Broncos vs Chiefs closes Week 1 on Monday Night Football
The Denver Broncos visit the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday, Sept. 14 to close Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season in the Monday Night Football opener, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Kickoff is prime time. It is live at 8:15 p.m. ET / 5:15 p.m. PT from GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. That is 6:15 p.m. MT for viewers in Denver, according to the Broncos.
The game airs live on ABC and ESPN. It is also listed for ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes, according to NFL.com.
There is a second viewing option. The Week 1 matchup will be simulcast as ManningCast on ESPN2 and the ESPN app, according to the Broncos, meaning an alternative commentary feed that runs alongside the main broadcast. It gives viewers organising an evening around football a choice of rooms on the same night.
Streaming covers most live-TV packages. The game can be livestreamed on DirecTV, Fubo, Sling and Hulu + Live TV, and it will also stream live on ESPN Unlimited. Mobile viewers can stream via NFL+, according to the Broncos.
Two of those routes come with a free window. DirecTV and Fubo each offer a five-day free trial that can be used for the game. ESPN Unlimited does not offer a free trial of its own, but it is included in DirecTV's Signature packages, which do offer a five-day free trial.
The matchup is a Week 1 AFC West meeting, with Kansas City hosting. Denver enters as division champions, according to ESPN, and begins its hunt for a fourth title in this game. Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes is expected to start, according to Yahoo Sports.
For fans, this means one place to keep score. ESPN will carry live coverage of the game including live score, highlights and updated stats, according to ESPN.
