The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) is traditionally held over 10 nights starting on the first Thursday of December each year in Las Vegas. For 2026, NFR is expected to start on December 3, 2026 , and run through December 12, 2026.

Quick Scoop: When does NFR start?

  • NFR typically begins on the first Thursday in December and runs for 10 consecutive nights.
  • Recent schedules show NFR slotted in the early December window, maintaining this long-standing tradition in Las Vegas at the Thomas & Mack Center.
  • For planning ahead, unofficial listings and ticket sites currently show December 3–12, 2026 as the working dates, with opening night on December 3.

In short: if you’re searching “when does NFR start,” you’re almost always looking at that first-Thursday-of-December kickoff in Las Vegas, with 10 nights of performances following.

TL;DR: NFR starts on the first Thursday of December , and for 2026 that’s December 3, 2026 , with rodeo action running through December 12 in Las Vegas.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.