Week 1 of the 2026 season stretched across four days, and the last game standing is the one the AFC West cares most about. Denver visits Kansas City on Monday night with Patrick Mahomes making his first start since a knee injury ended his 2025 season.
Broncos at Chiefs
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Kickoff | 8:15 p.m. ET / 7:15 p.m. CT / 5:15 p.m. PT |
| TV | ESPN and ABC (simulcast) |
| Stadium | GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri |
| Streaming | ESPN app and any live TV service carrying ESPN or ABC |
| Over the air | Yes, through your local ABC station |
| Radio | Team networks plus national satellite radio coverage |
What Channel Is Broncos vs. Chiefs On
The game airs on ESPN with a simultaneous broadcast on ABC. That second part matters. A Monday night game on ESPN alone requires cable, satellite or a streaming package that includes the channel. The ABC simulcast means anyone with an antenna and a local ABC affiliate can watch this one for free.
If you have a cable or streaming login, the ESPN app carries the same feed on phones, tablets, smart TVs and consoles.
Start Time by Time Zone
Kickoff is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET. That is 7:15 p.m. in Kansas City and Denver sits an hour behind that at 6:15 p.m. MT. Pregame coverage typically begins around an hour before the ball is in the air, and inactives for both teams post roughly 90 minutes out.
Why This Game Closes Week 1
The 2026 opening week was spread unusually thin. The Kickoff Game landed on a Wednesday, the Australia game took Thursday, thirteen games filled Sunday, and Denver at Kansas City got the Monday slot on its own. Two division rivals, a returning MVP quarterback and no competing games is the kind of inventory the league saves for a standalone window.
What to Watch For
Denver arrived without a single player on its final injury report. Kansas City ruled out left tackle Josh Simmons and defensive back Chamarri Conner. The full breakdown is in our Broncos vs. Chiefs injury report, and the betting picture sits in our prediction, odds and spread preview.
Denver has won the last three meetings in a series Kansas City has controlled for a decade. The Broncos are also chasing a second straight AFC West title after hosting the AFC Championship Game last January.
The Bottom Line
Broncos at Chiefs kicks off Monday, Sept. 14 at 8:15 p.m. ET from Arrowhead Stadium, on ESPN with an ABC simulcast. Between the free over the air option and the ESPN app, there is no version of this game that is hard to find.
Related: Injury report · Mahomes vs. Broncos career record · NFL schedule