NFL schedule release is set for Thursday: Chicago Bears will learn their full 2026 slate
The NFL will release the full 2026 schedule at 7 p.m. Thursday, the league announced Friday. The Chicago Bears, along with the rest of the teams, will learn the dates and times for their 17-game slate this fall.
The schedule release will air on NFL Network and ESPN2. The league’s broadcast partners will announce select matchups in the days leading up to Thursday’s full release. The remaining international games will be announced at 8 a.m. Wednesday on NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football.”
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The Bears already know which teams they will be playing this season but not the dates and times.
Here are the Bears’ 2026 opponents:
Home
- Detroit Lions
- Green Bay Packers
- Minnesota Vikings
- New Orleans Saints
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Philadelphia Eagles
- New England Patriots
- New York Jets
- Jacksonville Jaguars
Road opponents
- Lions
- Packers
- Vikings
- Atlanta Falcons
- Carolina Panthers
- Seattle Seahawks
- Buffalo Bills
- Miami Dolphins
In addition to facing their NFC North rivals both home and away, the Bears will play all four NFC South and AFC East teams.
As winners of the NFC North, the Bears also will play the first-place teams from the NFC East (Eagles), NFC West (Seahawks) and AFC South (Jaguars).
The league already announced that the Super Bowl champion Seahawks will host the NFL Kickoff game on Wednesday, Sept. 9. The Bears could be a potential opponent for that game.
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This story was originally published May 8, 2026 at 1:12 PM.