INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indianapolis Colts' 2026 schedule was released along with the rest of the NFL slate Thursday.
Indy kicks off a pivotal season with an opener at home against the Baltimore Ravens, with the Colts aiming to win a Week 1 game two years in a row after ending an 11-year winless streak in 2025.
The Colts will play one international game (against Washington in London in Week 4) and will appear in two primetime matchups -- in Week 2 at Kansas City and in Week 11 at Houston.
Here's what's in store for the Colts:
Colts 2026 regular-season schedule
Week 1: Sept. 13 Baltimore Ravens
Week 2: Sept. Sept. 20 at Kansas City Chiefs (SNF)
Week 3: Sept. 27 Houston Texans
Week 4: Oct. 4 at Washington Commanders (London)
Week 5: Oct. 11 at Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 6: Oct. 11 Tennessee Titans
Week 7: Oct. 25 at Minnesota Vikings
Week 8: Nov. 1 at Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 9: Nov. 8 Dallas Cowboys
Week 10: Nov. 15 Miami Dolphins
Week 11: Nov. 19 at Houston Texans (TNF)
Week 12: Nov. 29 New York Giants
Week 13: Bye
Week 14: Dec. 13 at Philadelphia Eagles
Week 15: Dec. 20 at Tennessee Titans
Week 16: TBD Cincinnati Bengals
Week 17: Jan. 3 at Cleveland Browns
Week 18: TBD Jacksonville Jaguars
*Dates for Weeks 16 and 18 are to be determined
Strength of schedule: The Colts have the fifth-easiest schedule in the league (opponents had a .465 winning percentage in 2025).
DraftKings over/under win total: 7.5
ESPN analyst Mike Clay's projected win total: 8.4
Biggest takeaway
The Colts face a challenging season-opening stretch with games against the Ravens, Chiefs, Texans and a London game against the Commanders in Weeks 1-4. That's notable because quarterback Daniel Jones will be coming off a ruptured Achilles at the start of the season and might be still rounding into form at that point. The Colts hope to get Jones going at the start of training camp, but until he returns to the field, predictions on how he'll perform are difficult, at best.
Circle these dates
The Colts play just one game at Lucas Oil Stadium in the five weeks spanning Oct. 4-Nov. 1. That brutal stretch includes their London matchup, after which the Colts have elected to not take a bye week (they prefer a late-season bye). But that puts them back on the road the weekend after returning from their trans-Atlantic trip for a meeting with the Steelers. Indy's matchup with the Titans on Oct. 18 is the only home game during that stretch.
Bold prediction
Look for September to be a rough month for the Colts. The combination of Jones' return from injury and the difficult opening schedule raises the prospect of an 0-3 start for Indy, even though the Colts were an offensive juggernaut when at full strength last season. Indianapolis faces a presumably healthy Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes and the vaunted Houston defense in its three September games.
Which game is a must-win for the Colts?
Their Week 6 home game against the Titans is one the Colts really need to get. It's the only home game in a stretch of four road matchups in five weeks (following a difficult early slate) and it's a division game against a team the Colts have historically played well against.
