Vikings Release 2026 Schedule
After a disappointing 2025 campaign that left the franchise watching the draft order rather than the playoff picture by Thanksgiving, the franchise wants to bounce back in the upcoming 2026 season. The Vikings will face the AFC East and the NFC South in the annual division rotation.
As always, Minnesota’s social media team announced the roster in video format, with All-Pro Will Reichard in the main role.
The home games are purple. MNF is Monday Night Football, SNF is Sunday Night Football, and TNF is Thursday Night Football.
Week 1 — vs. Green Bay Packers
Week 2 — at Chicago Bears
Week 3 — at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 4 — vs. Miami Dolphins
Week 5 — at New Orleans Saints
Week 6 — Bye
Week 7 — vs. Indianapolis Colts
Week 8 — at Detroit Lions
Week 9 — vs. Buffalo Bills (MNF)
Week 10 — at Green Bay Packers
Week 11 — at San Francisco 49ers (SNF)
Week 12 — vs. Atlanta Falcons
Week 13 — vs. Carolina Panthers
Week 14 — at New England Patriots (TNF)
Week 15 — vs. Detroit Lions (SNF)
Week 16 — vs. Washington Commanders
Week 17 — at New York Jets
Week 18 — vs. Chicago Bears
Once again, the Vikings will play a regular-season game on foreign soil, though this year’s bout will not be overseas, but in Mexico. A key advantage is that it would’ve been a road game anyway, meaning the Vikings will keep their nine home games, but play one of their eight road matchups on neutral ground.
Compared to previous years, the trip won’t be a week-long journey with time differences and long travels. In fact, it won’t be that much different from the actual flight to Santa Clara. The Vikings have a 5-1 record outside of the United States.
The bye week will be early this year, for the second straight year in Week 6. Last year’s break was planned after the trip to Europe; this year’s international game won’t impact that. Players generally prefer a later bye week, but last year’s placement coincided with a pretty banged-up team. At the end of the day, nobody knows when injuries hit and when an extra week would be the most beneficial.
Also noteworthy is the distribution of home and away contests throughout the season. Three of the first five games will be on the road. After the bye week, the home games clearly dominate the schedule, including five of the season’s last seven games at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Minnesota will neither play on Thanksgiving nor on Christmas (Eve).
The first primetime matchup won’t arrive until Week 9. In total, the Vikings play four games in the late window, including the first rematch with the Buffalo Bills since the epic 2022 season matchup, which Kevin O’Connell’s squad won in thrilling fashion. More night games will be the game in Mexico City versus the 49ers, a road challenge at New England and a Sunday Night battle with the Lions.
A season finale against the Chicago Bears has been almost an annual recurrence over the last decade, but it hasn’t been the case in three years. The Vikings and the Bears might have a lot on the line that day.
The season will kick off on September 13, with the green rivals from Wisconsin coming to town.