The 2026 Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) Meeting Calendar – What It Means and Why It Matters

As the global economy continues to adjust from pandemic-era disruptions, high inflation episodes, and shifting geopolitical risk, the meeting calendar of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System’s key decision-making body, the FOMC, serves as a crucial guide-post for markets, policymakers, and interested observers alike. In this article we walk through the 2026 schedule for the FOMC, review what each meeting typically entails, and highlight why the calendar is of interest to anyone following U.S. monetary policy—from institutional investors and economists to business owners and global watchers.

The 2026 FOMC Meeting Dates

According to the Fed’s official calendar, the FOMC plans eight regularly scheduled meetings in 2026. 
Here are the dates:

* Meetings marked with an asterisk are those at which the Summary of Economic Projections is expected to be released. Federal Reserve

Overview: What is the FOMC, and why do its meetings matter?

Before we dive into the dates, it’s useful to recall the role and significance of the FOMC.

What the FOMC is?

The FOMC stands for the Federal Open Market Committee and is the principal monetary-policy body of the U.S. central bank system. It consists of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and a rotating set of regional Reserve Bank presidents

What happens at its meetings?

At each meeting, the FOMC reviews economic and financial conditions, evaluates the appropriate stance of monetary policy, and assesses risks to its goals of maximum employment and price stability.

Decisions often focus on the target for the federal funds rate, communications about the future path of policy, and in some meetings the release of the Summary of Economic Projections (SEP) – a set of forecasts by FOMC participants.

Why the calendar is watched?

Because monetary-policy decisions ripple through many channels—such as interest rates, the cost of borrowing, currency values, investment flows, and global financial conditions—market participants closely watch when FOMC meetings are scheduled, when statements and minutes will be released, and when projections are updated.
In short, the calendar gives you the “important dates” to focus on.