The Cleveland Browns finished their 2025 season with a 5-12 record and, while they had some momentum to finish the year, they still ended the season in the AFC North basement. That means that Cleveland will face a last-place schedule in 2026.
Now that the 2025 season has wrapped up, we officially know who the Browns will play in the 2026 season. We might not know when Cleveland will face these teams, but we know who's on tap for what's hopefully a magical 2026 season for the Browns.
The Browns will obviously play the teams from their own division. They'll also face the AFC South, NFC South, and the last place teams from the AFC East, AFC West, and NFC East. Here's who their 2026 opponents will be:
Home | Away |
|---|---|
Baltimore Ravens (AFC North) | Baltimore Ravens (AFC North) |
Cincinnati Bengals (AFC North) | Cincinnati Bengals (AFC North) |
Pittsburgh Steelers (AFC North) | Pittsburgh Steelers (AFC North) |
Houston Texans (AFC South) | Jacksonville Jaguars (AFC South) |
Indianapolis Colts (AFC South) | Tennessee Titans (AFC South) |
Las Vegas Raiders (AFC West) | New York Jets (AFC East) |
Atlanta Falcons (NFC South) | New Orleans Saints (NFC South) |
Carolina Panthers (NFC South) | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFC South) |
New York Giants (NFC East) |
Having a last-place schedule certainly has its perks, but don't get it twisted, the Browns will still have plenty of tough games in 2026. They'll host the Texans in what could be looked at as their toughest non-divisional game, and will have to travel to Jacksonville, New Orleans, and Tampa Bay.
For the most part, though, this schedule doesn't seem too daunting. A lot can obviously change between now and the start of next season, but if the Browns can fill the much-needed holes on their roster, they have a chance to be competitive in 2026 because of this schedule. It helps, of course, that the NFC South is typically a mess, but you can never count any team out.
The Browns have a lot of work to do this offseason but their schedule for next year is manageable. With how weak the AFC North was last year paired with the train wreck the NFC South always seems to be, there's hope that the Browns can be a more competitive squad in 2026 and potentially make a push for the playoffs.