NFLPA won’t discuss 18-game season before early 2026: Report

The NFL’s push for an 18-game regular-season schedule continues to gain momentum, but formal discussions with the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) remain on hold.

According to a Washington Post report, the NFLPA is unlikely to begin negotiations on the proposed schedule expansion or other labor issues until at least early next year.

Despite commissioner Roger Goodell and team owners strongly backing the idea - largely to boost the league’s media rights value and support the growth of international games - the players' union has not shown willingness to engage just yet. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk noted that the reason behind the delay remains unclear.


The league is also targeting an increase in international games, aiming for at least 16 per season. However, from the players’ standpoint, an extended schedule and added travel raise significant concerns around health and safety.

While the 18game format appears to be a matter of 'when' rather than 'if', the NFLPA's cautious approach suggests that substantial discussions won't begin until 2025.

The current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) runs through the 2030 season, giving both sides time to work through what would be one of the league's most significant structural changes in decades.