The 2026 NFL season kicks off Wednesday, September 9 — and this year's slate is loaded. The defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks open at home against the Patriots in a Super Bowl LX rematch, the 49ers and Rams play the first-ever regular season game in Melbourne, Australia, and the season stretches all the way to Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on February 14. If you're in Waikiki for any of it, Skybox Taphouse is where you watch.
The Hawaii Time Zone Advantage
Living in or visiting Hawaii during football season comes with a built-in perk that most fans don't realize until they get here. The time zone shifts every NFL window earlier in the day:
- 1 PM ET kickoffs → 7 AM in Hawaii
- 4:25 PM ET games → 10:25 AM in Hawaii
- Sunday Night Football (8:20 PM ET) → 2:20 PM in Hawaii
- Monday Night Football (8:15 PM ET) → 2:15 PM in Hawaii
- Thursday Night Football (8:15 PM ET) → 2:15 PM in Hawaii
That means your entire NFL Sunday — from the early games through Sunday Night Football — wraps up by late afternoon. Monday and Thursday night games are mid-afternoon events. You watch every game you want and still have your evening free. On the mainland, fans are up until midnight watching the late games. In Waikiki, you're done by dinner.
Early Opens for the Morning Games
The 7 AM kickoffs are the one wrinkle — most bars aren't open that early. Skybox opens early on weekends during football season specifically for these games, and the breakfast menu is available so you can eat while you watch. Eggs, pancakes, coffee, and your team's opening drive. It's a better Sunday morning than sleeping in.
By the time the 10:25 AM window rolls in, Skybox is in full game day mode — the crowd fills in, the energy builds, and the afternoon window flows right into Sunday Night Football. A full NFL Sunday at Skybox runs roughly 7 AM to 6 PM, which leaves you the entire evening.
Every Game on 20+ Screens
Skybox has over 20 TVs with state-of-the-art picture and sound spread across the venue. On Sundays, every screen is locked into NFL action. Sound is on for the biggest games. If your team's game isn't on a screen near you, ask the staff — they'll switch it.
The 275-seat venue on the third-floor Grand Lanai of International Market Place has sightlines from every seat — bar, table, indoor, and outdoor. On game day, the atmosphere is what you'd expect from a real sports bar — fans in jerseys, reactions on big plays, and the energy that makes watching with a crowd better than watching alone.
Key Dates for the 2026 Season
- September 9 (Wednesday) — Season opener: Seattle Seahawks vs. New England Patriots (2:20 PM Hawaii time). Super Bowl LX rematch.
- September 10 (Thursday) — San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia. First-ever NFL regular season game in Australia.
- September 14 (Monday) — Monday Night Football begins: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Denver Broncos
- September 27 — Baltimore Ravens vs. Dallas Cowboys at Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro
- October 4–25 — London games at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Wembley
- January 10, 2027 — Regular season ends (Week 18)
- January 16, 2027 — Playoffs begin
- February 14, 2027 — Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
Monday Night Football Meets Happy Hour
This is one of the best-kept secrets about watching football in Hawaii. Monday Night Football kicks off at 8:15 PM Eastern — which is 2:15 PM in Waikiki. That puts kickoff right in the middle of happy hour (Monday through Friday, 3-6 PM). $5 domestic pints, $7 local drafts, and $11 signature cocktails while you watch MNF. Thursday Night Football hits at the same time. There's genuinely no better happy hour situation in Waikiki than cold drinks, bar food, and a nationally televised football game.
Game Day Food and Drink
The full kitchen runs during every game. For the table: Upper-Cut jumbo wings in Buffalo, Honey Sriracha, or Hawaiian BBQ. Triple Play nachos that serve 4-6 people. The Monster Pretzel with Wisconsin cheese sauce. Hand-crafted pizzas by the pie or slice. Fish tacos, sliders, cheese curds, quesadillas — everything you want on game day.
On the drink side, Skybox has two house-brewed beers on tap — the Skybox Blonde and a Hazy IPA with mango and guava — plus local Hawaiian drafts from Kona Brewing, Maui Brewing, and Ola Brew. For groups, domestic towers at $37 and local towers at $41 keep the table supplied through the afternoon window and beyond.
Playoffs and Super Bowl
The energy at Skybox ramps up every week through the postseason. Playoff games draw bigger crowds and louder reactions. Wild Card Weekend, Divisional Round, Conference Championships — every game is on with full sound.
Super Bowl LXI is at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on February 14 — Valentine's Day. Kickoff will be around 12:30 PM Hawaii time, making it a perfect early afternoon event. For Super Bowl Sunday at Skybox, save a table early — it's the busiest day of the year.
College Football Too
College football kicks off a week before the NFL, with conference play running through December and the College Football Playoff stretching into January. Skybox shows college games alongside the NFL — SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, ACC, and all the major conference matchups. If you're a college football fan in Waikiki, Skybox has you covered on Saturdays the same way it covers Sundays.
After the Games
Karaoke runs every night from 9 PM to 2 AM, and the kitchen stays open until 1 AM. Post-game karaoke after your team wins (or loses) has become a Skybox tradition. Wednesday nights have trivia at 7 PM. The bar pours until 2 AM.
Getting There
Skybox Taphouse is at 2330 Kalakaua Ave #302, on the third floor of International Market Place in Waikiki. Open daily 11 AM to 2 AM, with early opens on weekends during football season. Walk-ins are always welcome, but for big games — season opener, rivalry weeks, playoffs, Super Bowl — save a table ahead of time. Call 808-378-8542 or check the events page for the weekly sports schedule.