TEMPE, Ariz. -- The Arizona Cardinals' 2026 schedule was released along with the rest of the NFL slate Thursday.
The Mike LaFleur Era kicks off in a familiar setting -- SoFi Stadium -- against an unfamiliar foe: The Los Angeles Chargers. That game will begin Arizona's quest to improve on its three wins from 2025 but that journey won't be smooth.
The Cardinals will be on the road for three of their first four, four of their first six and six of their first nine. And those nine games will be a gauntlet, with five of their first nine games coming against playoff teams -- including two against the defending Super Bowl champions and NFC West rivals, Seattle Seahawks.
Here's what's in store for the Cardinals:
Cardinals 2026 regular-season schedule
Week 1: Sept. 13 at Los Angeles Chargers
Week 2: Sept. 20 vs. Seattle Seahawks
Week 3: Sept. 27 at San Francisco 49ers
Week 4: Oct. 4 at New York Giants
Week 5: Oct. 11 vs. Detroit Lions
Week 6: Oct. 18 at Los Angeles Rams
Week 7: Oct. 25 vs. Denver Broncos
Week 8: Nov. 1 at Dallas Cowboys
Week 9: Nov. 8 at Seattle Seahawks
Week 10: Nov. 15 vs. Los Angeles Rams
Week 11: Nov. 22 at Kansas City Chiefs
Week 12: Nov. 29 vs. Washington Commanders
Week 13: Dec. 6 vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Week 14: Dec. 13 Bye
Week 15: Dec. 20 vs. New York Jets
Week 16: Dec. 27 at New Orleans Saints
Week 17: Jan. 3 vs. Las Vegas Raiders
Week 18: Jan. 9 or 10 vs. San Francisco 49ers
Strength of schedule: The Cardinals have the third-hardest schedule in the league (opponents had a .538 winning percentage in 2025).
DraftKings over/under win total: 4.5
ESPN analyst Mike Clay's projected win total: 3.6
Biggest takeaway
The first nine games are brutally tough. Six of them are on the road, with back-to-back road games twice during that span. The Cardinals won't have time to ease into the Mike LaFleur Era. They'll be jumping in the deep end with both feet and without a lifejacket. That stretch includes five playoff teams, including the Super Bowl champion Seahawks twice. By Week 3, Arizona will have played a third of its division schedule. The so-called easiest game will be the Giants in Week 4, but even that's a cross-country trip.
Circle these dates
Week 3 and Week 6. Within the first six games, LaFleur will be facing two of the coaches -- San Francisco's Kyle Shanahan and the Rams' Sean McVay -- who influenced him the most, on their fields, whose sidelines LaFleur once roamed. They'll both be opportunities for LaFleur to show both men that he's made it and that he can be a head coach, potentially at a high level, as well.
Bold prediction
The Cardinals will know their playoff fate by time the calendar turns to Nov. 9. Once they get back from Seattle, which they play on Nov. 8, their difficult nine-game stretch will be over -- with a home games against the Rams on deck -- but Arizona will have a very clear picture by then of where they stand in the NFC.
Can the Cardinals improve on last year's three wins?
It's very possible. Anything can happen on any given Sunday, but the team could get off to a slow start given the strength of its first 11 opponents. However, starting with the Commanders in Week 12, Arizona could put together a run with games against the Eagles, followed by its bye and then against the Jets, Saints and Raiders before finishing up against the 49ers. Late November to late December could be the stretch that defines how Arizona heads into the offseason.
