Week 1
Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs
September 14, 2026
GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium
AFC West Rivalry
Broncos–Chiefs
The defining AFC West feud
A border-state grudge match that has run continuously since the AFL's founding season, with both teams sharing the AFC West for their entire existence. It has swung between long stretches of one-sided dominance.
The Rivalry
This rivalry dates to the American Football League's 1960 launch, when the Dallas Texans franchise overwhelmed Denver, taking 19 of the first 20 meetings during the AFL decade. The balance flipped over the following decades, with Denver controlling the season series through the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, including a memorable run behind John Elway. Kansas City reasserted itself emphatically in the modern era, reeling off 16 consecutive wins from 2015 through 2023 as Patrick Mahomes won his first dozen career starts against Denver. The Broncos finally broke that streak with a 24-9 home win in October 2023. The two franchises have met only once in the postseason, a 1998 AFC Divisional game Denver won on its way to a Super Bowl title.
What's at Stake
Both clubs sit in the AFC West, so every meeting carries direct division implications, and recent seasons have made those stakes enormous as Kansas City built a championship dynasty. For Denver fans, beating the Chiefs is the clearest measuring stick of a return to contention; for Kansas City, sweeping Denver is part of defending its perch.
Famous Moments
- 1990 — Denver won a Monday night thriller 24-23 on a last-second score.
- 1994 — Joe Montana's Chiefs edged John Elway's Broncos 31-28.
- 1998 — Denver beat the top-seeded Chiefs 14-10 in an AFC Divisional playoff, en route to a Super Bowl title.
- 2023 — The Broncos snapped a 16-game losing streak to Kansas City with a 24-9 victory.
The Broncos–Chiefs Games in 2026
The Two Teams
AFC West
Denver Broncos
Empower Field at Mile High · Denver
The Broncos have won three Super Bowls and hold one of the NFL’s longest home-sellout streaks.
AFC West
Kansas City Chiefs
GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium · Kansas City
A modern dynasty in the Patrick Mahomes era, the Chiefs play at famously loud Arrowhead Stadium.
Plan the Trip
This is a cornerstone AFC West trip. Denver hosts at Empower Field at Mile High, a roughly 76,000-seat stadium famous for its altitude edge, set against Rocky Mountain views. Kansas City plays at Arrowhead Stadium, one of the loudest venues in the NFL. Pairing a Mile High visit with an Arrowhead tailgate gives fans two of pro football's most atmospheric settings in a single rivalry.
Frequently Asked Questions: Broncos–Chiefs
The two teams first met in 1960. A border-state grudge match that has run continuously since the AFL's founding season, with both teams sharing the AFC West for their entire existence. It has swung between long stretches of one-sided dominance.
Both clubs sit in the AFC West, so every meeting carries direct division implications, and recent seasons have made those stakes enormous as Kansas City built a championship dynasty. For Denver fans, beating the Chiefs is the clearest measuring stick of a return to contention; for Kansas City, sweeping Denver is part of defending its perch.
Yes — they meet 2 times in the 2026 NFL season. The game pages, each with a fan-travel guide, are linked on this page.
Denver Broncos host at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver; Kansas City Chiefs play at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.
