The Buffalo Bills' new 62,000-seat home will open to fans on September 17, the NFL has revealed during its slow leak of the 2026 schedule. With the Detroit Lions visiting Orchard Park in Week 2, Highmark Stadium will open its doors for the first time for a Thursday night game, which will mark the opener of Prime Video's regular-season coverage.
Stadium Progress and Features
Buffalo marked the occasion by releasing new drone footage of the soon-to-be-completed construction project. The Bills still do not know who they will open their season against. However, in addition to two games apiece with AFC East rivals, Buffalo is assured of playing the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Chargers, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, Minnesota Vikings, Houston Texans, and LA Rams this year.
Highmark Stadium, and its state-of-the-art snow removal system, will cost a reported $2.2 billion by the time the project is completed this summer. The progress has been noticeable from adjacent roadways, particularly after the new siding was added in March. Despite the region's reputation for brutal, snowy winters, the team instead opted for an outdoor venue to help preserve the Bills' homefield advantage.
Snow Removal Technology
To save locals from having to shovel out the stadium, as has been the case for decades in Orchard Park, the builders included a system that channels snowmelt away from the seats. The technology relies on sensors to detect precipitation and plummeting temperatures. Those sensors will trigger a hydronic heating system, which then melts away the snowfall from atop the canopy that covers more than half the seats.
2026 Season Outlook
There are other reasons to be excited about the 2026 Bills besides their new home. After an early playoff exit, the Bills gave quarterback Josh Allen a talented new receiver in DJ Moore back in March. The Bills were rumored to be interested in Philadelphia Eagles wideout AJ Brown, but instead surrendered a second-round draft pick to the Chicago Bears in exchange for Moore and a fifth-rounder.
The 28-year-old was taken in the first round of the 2018 draft by the Panthers. He spent five seasons with Carolina, where he worked under Joe Brady, who was recently promoted to head coach in Buffalo to replace the fired Sean McDermott. The Bills did not have a first-round pick, but did take Clemson edge rusher TJ Parker and Ohio State cornerback Davison Igbinosun with their two selections in the second round.
Buffalo is coming off seven consecutive playoff berths but failed to advance to the Super Bowl during that time. Meanwhile, the rival Chiefs have won three Super Bowls since 2019.
