Week 1
Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants
September 13, 2026
MetLife Stadium
NFC East Rivalry
Cowboys–Giants
Texas meets Manhattan in the NFC East
One of the NFL's longest-running divisional feuds, the Cowboys and Giants have squared off twice a year since the early 1960s. It pits America's Team against a tradition-rich East Coast franchise, and the head-to-head series has swung in waves across more than six decades.
The Rivalry
The rivalry took shape after the expansion Cowboys joined the league in 1960 and moved into the Eastern Division the following year, locking them into regular matchups with the Giants. New York held the early edge, but Dallas seized control through the late 1960s, 1970s, and into the early 1980s. The Giants answered with strong stretches in the late 1980s and again across the 2000s, when the series often favored New York. In more recent years the balance has tilted back toward Dallas. What keeps the rivalry hot is its contrast: a marquee Texas franchise and a major New York-area club sharing a division, meeting reliably twice every season with playoff seeding frequently on the line.
What's at Stake
Both clubs sit in the NFC East, so each meeting carries direct divisional weight for tiebreakers, standings, and playoff positioning. The matchup bridges two of the country's largest media markets — the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and the New York metro area — drawing huge national television audiences. For fans, it is a clash of identities: the Cowboys' "America's Team" brand against the Giants' blue-collar New York tradition.
Famous Moments
- 1960 — The franchises met for the first time and battled to a 31-31 tie, the first game in Cowboys history they did not lose.
- 1993 — Dallas edged New York 16-13 in overtime in a finale remembered for Emmitt Smith playing through a separated shoulder.
- 2007 — In their only playoff meeting, the Giants stunned the top-seeded Cowboys 21-17 en route to winning Super Bowl XLII.
- 2009 — The Giants spoiled the debut of the Cowboys' new Arlington stadium with a 33-31 win.
- 2023 — Dallas opened the season by shutting out the Giants 40-0.
The Cowboys–Giants Games in 2026
The Two Teams
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys
AT&T Stadium · Arlington
"America’s Team," the Cowboys have won five Super Bowls and are among the most valuable sports franchises in the world.
NFC East
New York Giants
MetLife Stadium · East Rutherford
One of the NFL’s oldest teams, founded in 1925, the Giants have won four Super Bowls and eight NFL championships overall.
Plan the Trip
This rivalry sends fans between two iconic venues: AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the Cowboys' enormous domed home just outside Dallas, and MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the open-air home of the Giants in the New York metro area. Catching a Cowboys-Giants game means experiencing two distinctly American football cultures — Texas spectacle versus East Coast grit.
Frequently Asked Questions: Cowboys–Giants
The two teams first met in 1960. One of the NFL's longest-running divisional feuds, the Cowboys and Giants have squared off twice a year since the early 1960s. It pits America's Team against a tradition-rich East Coast franchise, and the head-to-head series has swung in waves across more than six decades.
Both clubs sit in the NFC East, so each meeting carries direct divisional weight for tiebreakers, standings, and playoff positioning. The matchup bridges two of the country's largest media markets — the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and the New York metro area — drawing huge national television audiences. For fans, it is a clash of identities: the Cowboys' "America's Team" brand against the Giants' blue-collar New York tradition.
Yes — they meet 2 times in the 2026 NFL season. The game pages, each with a fan-travel guide, are linked on this page.
Dallas Cowboys host at AT&T Stadium in Arlington; New York Giants play at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.
