Full 2026 NFL preseason schedule - start date, Hall of Fame game & more

It's finally almost time for football season again, including the return of Sunday Night Football on NBC and Peacock! The NFL preseason is mere weeks away, which means each of the league's 32 teams is already gearing up to bring their best in a question to make it all the way to Super Bowl 61. 

The preseason might not be as thrilling as the regular season, which arrives in September, but true football fans know that it's a proving ground for new talent. The 2026 NFL Draft Class will take the field in an effort to earn starting spots on each squad, and new lineups for each team will learn how to work together on the field in full contact. It's an exciting time, so let's take a look at the full schedule of preseason games, so you don't miss your favorite team's early exhibition matchups. 

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The Hall of Fame Game kicks of the 2026 NFL Preseason

Though Week 1 of the preseason doesn't officially begin until August 13, there's actually one game you can catch earlier. The 2026 NFL Hall of Fame Game, the inaugural preseason matchup which also helps to welcome this year's Hall of Fame class, is set for August 6 at 8 p.m. ET. The game will air live on NBC and stream on Peacock, and will feature the Carolina Panthers vs. the Arizona Cardinals. 

The preseason proper begins exactly one week later, on August 13, and continues through August 29. 

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Full NFL 2026 Preseason schedule

Jared Goff, #16, of the Detroit Lions warms up and passes the ball before the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Ford Field on October 20, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. 

Photo: Nic Antaya/Getty Images

Wondering when your favorite team will show up in the preseason? Here's a quick guide to every game (all times Eastern):

Week 1

August 13

• Detroit Lions vs. Cincinnati Bengals - 7 p.m.
• Green Bay Packers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers - 7 p.m.
• Indianapolis Colts vs. New England Patriots - 7:30 p.m. 
• Arizona Cardinals vs. Las Vegas Raiders - 8 p.m.
• Los Angeles Chargers vs. Houston Texas - 8 p.m. 
• Tennessee Titans vs. San Francisco 49ers - 9 p.m. 

August 14

• Denver Broncos vs. Atlanta Falcons - 7 p.m. 
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New York Jets - 7 p.m.
• Miami Dolphins vs. Washington Commanders - 7 p.m.

August 15

• Carolina Panthers vs. Buffalo Bills - 1 p.m.
• Cleveland Browns vs. Chicago Bears - 1 p.m. 
• Minnesota Vikings vs. New York Giants - 1 p.m.
• Los Angeles Rams vs. Kansas City Chiefs - 4 p.m.
• Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New Orleans Saints - 4 p.m.
• Philadelphia Eagles vs. Baltimore Ravens - 7 p.m. 
• Dallas Cowboys vs. Seattle Seahawks - 8 p.m.

Week 2

August 20

• Las Vegas Raiders vs. Houston Texans - 8 p.m.
• San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Chargers - 10 p.m.

August 21

• New York Jets vs. Pittsburgh Steelers - 7 p.m.
• Carolina Panthers vs. Jacksonville Jaguars - 7:30 p.m.
• Green Bay Packers vs. Denver Broncos - 9 p.m.

August 22

• Washington Commanders vs. Detroit Lions - 12 p.m.
• Buffalo Bills vs. Cleveland Browns - 1 p.m.
• Atlanta Falcons vs. Indianapolis Colts - 1 p.m.
• Baltimore Ravens vs. Minnesota Vikings - 1 p.m. 
• New Orleans Saints vs. Los Angeles Rams - 4 p.m.
• New York Giants vs. Miami Dolphins - 4 p.m.
• Chicago Bears vs. Cincinnati Bengals - 7 p.m.
• Philadelphia Eagles vs. New England Patriots - 7 p.m.
• Kansas City Chiefs vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 7:30 p.m.
• Dallas Cowboys vs. Arizona Cardinals - 10 p.m.

August 23

• Seattle Seahawks vs. Tennessee Titans - 8 p.m.

Week 3

August 27

• Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Buffalo Bills - 7 p.m.
• New England Patriots vs. Cleveland Browns - 8 p.m.
• San Francisco 49ers vs. Las Vegas Raiders - 8 p.m.
• Los Angeles Rams vs. Los Angeles Chargers - 10 p.m.

August 28

• Washington Commanders vs. Baltimore Ravens - 6 p.m.
• Atlanta Falcons vs. Miami Dolphins - 7 p.m.
• Houston Texans vs. Carolina Panthers - 7 p.m.
• New York Giants vs. New York Jets - 7:30 p.m.
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Jacksonville Jaguars - 7:30 p.m.
• New Orleans Saints vs. Dallas Cowboys - 8 p.m.
• Seattle Seahawks vs. Kansas City Chiefs - 8 p.m.
• Cincinnati Bengals vs. Philadelphia Eagles - 8 p.m.
• Minnesota Vikings vs. Denver Broncos - 9 p.m.

August 29

• Detroit Lions vs. Indianapolis Colts - 1 p.m.
• Chicago Bears vs. Tennessee Titans - 6 p.m.

When does the NFL regular season begin?

Drake Maye, #10, of the New England Patriots carries the ball forward for a first down in the third quarter of the AFC Championship Game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High on January 25, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. 

Photo: Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images

The 2026 NFL regular season kicks off Wednesday, September 9, when the Defending AFC Champion New England Patriots head to Seattle for a Super Bowl rematch against the Defending NFL Champion Seahawks. That game kicks off live on NBC and Peacock at 8:20 p.m. ET in a special edition of Sunday Night Football.