, but they are still official games.
Regular-season kickoff
The regular season is when league games count toward records, standings, and qualification for postseason play. For the NFL, the opening game is often a nationally televised matchup, followed by games across the opening weekend. College teams usually begin across a few days, with matchups spread over the opening weekend.
How to find the exact first game for your team
To get a reliable date, start with the team rather than a generic football calendar. League opening dates do not tell you when every club plays, and early matchups may be scheduled on different days.
- Choose the competition. Decide whether you mean the NFL, a college team, high school football, the CFL, or soccer. Similar team names and the broad word “football” can lead to the wrong schedule.
- Look up the season year. Search the league or school’s official schedule for the year you want. Schedules are updated when matchups, kickoff times, or broadcast details are confirmed.
- Find the first regular-season game. Check whether the listing says preseason, exhibition, Week Zero, or regular season. This tells you whether the result counts in the standings.
- Confirm the kickoff time and time zone. A game listed in another city’s local time may appear at a different hour where you live. Make sure the schedule’s time zone is clear.
- Recheck close to game day. Broadcast listings and kickoff times can change. A current team or league schedule is more dependable than an old search result or an undated calendar.
For a practical search, enter the team name, season year, and the words “official schedule.” This usually narrows the results to the right competition and reduces the chance of relying on an outdated fixture list.
What the 2025 opening dates show
If you are checking the 2025 U.S. season specifically, the NFL regular season began on September 4, 2025. The NFL preseason took place before that, in August. College football’s 2025 season began in late August, with Week Zero games on August 23 and additional opening-week games later that month.
Those dates are examples for the 2025 season, not dates to reuse for future seasons. The league publishes a new schedule each year, and the first game for an individual NFL or college team may not be the competition’s opening game.
For a different season, verify the date on the relevant league or team schedule. If the question is about a particular school, look at its athletics schedule; if it is about an NFL team, use that team’s schedule rather than relying only on the league-wide kickoff date.
Why the schedule can seem to start at different times
Fans may see football activity well before the first game that counts. Training camp news, roster announcements, television coverage, and preseason broadcasts all appear during the summer. That can make the season feel underway even though the regular season has not started.
There can also be a gap between the first game in a competition and the first game involving a particular team. The NFL opens with one matchup before the rest of the teams play. College football schedules games across several days, and not every school participates in Week Zero.
International games add another wrinkle. A league may hold an early game outside its usual home venues, or a team may play at a neutral site. The calendar still follows the league’s schedule, but the venue and local start time can differ from what fans expect.
Finally, different sports use the same word. In the United States, “football” usually means American football. In many other countries, it means soccer, whose club and national-team calendars do not follow the NFL’s September start.
Common mistakes when checking football dates
- Treating preseason as the regular season. NFL preseason games happen before games count in the standings. Check the event label, not just the month.
- Assuming every team starts on opening night. The league’s first game and your team’s first game are usually different fixtures.
- Using last year’s date as this year’s date. Seasons often start around the same time, but the calendar date can change. Confirm the year shown on the schedule.
- Mixing up kickoff time and local time. Broadcast guides may show your local time, while league schedules may use the venue’s time zone.
- Confusing football with soccer. If a result looks wrong, check the competition name and sport before assuming the schedule is inaccurate.
A useful tip: save the official team schedule to your calendar after the season’s fixtures are released. That helps you catch changes to kickoff times and avoids relying on a one-time search result. If the calendar lists a time zone, keep it visible when sharing the event with someone in another region.
Does football start on the same date every year?
No. Leagues tend to return in familiar seasonal windows, but their exact dates vary. The NFL regular season normally starts in early September, while college football typically begins in late August. The day of the week, opening matchup, and first game for each team can change.
High school football is even less uniform because state associations and schools set their own calendars. A local team might begin before or after the nearby college season. For a specific school, its athletics department or state association schedule is the right source.
What if you mean soccer?
If you mean association football, there is no single worldwide restart date. Each domestic league and tournament sets its own schedule. Many prominent European club leagues begin in August, while some leagues in other regions run on calendars that start in a different part of the year.
International competitions can interrupt domestic seasons, and cup competitions may begin on separate dates. Search for the exact league or national team and the season year. A broad search for football’s return can show American football results even when you are looking for soccer.
In short, the right answer depends on the sport, competition, and team. For U.S. American football, look for college games in late August and NFL regular-season games in early September; then confirm the exact fixture on the current official schedule.
For American football, college games usually return in late August, and the NFL regular season usually begins in early September. Preseason starts earlier, so check the event label to know whether a game counts.
To find your team’s exact first kickoff, search its official schedule for the season year and confirm the time zone. If you mean soccer, check the specific league because its calendar is different.
When will football start back up depends on the competition you follow, but the first practical step is to identify the league and season before checking dates.