The 2026 Detroit Lions Schedule sends the team to Munich, Germany for an international game against New England, features a Thanksgiving home showdown against Chicago, and includes a loaded NFC North schedule with Green Bay twice and Minnesota twice. Ford Field hosts New Orleans, the Jets, Green Bay, Minnesota, Tampa Bay, Chicago on Thanksgiving, Tennessee, and the Giants on Monday Night Football. Three preseason games in August set up a 17-game regular season that closes on the road at Lambeau Field.
2026 Detroit Lions Preseason Schedule
Detroit opens on the road before returning home for a noon preseason game, then closes the exhibition schedule with another road trip.
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, Aug 13 | at Cincinnati Bengals | Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati, OH | 7:00 pm | Local |
| Sat, Aug 22 | vs Washington Commanders | Ford Field, Detroit, MI | 12:00 pm | Local |
| Sat, Aug 29 | at Indianapolis Colts | Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN | 1:00 pm | NFLN/Local |
The noon home kickoff against Washington on August 22 is an early start that gives Ford Field fans an afternoon preseason experience before the regular season arrives. The final preseason road trip to Indianapolis on August 29 — just before roster cuts — is the most consequential of the three games from a roster-building perspective.
2026 Detroit Lions Regular Season Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, Sep 13 | vs New Orleans Saints | Ford Field, Detroit, MI | 1:00 pm | FOX |
| Thu, Sep 17 | at Buffalo Bills | Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, NY | 8:15 pm | Prime Video |
| Sun, Sep 27 | vs New York Jets | Ford Field, Detroit, MI | 1:00 pm | FOX |
| Sun, Oct 4 | at Carolina Panthers | Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC | 8:20 pm | NBC/Peacock |
| Sun, Oct 11 | at Arizona Cardinals | State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ | 4:25 pm | FOX |
| Sun, Oct 18 | BYE | — | — | — |
| Sun, Oct 25 | vs Green Bay Packers | Ford Field, Detroit, MI | 4:25 pm | FOX |
| Sun, Nov 1 | vs Minnesota Vikings | Ford Field, Detroit, MI | 1:00 pm | FOX |
| Sun, Nov 8 | at Miami Dolphins | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL | 1:00 pm | FOX |
| Sun, Nov 15 | vs New England Patriots | FC Bayern Munich Stadium, Munich, Germany | 9:30 am | FOX |
| Sun, Nov 22 | vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Ford Field, Detroit, MI | 1:00 pm | CBS |
| Thu, Nov 26 | vs Chicago Bears | Ford Field, Detroit, MI | 1:00 pm | CBS |
| Sun, Dec 6 | at Atlanta Falcons | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA | 1:00 pm | CBS |
| Sun, Dec 13 | vs Tennessee Titans | Ford Field, Detroit, MI | 1:00 pm | FOX |
| Sun, Dec 20 | at Minnesota Vikings | U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN | 8:20 pm | NBC/Peacock |
| Mon, Dec 28 | vs New York Giants | Ford Field, Detroit, MI | 8:15 pm | ESPN |
| Sun, Jan 3 | at Chicago Bears | Soldier Field, Chicago, IL | 4:25 pm | FOX |
| Sat/Sun, Jan 9/10 | at Green Bay Packers | Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI | TBA | TBA |
MORE: 2026 NFL Schedule Every Week, Date, and Kickoff Time
Key Games on the 2026 Detroit Lions Schedule
Week 2: Thursday Night at Buffalo
After opening at home against New Orleans, Detroit travels to Highmark Stadium for Thursday Night Football on September 17 at 8:15 pm ET on Prime Video. A short-week road game in Buffalo — one of the NFL’s most hostile environments — in Week 2 is a genuine early-season test. The Bills are consistently one of the AFC’s elite programs, and winning in Orchard Park on a Thursday night would be a significant early-season statement for Detroit.
Munich: Lions vs Patriots at FC Bayern Munich Stadium
The 2026 Detroit Lions Schedule includes an international game in Munich, Germany against the New England Patriots at FC Bayern Munich Stadium on November 15 at 9:30 am ET on FOX. Detroit was part of the inaugural Munich game when the NFL first took the series there, so there’s a historical connection for the Lions organization in this market. An early morning kickoff for American fans makes this one of the more unusual viewing experiences of the NFL year — but the atmosphere in Munich has proven to be genuinely electric.
