The NFL officially announced Friday that the Chicago Bears will learn their full 2026 regular season schedule on May 14. The anticipation continues building around one of the franchise’s most anticipated seasons in years.
The schedule drops May 14!
The full NFL schedule release will air at 8 p.m. ET on NFL Network, ESPN2 and NFL+. The Bears also announced that their full schedule will be revealed on ChicagoBears.com and the team’s official app beginning at 6:30 p.m. CT.
“Mark your calendars,” the Bears posted on social media Friday alongside the announcement graphic.
The excitement surrounding this year’s release feels much bigger in Chicago than it has in years.
After going from worst to first under head coach Ben Johnson during the 2025 season, the Bears are entering 2026 with major expectations after winning the NFC North and capturing their first playoff victory in nearly two decades.
Now, fans are anxiously waiting to find out exactly when some of the league’s biggest matchups will take place.
Bears Have Loaded Home Schedule in 2026
Chicago’s home slate immediately jumps off the page.
The Bears are set to host division rivals Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field.
However, that is only part of a stacked lineup. The defending NFC North champions will also welcome the Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Jets, New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints to Chicago.
On the road, the Bears will travel to face the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Seattle Seahawks, Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers in addition to their NFC North road games.
Because Chicago finished first in the NFC North last season, they also drew first-place opponents from other divisions, including the Eagles, Jaguars and Seahawks.
That difficult slate only adds more intrigue to the release.
The Bears are currently projected to face the sixth toughest schedule in the NFL next season, which adds another major challenge as Chicago looks to defend its NFC North title against a much tougher slate of opponents in 2026.
One Matchup Already Generating Buzz
Even before the official schedule drops, speculation is already building around several potential primetime games.
One matchup that immediately stands out is a possible NFL Kickoff Game against the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. The league has already confirmed Seattle will host the season opener on Sept. 9, and Chicago has emerged as a possible opponent following its breakout 2025 campaign.
The Bears are also expected to be featured heavily in standalone windows after becoming one of the NFL’s fastest-rising teams behind franchise quarterback Caleb Williams.
As always, schedule release week has become a massive event across the league. Teams usually unveil creative videos while networks slowly tease marquee games before the full reveal.
But for Bears fans, the biggest question now becomes simple: how many primetime games is Chicago about to receive after its stunning turnaround season? Will they kick off the NFL season in Seattle against the defending champions?
We will find out next Thursday.
Chicago Bears Get Major News on 2026 Schedule, Opponents