The Chicago Bears released their 2026 schedule, featuring more international and holiday games. Fans can now plan around the team's quest to defend their NFC North title after an 11-6 season in 2025.
Key points
Chicago Bears released their 2026 schedule
Includes more international and holiday games
Bears aim to defend their NFC North title
Finished 2025 season with an 11-6 record
Caleb Williams expected to be starting quarterback
Mentioned in this story
Caleb Williams
Chicago Bears
Breaking down each quarter of the Bears' 2026 schedule
The Chicago Bears released their schedule on Thursday night after numerous leaks and a buildup of conversation. Now, fans across the world can plan their fall and winter around the league, which has more international and holiday games than ever.
The Bears will see 2026 as a year to defend their NFC North title. They went 11-6 in 2025 and won a playoff game, which is always a hard expectation to live up to the following year. It's even harder knowing that they are still extremely early in their contention window.
In Year 2 of Ben Johnson, quarterback Caleb Williams is expected to take another step in his development, which should allow the Bears to be a winning team once again. The schedule shows that the league views the Bears as a hot commodity because they are getting a lot of prime-time slots, holiday games, and big matchups on key dates.
Week 1: at Carolina Panthers, Sunday, Sept. 13, 1 p.m. ET
Week 2: vs. Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Sept. 20, 1 p.m. ET
Q&A
What does the Chicago Bears' 2026 schedule include?
The 2026 schedule includes numerous international and holiday games, along with several prime-time matchups.
How did the Chicago Bears perform in the 2025 season?
The Bears finished the 2025 season with an 11-6 record and won a playoff game.
Who is the Bears' quarterback for the 2026 season?
Caleb Williams is expected to be the starting quarterback for the Bears in the 2026 season.
What are the expectations for the Bears in 2026?
The Bears aim to defend their NFC North title and continue their development as a competitive team.
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Week 3: vs. Philadelphia Eagles, Monday, Sept. 28, 8:05 p.m. ET
Week 4: vs. New York Jets, Sunday, Oct. 4, 1 p.m. ET
Week 5: at Green Bay Packers, Sunday, Oct. 11, 4:25 p.m. ET
Week 6: at Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 18, 1 p.m. ET
Week 7: vs. New England Patriots, Thursday, Oct. 22, 8:15 p.m. ET
Week 8: at Seattle Seahawks, Monday, Nov. 1, 8:05 p.m. ET
Week 9: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Nov. 8, 8:15 p.m. ET
Week 10: BYE
Week 11: vs. New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Nov. 22, 1 p.m. ET
Week 12: at Detroit Lions, Thursday, Nov. 26, 1 p.m. ET
Week 13: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, Dec. 6, 1 p.m. ET
Week 14: at Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Dec. 13, 1 p.m. ET
Week 15: at Buffalo Bills, Saturday, Dec. 19, 8:20 p.m. ET
Week 16: vs. Green Bay Packers, Friday, Dec. 25, 1 p.m. ET
Week 17: vs. Detroit Lions, Sunday, Jan. 3, 4:25 p.m. ET
Week 18: at Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Jan. 10, Time TBA
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Chicago Bears 2026 schedule
Week 1: at Carolina Panthers, Sunday, Sept. 13, 1 p.m. ET
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Chicago Bears 2026 schedule
Week 1: at Carolina Panthers, Sunday, Sept. 13, 1 p.m. ET
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Chicago Bears 2026 schedule
Week 2: vs. Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Sept. 20, 1 p.m. ET
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Chicago Bears 2026 schedule
Week 3: vs. Philadelphia Eagles, Monday, Sept. 28, 8:05 p.m. ET
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Chicago Bears 2026 schedule
Week 4: vs. New York Jets, Sunday, Oct. 4, 1 p.m. ET
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Chicago Bears 2026 schedule
Week 5: at Green Bay Packers, Sunday, Oct. 11, 4:25 p.m. ET
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Chicago Bears 2026 schedule
Week 6: at Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 18, 1 p.m. ET
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Chicago Bears 2026 schedule
Week 7: vs. New England Patriots, Thursday, Oct. 22, 8:15 p.m. ET
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Chicago Bears 2026 schedule
Week 8: at Seattle Seahawks, Monday, Nov. 1, 8:05 p.m. ET
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Chicago Bears 2026 schedule
Week 9: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Nov. 8, 8:15 p.m. ET
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Chicago Bears 2026 schedule
Week 10: BYE
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Chicago Bears 2026 schedule
Week 11: vs. New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Nov. 22, 1 p.m. ET
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Chicago Bears 2026 schedule
Week 12: at Detroit Lions, Thursday, Nov. 26, 1 p.m. ET
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Chicago Bears 2026 schedule
Week 13: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, Dec. 6, 1 p.m. ET
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Chicago Bears 2026 schedule
Week 14: at Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Dec. 13, 1 p.m. ET
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Chicago Bears 2026 schedule
Week 15: at Buffalo Bills, Saturday, Dec. 19, 8:20 p.m. ET
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Chicago Bears 2026 schedule
Week 16: vs. Green Bay Packers, Friday, Dec. 25, 1 p.m. ET
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Chicago Bears 2026 schedule
Week 17: vs. Detroit Lions, Sunday, Jan. 3, 4:25 p.m. ET
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Chicago Bears 2026 schedule
Week 18: at Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Jan. 10, Time TBA
The Bears' schedule, based on 2025 winning percentage, is the hardest in the entire NFL. That comes with winning a division where everyone is competitive. When you break down each quarter of the season, it shows four separate portions of the year that will present different challenges.
