GREEN BAY – The Packers' 2026 schedule has arrived. Here are 10 things to know:
- It's big year for the primetime Pack.
Green Bay once again received the maximum of six primetime games, beginning with the home opener in Week 3 against the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday Night Football, Sept. 24.
The Packers will play three night games at Lambeau Field before November. After the Falcons, the Packers will host Dallas on Sunday Night Football in Week 6 (Oct. 18) and then another Thursday night tilt vs. Carolina in Week 8 (Oct. 29).
It's the second straight year the Packers will play the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football.
After night games in Los Angeles and Chicago, the Packers will extend their league record of consecutive Monday Night Football appearances to 34 years when they host Houston Texans in Week 17 at Lambeau Field on Jan. 4. It also would be the first time Green Bay has played a MNF game in the month of January.
If no games are flexed, the five home primetime games would be the most in a season in team history. The 2026 season will mark the first the Packers have hosted two Thursday night games at Lambeau Field.
- Packers and Bears set to write a new chapter in their storied rivalry on Christmas.
There aren't many firsts in the century-long series between Green Bay and Chicago, but the Packers and Bears will make history when the teams play for the first time at Soldier Field on Christmas Day.
Green Bay has twice hosted Chicago at Lambeau on Christmas, beating the Bears 35-21 in 2011 and falling 24-17 in 2005.
This Christmas showdown will be a noon matchup on Netflix, which also will broadcast the Packers' Thanksgiving Eve matchup with the Rams.
Green Bay is 3-1 all-time on Christmas, with wins over Cleveland in 2021 and Miami in 2022.
- Green Bay has an unorthodox bye week.
The Packers will have a shorter bye than usual in Week 11, with just 10 days separating Green Bay's Nov. 15 matchup with Minnesota and the Thanksgiving Eve game in L.A.
It's the second time in franchise history the Packers will play on a Wednesday, the first coming on Sept. 28, 1938, against the Chicago Cardinals in Buffalo.
Per the collective bargaining agreement, players must have four consecutive days off during their bye week.
The Packers will actually have more time off (11 days) between their Week 12 game against the Rams and their Week 13 game in New Orleans than the games separated by the bye week.
- It's another road-heavy start for the Packers.
Green Bay will play back-to-back away games against Minnesota and the New York Jets to open the season, the third time that's occurred since 2016 and fourth in franchise history. It's the seventh time in the last eight seasons the Packers have opened the season on the road.
In 2016, the Packers kicked off the season at Jacksonville before opening U.S. Bank Stadium against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2. Seven years later, the Jordan Love era kicked off in Chicago before a Week 2 tilt in Atlanta.
The other instance occurred in 1924 when Green Bay played at the Duluth Kelleys and Chicago Cardinals before playing its next five games at City Stadium.
Back-to-back road games work to Lambeau Field's favor as the stadium is set to host the Notre Dame-Wisconsin football game on Sept. 6.
- Five cold-weather games close out the year.
The Packers will play outdoors during their final five games of the regular season – four at home (Buffalo, Miami, Houston and Detroit) and the Christmas Day matchup in Chicago.
It's the first time the Bills have played at Lambeau Field in primetime. It's also the first time since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger that the Packers will host three AFC teams in December/January.
LaFleur has a 21-4 record in December during his seven years as Packers' head coach. Green Bay is also 38-12 at Lambeau under LaFleur. Meanwhile, dating back to 2017, Miami has infamously lost 13 straight games when the kickoff temperature is below 40 degrees.
- The return of Jeff Hafley and Malik Willis will happen in Week 15.
LaFleur will match wits with his former defensive coordinator and backup quarterback when Miami strolls into Lambeau on Dec. 20. It's one of two home games scheduled for noon CT this season.
The Dolphins tabbed former Packers personnel executive Jon-Eric Sullivan as their new general manager near the end of last season.
Sullivan then hired Hafley as head coach. Two months later, Miami signed Willis to be its new starting quarterback after an impressive two-year run as Love's backup in Green Bay.
It is only the Dolphins' second visit to Lambeau Field in December (Dec. 8, 1985).
- Balanced NFC North slate ends against Detroit.
After going 2½ months without playing a division game last season, the Packers won't go longer than four weeks without seeing an NFC North foe in 2026.
Green Bay will knock out both of its matchups with Minnesota before its Week 11 bye while there is a two-month split between Chicago and Detroit tilts.
The Week 5 game against Chicago will be the Packers' first matchup against a team that made the playoffs last season.
The Packers will close the regular season at home against the Lions for the first time since 2022. Prior to that, Green Bay played Detroit in six of seven finales from 2015-22.
- In a season full of swings, Packers are never away from home for long.
Green Bay is on the road for three of its first four, then at home for three of its next four and then on the road for three of its next four before playing four of its last five at home.
But after the first two weeks, Green Bay only plays consecutive road games on one other occasion the rest of the season, and it comes after the Week 11 bye in L.A. and New Orleans.
Conversely, the Packers will play consecutive home games three times: vs. Chicago and Dallas (Weeks 5-6), vs. Buffalo and Miami (Weeks 14-15) and vs. Houston and Detroit (Weeks 17-18).
- Packers will see Mike McCarthy this summer.
While preseason dates have yet to be finalized, Green Bay knows it'll open the exhibition slate against its former head coach when the Packers and Steelers meet at Acrisure Stadium between Aug. 13-16.
Green Bay will then play in Denver (Aug. 20-23) before returning home for a joint practice against the Arizona Cardinals (Aug. 27-30), against whom it'll close the preseason at Lambeau.
- This year's gold package features NFC North games.
Gold package ticketholders will be treated to regular-season games against Chicago in Week 5 (Oct. 11) and Minnesota in Week 10 (Nov. 15) in addition to the preseason game against Arizona.
The Cardinals hired LaFleur's younger brother, Mike, as their new head coach this past winter.
Take a look at the Green Bay Packers matchups during the 2026 NFL season.