This game counts as a Detroit home game in the regular season record.
Thanksgiving: Chicago Bears at Ford Field
Detroit’s Thanksgiving home game is one of the NFL calendar’s most reliable traditions, and the 2026 edition delivers the Chicago Bears on November 26 at 1:00 pm ET on CBS. The Lions-Bears NFC North rivalry on Thanksgiving is a classic matchup — both teams motivated, a national audience watching, and Ford Field packed for the holiday. For Detroit, protecting home court on Thanksgiving is a point of pride that the organization and fanbase take seriously every year.
Detroit Lions vs Green Bay Packers 2026 — Twice, Closing at Lambeau
Green Bay visits Ford Field on October 25 at 4:25 pm ET on FOX for the home leg of the NFC North rivalry. Then Detroit closes the regular season on the road at Lambeau Field on January 9 or 10. If either team needs a win to secure a playoff spot or division title, that finale at Lambeau carries enormous weight. Lambeau in January is as difficult a road environment as exists in professional football.
Minnesota Twice — Including Sunday Night in December
The Lions host Minnesota at Ford Field on November 1 at 1:00 pm ET on FOX, then travel to U.S. Bank Stadium for Sunday Night Football on December 20 at 8:20 pm ET on NBC/Peacock. The December road game in Minneapolis is the more consequential of the two — a prime-time NFC North game on the road in late December with playoff seeding hanging in the balance is exactly the kind of game that defines seasons.
Sunday Night at Carolina in October
Detroit travels to Bank of America Stadium for Sunday Night Football on October 4 at 8:20 pm ET on NBC/Peacock. A Week 4 prime-time road game on the East Coast tests the Lions’ ability to perform on the national stage away from the comfort of Ford Field.
Monday Night vs Giants in Late December
The New York Giants visit Ford Field for Monday Night Football on December 28 at 8:15 pm ET on ESPN. A late-December primetime home game gives Detroit an opportunity to lock up positioning heading into the final two weeks of the regular season. Ford Field under the lights for a nationally televised game is a strong environment for the Lions.
Detroit Lions Home Games 2026
| Game | Date |
|---|---|
| vs Washington Commanders (Preseason) | Sat, Aug 22 |
| vs New Orleans Saints | Sun, Sep 13 |
| vs New York Jets | Sun, Sep 27 |
| vs Green Bay Packers | Sun, Oct 25 |
| vs Minnesota Vikings | Sun, Nov 1 |
| vs New England Patriots (Munich — Home designation) | Sun, Nov 15 |
| vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Sun, Nov 22 |
| vs Chicago Bears (Thanksgiving) | Thu, Nov 26 |
| vs Tennessee Titans | Sun, Dec 13 |
| vs New York Giants (MNF) | Mon, Dec 28 |
Eight regular season home games at Ford Field plus the Munich international game designated as a home matchup. Thanksgiving at home against Chicago and Monday Night Football against the Giants are the two premier home windows of the second half of the season.
Detroit Lions Bye Week 2026
The bye falls on Sunday, October 18 — arriving after road trips to Carolina and Arizona in Weeks 4 and 5. The timing is favorable. Back-to-back road games at Bank of America Stadium and State Farm Stadium are demanding, and a full bye week before the home stretch of October — Green Bay on October 25, Minnesota on November 1 — gives Detroit a chance to reset physically and strategically heading into the heart of the NFC North race.
FAQ
Q: When do the Detroit Lions open the 2026 regular season?
A: The 2026 Detroit Lions Schedule regular season opens Sunday, September 13, hosting New Orleans at Ford Field at 1:00 pm ET on FOX.
Q: What are the Detroit Lions home games in 2026?
A: Detroit Lions home games 2026 at Ford Field include New Orleans (Sep 13), New York Jets (Sep 27), Green Bay (Oct 25), Minnesota (Nov 1), Tampa Bay (Nov 22), Chicago on Thanksgiving (Nov 26), Tennessee (Dec 13), and New York Giants (Dec 28). The Munich game against New England counts as a home game.
Q: When do the Detroit Lions play the Green Bay Packers in 2026?
A: Green Bay visits Ford Field on October 25 at 4:25 pm ET on FOX, then Detroit closes the regular season at Lambeau Field on January 9 or 10.
Q: When is the Detroit Lions bye week in 2026?
A: The bye week on the 2026 Detroit Lions Schedule falls on Sunday, October 18.
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