The opening quarter of the schedule will tell a lot about the Bears. Opening up against the Carolina Panthers, a battle of two teams who were surprisingly good in 2025, will feature two former No. 1 overall picks under center. If the Bears can start the season 1-0, heading into a huge divisional matchup against the Minnesota Vikings, they will be in good shape. That Vikings game will be no easy task, despite being their first home game of the season.
This quarter ends with two more home games to make it three in a row. The Philadelphia Eagles see 2026 as an opportunity to bounce back into Super Bowl form after their title defense season didn't go according to plan, and this Monday Night Football showdown will be a huge early test for Chicago. After that, the Bears will face the New York Jets, who are looking to be a much-improved team this year. By the end of this Week 4 matchup, there will be a lot more intel on them.
This second quarter will be an incredible challenge for the Bears, and we will see what they are made of. It begins with back-to-back road matchups, starting against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. This after the Bears overcame two fourth-quarter deficits in the final few weeks of the season last year, including a wild-card playoff win. Next up: A trip to Atlanta to battle the Falcons, who looking for a big year in their development, but it will be nothing more than an appetizer before three consecutive prime-time showings.
That starts with hosting the defending AFC Champion New England Patriots at Soldier Field on Thursday Night Football, which will feature a battle for 2024 quarterbacks in Caleb Williams and Drake Maye. One week later, the team that beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl, the Seattle Seahawks, will host the Bears in what promises to be a high-octane Monday night matchup between what should be two NFC elites.
Chicago closes this quarter out with a Sunday Night Football matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Soldier Field, which comes right before a needed bye. Last November, the Buccaneers were right there with the Bears, Seahawks, and Rams atop the NFC, but they fell off hard in December, only to miss the playoffs entirely. By this Week 9 game, the Bears will know the caliber of opponent that they are facing.
Coming out of the Week 10 bye, the Bears will face four teams that they should be able to beat on paper. Out of these four teams, only the Jaguars made the postseason last year, but they haven't put two good years in a row together in a long time. The Lions are the biggest threat of these four to make it back to the playoffs, but they need a major bounce-back.
As for the Saints and Dolphins, there is a chance that they are both picking in the top 10 of the 2027 NFL Draft because their rosters aren't anything special. If the Bears can enter this third quarter with a great record, they will have the opportunity to use this stretch to earn a division title and perhaps more.
The Bears have a strong finish in terms of opponents. The Buffalo Bills, led by Josh Allen, are expected to be one of the AFC's top teams again. This Saturday night matchup will kick off this fourth and final quarter. Then, Chicago will end with each of their division rivals. The Packers and Lions will come to Soldier Field in Weeks 16 and 17, while the Bears will close the season on the road against the Vikings.
If the NFC North is anything like it was in 2025, these final three weeks will play a huge role in determining who will win the division and who will miss the playoffs. All four of these teams are great, some stronger in certain areas than others, and they will duke it out very late in the year.
If the Bears want to win the division for the second year in a row, and perhaps avoid the reputation of 2025 being another "pop-up division title," they must have a strong fourth quarter of the season to follow what should be a great year overall. If Caleb Williams plays well and the team as a whole follows Ben Johnson's philosophies, they will be a top NFC team once again.
