GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Green Bay Packers' 2026 schedule was released along with the rest of the NFL slate Thursday.
The Packers should be used to opening the season on the road; they will do so for the seventh time in coach Matt LaFleur's eight seasons. But this will be only the second time in 10 seasons -- and the fourth time in franchise history -- that they will have opened with two in a row away from home. In fact, this season begins with three out of the first four on the road with the lone home game coming in Week 3 against the Falcons.
The payoff on the back end, however, is significant. The Packers close with four of the last five at Lambeau Field, including a pair of games against warm-weather teams -- the Dolphins in Week 15 and Texans in Week 17.
Here's what's in store for the Packers:
Packers 2026 regular-season schedule
Week 1: Sept. 13 at Minnesota Vikings
Week 2: Sept. 20 at New York Jets
Week 3: Sept. 24 vs. Atlanta Falcons (TNF)
Week 4: Oct. 4: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 5: Oct. 11 vs. Chicago Bears
Week 6: Oct. 18 vs. Dallas Cowboys (SNF)
Week 7: Oct. 25 at Detroit Lions
Week 8: Oct. 29 vs. Carolina Panthers (TNF)
Week 9: Nov. 8 at New England Patriots
Week 10: Nov. 15 vs. Minnesota Vikings
Week 11: Bye week
Week 12: Nov. 25 at Los Angeles Rams (Thanksgiving Eve)
Week 13: Dec. 6 at New Orleans Saints
Week 14: Dec. 13 vs. Buffalo Bills
Week 15: Dec. 20 vs. Miami Dolphins
Week 16: Dec. 25 at Chicago Bears (Christmas)
Week 17: Jan. 4 vs. Houston Texans (MNF)
Week 18: Jan 9 or 10: vs. Detroit Lions
* Dates for Week 18 are to be determined
Strength of schedule: The Packers have the fourth-hardest schedule in the league (opponents had a .538 winning percentage in 2025).
DraftKings over/under win total: 10.5
ESPN analyst Mike Clay's projected win total: 9.5
Biggest takeaway
At different points this season, the Packers might be asking themselves what day of the week it is. They could play on six different days with only Tuesday out of the question. The Packers have one Monday night game (Week 17), one Wednesday game (Thanksgiving Eve at the Rams), two Thursday games (both at home), a Friday game (Christmas at Chicago) and the rest on Sunday -- for now. Their regular-season finale could wind up on a Saturday with the exact date yet to be determined.
Circle this date
Dec. 25. How's this for a Christmas bonus: The Packers play at the Bears with the opportunity to not only avenge their 31-27 playoff loss at Soldier Field last season but also the late-season game they blew 22-16 in overtime there, too. This game could go a long way toward deciding the NFC North.
Bold prediction
The Packers will do the opposite of last year and close the regular season with four straight wins, taking some momentum into the postseason instead of limping in. Yes, that would include winning on Christmas at Chicago, which at this point looks like the toughest game in that closing stretch.
Against which team will Micah Parsons make his return?
If Parsons doesn't start the season on the physically unable to perform list while recovering from a torn left ACL, he will be eligible to play before Week 5. If the Packers think he can play before then, they will put him on the active roster to start the season.
Even with an accelerated time frame, Parsons likely will miss at least two games. He has said he thinks he can play at some point in the first month, so perhaps it'll be Week 3 at home versus the Falcons or Week 4 at Tampa Bay. That would give him a game or two under his belt before facing the rival Bears at Lambeau in Week 5.
