With the 2026 NFL schedule officially here, it's time to evaluate some of the matchups the Browns will have this upcoming season.
Cleveland will open its season with two consecutive road games, host the Steelers in prime time in Week 4 and close out the season against the Bengals for the final divisional matchup in Week 18. They will also host four consecutive home games in the latter half of the season. To see the full schedule, check it out here.
So, let's take a look at the top five matchups for the Browns throughout the 2026 season. Single-game tickets are on sale for all the Browns’ home games in the 2026 season.
Week 1 | at Jaguars | 1 p.m.
The Browns will open the season with a tough test right off the bat, as they travel to face the Jaguars in Jacksonville. It's the second time in team history the two have kicked off the season against one another, after they opened the 2000 season against each other in Cleveland.
The Jaguars are one of the three teams the Browns face in 2026 who had a winning record in 2025, as they went 13-4 and earned a playoff berth. Jacksonville won the AFC South and earned a trip to the Wild Card round, but ultimately lost to the Bills.
The Jaguars' main moves during the offseason came more from re-signing their own players than bringing in outside talent in free agency. They also signed DE Travon Walker to a four-year contract extension, solidifying him as a key piece of their defensive line for the next four seasons.
Week 4 | vs. Steelers | 8:15 p.m.
Hosting their division rival on Thursday Night Football in Week 4? There is no better way to kick of divisional games than welcoming the Steelers to Huntington Bank Field under the lights for the lone primetime game of the season.
The Browns also have a successful history in Thursday night primetime games. They have won their last nine home Thursday night games, including four wins against the Steelers during that span. The Browns are 10-2 all-time at home on Thursday night.
This matchup marks a new chapter in AFC North history, as both the Browns and the Steelers have new head coaches. Cleveland named Todd Monken their head coach while Pittsburgh brought in Mike McCarthy. The rivalry between these two teams still stands as strong as ever, and the grittiness of divisional play will be on full display on primetime.
The Browns' 2026 regular-season schedule has been released. Check out how the season unfolds with this photo gallery.
Week 6 | vs. Ravens | 1 p.m.
The AFC North matchups bring even more interest this season, as three of the four teams saw head coaching changes during the 2026 offseason. The Ravens brought in Jesse Minter as their new head coach, and Monken will face his former team for the first time, after serving as the offensive coordinator in Baltimore for three seasons.
On top of two new head coaches, the Ravens also made headlines during free agency with the signing of elite pass rusher DE Trey Hendrickson. The Browns have a familiarity with facing Hendrickson, seeing him twice a year for five seasons with the Bengals. However, Week 6 will be their first encounter with him as a member of the Ravens' defense.
The Browns will also face elite dual-threat quarterback Lamar Jackson for the first of two matchups this season. With Cleveland's dominant defense under new defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg, this matchup will be a solid test for the defense as the second divisional game of the season.
Week 10 | vs. Texans | 1 p.m.
The Texans are one of the other teams that finished the 2025 season with a winning record, ending the season 12-5 with a trip to the playoffs for the third consecutive season. They clinched a Wild Card spot and beat the Steelers to move on to the divisional round, where they eventually lost to the Patriots.
The Texans used a bulk of free agency to extend a number of their own players, bringing back key members on both sides of the ball. They also made three trades for P Kai Kroeger, LB Marte Mapu and RB David Montgomery to add a specialist, an additional linebacker and a key piece to the backfield.
The Week 10 matchup against the Texans marks the unofficial first "half" of the season, as the Browns have their bye week in Week 11. They close out the first 10 games with a home game before returning following the bye week to continue their stretch of four consecutive home games in the latter half of the season.
Week 18 | at Bengals | TBD
For the second consecutive year, the Browns will close out the 2026 season on the road against the Bengals. It's another opportunity for Cleveland to face a divisional opponent and potentially affect the rankings in the AFC North, as well as close out their season on a high note.
The Browns finished the 2025 season with a win on the road against the Bengals, a game which featured DE Myles Garrett breaking the NFL single-season sack record and a walk-off field goal by K Andre Szmyt to win the game.
