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Discussing the Lions 2026 season schedule
The Lions will be featured on 4 primetime games – including week 2 at the Bills, week 4 at the Panthers, followed by back-to-back primetime games Week 15 and 16 – at Minnesota and home vs the Giants.
FOX 2 - The Detroit Lions are looking to bounce back after last season's playoff-missing disappointment – and they're going to have to go through five playoff teams from a year ago, including the Super Bowl runner-ups – to reclaim the king of the North title.
The 2026 NFL schedule is officially out. While we already knew some of the games – at Buffalo on Thursday Night Football in week 2, vs the Patriots in Germany on Nov. 15, and Thanksgiving Day vs. the Bears – there are still a lot of variables.
Those unknowns can now be put to rest.
The Lions will be featured on FOUR primetime games this year – including week 2 against the Bills, week 4 at the Carolina Panthers, followed by back-to-back primetime games on Week 15 and 16 – at Minnesota and home vs the Giants, respectively.
Those four games, plus the Germany game and the Thanksgiving tradition, give the Detroit Lions a total of six time slots with no other games at the same time. The Lions could add more, based on the NFL's flex scheduling and the final game of the season – at Green Bay.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JANUARY 04: Jared Goff #16 of the Detroit Lions celebrates after a touchdown pass in the second quarter against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on January 04, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) …
Preseason schedule:
Away at Cincinnati Bengals, home vs Washington Commanders, and away at Indianapolis Colts.
These games will all be on FOX 2 and the Lions' local TV network.
2026 Lions regular season schedule:
The Lions schedule is listed below with home games listed in ALL CAPS.
Week 1: Sunday, September 13 – NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Week 2: Thursday, September 17 – at Buffalo Bills
Week 3: Sunday, September 27 - NEW YORK JETS
Week 4: Sunday, October 4 – at Carolina Panthers
Week 5: Sunday, October 11 – at Arizona Cardinals
Week 6: ***BYE WEEK***
Week 7: Sunday, October 25 – GREEN BAY PACKERS
Week 8: Sunday, November 1 – MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Week 9: Sunday, November 8 – at Miami Dolphins
Week 10: Sunday, November 15 – NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS at FC Bayern Munich Arena - Germany
Week 11: Sunday, November 22 – TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
Week 12: Thursday, November 26 – CHICAGO BEARS
Week 13: Sunday, December 6 – at Atlanta Falcons
Week 14: Sunday, December 13 – TENNESSEE TITANS
Week 15: Sunday, December 20 – at Minnesota Vikings
Week 16: Monday, December 28 – NEW YORK GIANTS
Week 17: Sunday, January 3 – at Chicago Bears
Week 18 TBD at Green Bay Packers
Week 1 - home vs. New Orleans Saints
The Lions will start the season on Sunday, Sept. 13 at Ford Field at 1 p.m. against the Saints.
You can watch every snap on FOX 2.
Week 2 - away at Buffalo Bills
The Lions' first road game of the season will be a tricky one as they will be under the lights in Buffalo to open the new stadium, Highmark Stadium, on Sept. 17.
The first primetime game of the season for the Lions will be streaming on Amazon Prime.
Week 3 - home vs. New York Jets
Aaron Glenn, welcome back.
For the first time since taking his first head coaching job in 2025, Glenn returns to Ford Field.
The game is at 1 p.m. on FOX 2.
Week 4 - away at Carolina Panthers
The second primetime game of the year – the Lions head to Charlotte to battle the NFC South champions.
The Sunday Night Football game will kickoff at 8:20 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 4
Week 5 - away at Arizona Cardinals
The Lions stay on the road for a battle against the Arizona Cardinals on Oct. 11.
The afternoon game on FOX 2 will kick at 4:25 ET. The Lions haven't lost to Arizona since 2015, with 4 wins and a tie coming in their past 5 matchups.
Week 6 - bye
The Lions get week 6 off – an early bye week head of a grueling travel schedule
Week 7 - home vs. Green Bay Packers
The Lions first divisional catchup of the year features the Green Bay Packers coming in to Ford Field on Sunday, Oct. 25
The late afternoon game on FOX will kick at 4:25 as the Lions look to reclaim their dominance of the Packers dating back to 2022. Last year, the Packers swept the series but prior to that, the Lions had won 6 of the past 7 match-ups.
Week 8 - home vs. Minnesota Vikings
The Lions get to stay home with another divisional opponent coming to town.
The early afternoon game on FOX will kick at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1.
Week 9 - away at Miami Dolphins
November in Detroit gets pretty chilly – so the Lions get to head to Miami for a 1 p.m. kick off Nov. 8.
The Lions and Dolphins will battle on FOX 2 at 1 p.m.
Week 10 - Munich vs. New England Patriots
The Lions will take on the New England Patriots at FC Bayern Munich Stadium on Nov. 15 as part of the NFL International series.
This game will air on FOX at 9:30 a.m. ET.
This comes after the team has held several youth football education camps across Germany. Many of these camps have featured Amon Ra St. Brown, whose mother is from Cologne.
Week 11 - home vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
There won't be a lot of rest for the Lions as they return to tussle with the Buccaneers on Sunday, Nov. 22.
The 1 p.m. game is the first game of the season on CBS.
Week 12 - Thanksgiving Day vs. Chicago Bears
The Lions have played Thanksgiving Day every year since 1934.
This year – they welcome the Bears to Ford Field. It will mark the fifth time in the last six seasons that the Lions host a division opponent on the holiday. The Lions last beat Chicago in 2024 – marking Matt Eberflus' final game as coach. The Lions have swept the series two years running.
CBS will carry the Thanksgiving Day game this year.
Week 13 - away at Atlanta Falcons
After an extra day or two off – the Lions head to Atlanta for a 1 p.m. game against the Falcons on CBS on Dec. 6.
The Lions last played in Atlanta in 2021 – falling 20-16 the day after Christmas.
Week 14 - home vs. Tennessee Titans
Staying in the NFC South – the Titans travel up to Detroit on Dec. 13 for a 1 p.m. kickoff.
FOX 2 will carry the game live from Ford Field.
Week 15 - away at Minnesota Vikings
The Lions are back in primetime for a Sunday Night Football game against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, Dec. 20.
The Vikings beat the Lions on Christmas Day last year – eliminating the Lions from playoff contention and forcing Dan Campbell and company to look to 2026.
Week 16 - home vs New York Giants
Staying in primetime, the Lions host the Giants at 8:15 on Monday, Dec. 28.
It will be the Lions first Monday Night Football game of the season – and the final home game of the year.
The Lions last lost to the Giants back in 2016. They won last season in overtime – their fifth overtime game since 1988, an odd stat for a team that they don't play every year.
Week 17 - away at Chicago Bears
Back to the Windy City for a late afternoon game on FOX on Sunday, January 3.
The Lions first game of 2027 could very likely have implications on the NFC playoff picture as the Bears are the defending NFC North champs.
Week 18 - away at Green Bay Packers
We know WHO the Lions will play and we know where – but the time and date are all TBD! And it won't be until after week 17 that we know anything about this game.
The Lions and Packers could be playing for the NFC North, a wild card spot, or nothing at all – it all depends on how the first 17 weeks ago.
TBD