NFL Teams to Play 17 Regular-Season Games in 2021

NFL teams approve expanded regular season structure that beginning in 2021 will feature each team playing 17 regular-season games.

The NFL-NFLPA Collective Bargaining Agreement signed in March of 2020 enabled the NFL, with the approval of the union and its players, to enhance the regular season with a move to 17 games, providing fans an extra week of regular-season NFL action. The decision marks the first change to the NFL regular season structure since the 1978 season ushered in an era of 16 regular-season.

"This is a monumental moment in NFL history," said NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL. "The CBA with the players and the recently completed media agreements provide the foundation for us to enhance the quality of the NFL experience for our fans. And one of the benefits of each team playing 17 regular-season games is the ability for us to continue to grow our game around the world."

The 17th game will feature teams from opposing conferences that finished in the same place within their division the previous season. The AFC was determined to be the home conference for the 17th game in 2021.

Every team plays 17 regular-season games with one bye week.

Each NFL team will host 10 games overall — either nine regular-season games and one preseason game or eight regular-season games and two preseason games.

Home and away against its three division opponents (six games).

The four teams from another division within its conference on a rotating three-year cycle (four games).

The four teams from a division in the other conference on a rotating four-year cycle (four games).

Two intraconference games based on the prior year’s standings (two games). These games match a first-place team against the first-place teams in the two same-conference divisions the team is not scheduled to play that season. The second-place, third-place and fourth-place teams in a conference are matched in the same way each year.

One interconference game based on the prior year’s standings on a rotating four-year cycle (one game). These games match a first-place team from one division against a first place team from one division against a first-place team in an opposite coference division that the team is not scheduled to play that season. The second-place, third-place and fourth-place teams in each division are matched in the same way each year. The home conference for this game will rotate each season.

The expanded NFL regular season also ensures that beginning in 2022, all 32 NFL teams will play internationally at least once every eight years. The scheduling of up to four neutral-site games per year in a country outside the United States will focus initially on Canada, Europe, Mexico, South America and the United Kingdom. In addition, interested NFL teams can continue to volunteer to play home games internationally, as is currently the case.

NFL Teams to Play 17 Regular-Season Games in 2021 Season