Packers Schedule Tracker: Confirmed Games, Rumors, Unofficial 17-Game Slate

Today’s the day. The Green Bay Packers’ list of opponents has been known for more than four months. Now, they’ll finally know when those games will be played.

The Packers reportedly will open the season with back-to-back road games. In Week 1, the Packers will visit U.S. Bank Stadium for a rivalry showdown against the Minnesota Vikings, with kickoff set for 3:25 p.m. From there, it will be an East Coast trek to face the New York Jets.

The Packers and Vikings split the two games last year. Green Bay overwhelmed J.J. McCarthy in a midseason win at Lambeau. In the Week 18 rematch, coach Matt LaFleur rested his starters and the Vikings beat the Packers’ JV team.

Minnesota signed quarterback Kyler Murray this offseason, perhaps the most consequential move made by any of the division teams in what was a quiet free agency. Murray, an electric athlete but inconsistent passer, is 38-48-1 for his career as a starter. That’s not very good. But, when he was on the bench, the Cardinals were a woeful 5-25.

In Week 2, the Packers reportedly will play at the Jets. The Jets were one of the worst teams in the league last year with a 3-14 record but should be much better after making several free-agent signings and having three first-round picks.

A front-loading of road games means a back-loading of home games. More on that later.

Happy Holidays

The Packers will be in the spotlight on two major holidays.

On Wednesday, the league announced that the Packers will play at the Los Angeles Rams on Thanksgiving Eve. The primetime game will air on Netflix, though fans in the Packers’ home markets in Green Bay and Milwaukee will be able to watch an over-the-air broadcast.

The Packers are 1-0 on Wednesdays; in 1938, Don Hutson caught a touchdown pass in a 24-22 win over the Chicago Cardinals.

Meanwhile, according to a report from Chicago, the Packers will play at the Chicago Bears on Christmas. It will be a noon kickoff and also air on Netflix.

The Packers are 3-1 on Christmas, including wins over Cleveland in 2021 and Miami in 2022.

What About Bears? Buccaneers? Patriots?

Every schedule has winners and losers.

What is not a win is the Packers playing at the Tampa Buccaneers in Week 4, when it could be sweltering hot. It’s a noon kick Central time, or 1 p.m Eastern, so right in the heat of the day.

Here is what is a big win: After playing zero 2025 playoff teams in the first four games of 2026, the Packers will get their first crack at the rival Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field in Week 5. The Packers could have Micah Parsons and Tucker Kraft on the field for both of the rivalry matchups against the reigning NFC North champions. Both players were sidelined by torn ACLs for Chicago’s come-from-behind wins over Green Bay in Week 16 and the playoffs. That could be a huge win given how last season ended.

Up next, the Packers will host the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night in Week 6 and visit the Detroit Lions in Week 7.

There reportedly are two Thursday night games, and they are both at home. According to CBS, the Packers will host the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night in Week 3. In Week 8, Green Bay reportedly will play on Thursday night against the Carolina Panthers.

In Week 9, the Packers reportedly will play at the New England Patriots. New England reached the Super Bowl last year and added Romeo Doubs in free agency. If that Packers-Panthers game indeed will be played on Thursday, the Packers would have a few extra days to get ready for the defending AFC champions.

No Respect for Jeff Hafley

One of the most hotly anticipated games of the season will be when Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills come to Lambeau Field. That game will be played in Week 14.

At the league meeting in March, new Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley said he wanted to face the Packers early in the season so he could avoid facing Parsons.

Apparently, Hafley doesn’t have enough have juice to sway the schedule-makers. Not only did Hafley not get his wish, the Dolphins will have to visit Lambeau Field in the middle of December. A week after facing the Bills, the Packers will stay home and host the Dolphins.

The Dolphins are embarking on an epic rebuild. That will be captain by general manager Jon Eric-Sullivan, Hafley and quarterback Malik Willis.

“Really talented individual,” Dolphins offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik said recently. “Can spin the ball over the field, can throw the ball everywhere. Can run, obviously, can use his legs, he's tough. But, honestly, what I've enjoyed the most so far is getting to know him. The person is really fun to be around, really energetic. He infuses everybody with a lot of energy."

After Christmas in Chicago in Week 16, another cold-weather team, the Houston Texans, will visit the Packers in Week 17. That will be on Monday night.

The Packers will stay home for Week 18 against the Lions. Week 18 games can be either Saturday or Sunday; with the Packers playing on Monday a week earlier, they presumably would play Detroit on Sunday.

Here’s what we know – or maybe we think we know – ahead of the official schedule release on Thursday.

2026 Packers Schedule

This is an unofficial look at the weekly schedule for the Packers.

Week 1: at Minnesota Vikings (Sunday, Sept. 13, 3:25 p.m.).

Week 2: at New York Jets (Sunday, Sept. 20, noon).

Week 3: Atlanta Falcons (Thursday, Sept. 24, 7:15 p.m.)

Week 4: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Sunday, Oct. 4, noon).

Week 5: Chicago Bears (Sunday, Oct. 11, 3:25 p.m.).

Week 6: Dallas Cowboys (Sunday, Oct. 18, 7:20 p.m.)

Week 7: at Detroit Lions (Sunday, Oct. 25, noon)

Week 8: Carolina Panthers (Thursday, Oct. 29, 7:15 p.m.) 

Week 9: at New England Patriots (Sunday, Nov. 8, 3:25 p.m.)

Week 10: Minnesota Vikings (TBA)

Week 11: Potential bye.

Week 12: at Los Angeles Rams (Wednesday, Nov. 25, 7 p.m.)

Week 13: at New Orleans Saints (TBA)

Week 14: Buffalo Bills (Sunday, Dec. 13, 7:20 p.m.)

Week 15: Miami Dolphins (Sunday, Dec. 20, noon)

Week 16: at Chicago Bears (Friday, Dec. 25, noon)

Week 17: Houston Texans (Monday, Jan. 4, 7:15 p.m.)

Week 18: vs. Detroit Lions (site, date TBA)

Packers Schedule Odds and Ends

Home cooking will wait: Overall, nine of Green Bay’s 17 games will be played at home. Of its first four, only one will be at home. Of its final five, for will be at home.

Late bye: The Packers’ Thanksgiving Eve game at the Rams means a rare Wednesday game. The best way for the NFL to schedule around that oddity would be to give both teams a bye before the game. That is exactly what the NFL did. A Week 11 bye is a big upgrade over last year’s Week 5 bye, which meant the Packers had a game for 14 consecutive weeks.

Green Bay had a Week 10 bye in 2024, then rolled to five wins in its next six games. Green Bay had a Week 6 bye in 2023, then dropped three of its next four. After a Week 14 bye in 2022, Green Bay won its next three games. Following a Week 13 bye in 2021, it won its next four games. In 2020, it had a Week 5 bye, then got shellacked 38-10 by Tampa Bay. In 2019, Green Bay had a Week 11 bye, lost in Week 12, then closed the regular season with five consecutive wins.

In other words, later byes have treated the team well.

No international game: The Packers will not play an international game – a win for them considering Aaron Rodgers was injured in the loss to the Giants in 2022 and Jordan Love was injured in the loss to the Eagles in 2024.

Almost Paris: A Packers-Saints game this year in Paris was a possibility.

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