Chicago’s schedule encompasses a stretch of three-straight primetime video games in Weeks 7, 8 and 9, earlier than a three-game stretch of premier matchups, together with two standalone video games, in Weeks 15, 16 and 17. The stretch of three-straight primetime video games marks the primary time that the Bears’ regular-season schedule has featured three-straight primetime match-ups since at the least the flip of the century.
The Bears will open the 2026 common season on the highway, touring to Carolina to tackle the Panthers in Week 1. Chicago’s Week 1 matchup in opposition to Carolina would be the first-ever season-opening matchup between the 2 golf equipment and marks the primary Week 1 highway contest for the Bears since 2021.
After the season opener, the Bears will return to Chicago for a three-game homestand, beginning with a bout in opposition to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2. The Week 2 matchup between the Bears and Vikings will mark the one hundred and thirtieth all-time regular-season assembly between the 2 NFC North Division rivals, because the Bears personal a 33-29-2 all-time benefit over the Vikings at dwelling.
Chicago will then host the Philadelphia Eagles on ABC and ESPN’s Monday Night time Soccer in Week 3, the primary of 5 scheduled primetime matchups in 2026 and the primary of two within the Monday Night time Soccer showcase. Chicago will tackle Philadelphia for the second-straight season, after defeating the Eagles on Black Friday in 2025 in Philadelphia, because the Bears personal a 16-8 all-time benefit over the Eagles in Chicago. The Bears will then host the New York Jets in Week 4, rounding out the three-game homestand within the first quarter of the common season. Chicago has received 5 out of their final six matchups in opposition to the Jets, together with three in-a-row at dwelling.
The Bears will journey to Inexperienced Bay in Week 5, headlining a 3:25 p.m. CT showcase on FOX, earlier than touring to tackle the Atlanta Falcons in Week 6. The Bears have received 4 out of their final six matchups in opposition to the Falcons, together with two of their final three in Atlanta.
Chicago then hosts the New England Patriots on Prime Video’s Thursday Night time Soccer in Week 7, kicking off a three-game stretch of primetime matchups. After internet hosting the Patriots for the second time in three years, the Bears will then journey to Seattle to tackle the Seahawks on Monday Night time Soccer in Week 8, Chicago’s second Monday night time outing in 2026, earlier than returning to Chicago in Week 9 for a bout with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on NBC’s Sunday Night time Soccer. The Bears will journey to Seattle for the primary common season matchup since 2021, a Chicago victory, because the Bears have received two out of their final three highway matchups in opposition to the Seahawks. The Bears will then host Tampa Bay for the primary time since 2020, having received three-straight matchups over the Buccaneers at Soldier Discipline.
Chicago’s bye week happens in Week 10 in 2026, the membership’s first Week 10 bye since 2021, and simply the second Week 10 bye for the Bears for the reason that bye-week format was instituted in 1990.
After their Week 10 bye, the Bears are set to host the New Orleans Saints at Soldier Discipline for the second-straight season. Chicago’s victory over the Saints in 2025 marked the membership’s first win in opposition to New Orleans since 2008.
The Bears are then set to play on Thanksgiving Day for the second time within the final three seasons, taking over the Detroit Lions in Week 12 at Midday CT on CBS. Chicago will journey to Detroit for his or her fourth-straight Thanksgiving Day bout in opposition to the Lions, because the Bears have received 4 of their final 5 Thanksgiving Day appearances, together with three victories over the Lions. The Bears personal 20 wins all-time on Thanksgiving Day, the third-most by any NFL membership and probably the most by any workforce within the League that doesn’t play on Thanksgiving Day yearly (Lions and Cowboys).
Chicago returns dwelling in Week 13, internet hosting the Jacksonville Jaguars in Chicago for the primary time since 2016. The Bears have received 4 out of their final 5 matchups in opposition to Jacksonville, together with every of the final two conferences. The Bears defeated the Jaguars within the final matchup of the 2 golf equipment, a 2024 outing in London. Chicago will then journey to Miami in Week 14, taking over the Dolphins on the highway for the primary time since 2018. The Bears have received three out of their final 5 highway matchups in opposition to the Dolphins, as two out of the final 4 regular-season highway conferences between the 2 groups have gone to OT.
Chicago will journey to Buffalo in Week 15 for a primetime Saturday night time matchup in opposition to the Buffalo Payments on CBS. The Week 15 bout will mark the primary journey to Buffalo for a regular-season sport for Chicago since 2018, because the Bears have received every of their final two regular-season matchups over the Payments in Buffalo. After Week 15, Chicago closes out the common season with three-straight NFC North Division matchups.
The Bears will then host the Inexperienced Bay Packers on Christmas Day in Week 16. Chicago is ready to play on Christmas Day for simply the third time in franchise historical past, marking the primary prevalence since 2011. Chicago defeated Inexperienced Bay in every of the 2 matchups between the 2 golf equipment at Soldier Discipline final season (postseason included). Kickoff between the Bears and Packers is ready for Midday CT on Netflix on Christmas Day.
The Bears will then shut out the common season dwelling slate in Week 17, internet hosting the Detroit Lions for a 3:25 p.m. CT showcase on FOX, earlier than touring to Minnesota to tackle the Vikings in Week 18. In all-time dwelling matchups in opposition to the Lions, Chicago has a 61-32-4 report, because the Bears return to Minnesota in Week 18 after defeating the Vikings in walk-off vogue in 2025.
Chicago’s 2026 preseason opponents have additionally been finalized. Earlier than the beginning of the common season, the Bears will host the Cleveland Browns in Preseason Week 1, earlier than touring to Cincinnati to tackle the Bengals in Preseason Week 2. Chicago will then culminate the preseason slate with a highway matchup in opposition to the Tennessee Titans in Preseason Week 3.