Chelsea Reportedly In Talks with Xabi Alonso to Become Next Manager
Chelsea reportedly in discussions with Xabi Alonso to become their next manager.
The NFL's 2026 regular season schedule will be released soon, revealing the Green Bay Packers' Week 1 opponent. Fans are curious about who the Packers will face as they look to start the season strong.
The NFL's regular season schedule is set to arrive in full on Thursday. While the opponents for the Green Bay Packers are known, the release of the 17-game order is always interesting and full of surprises.
One of the most important features: Who is the Week 1 opponent?
For the Packers, the opening game has added intrigue in 2026. Every team wants to start fast with a win -- like beating the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field last September -- but Matt LaFleur's team is in an interesting spot in 2026, with top players like Micah Parsons and Tucker Kraft coming back from major injuries. It's likely Parsons won't be ready in time for the season opener.
So, who do you want the Packers to play to open the season?
The staff at Packers Wire made their picks:
A game inside the division might be likely, but the Packers won't want to face a rival or play an important game without Micah Parsons. While there are no "cupcakes" in the NFL, a lesser opponent in Week 1 is favorable given how many important players are coming back from injury to start the 2026 season. Also, the Packers have two new coordinators, so an adjustment period might be unavoidable early. What about playing a team beginning a rebuild in the Packers' image? This game would be full of intrigue, given the Packers connections now in Miami, including coach Jeff Hafley and quarterback Malik Willis, but it's also a game the Packers would be big favorites to win at home. Get a victory at home to open the season, and get one week closer to returning Parsons. Save the big games for when the Packers are at full strength. I actually think this has a decent chance of happening; the NFL loves Week 1 storylines, and Packers-Dolphins probably aren't worthy of a primetime slot, especially if Parsons isn't available. Noon, Week 1, Lambeau.
The full schedule for the Packers' 2026 season is set to be released on Thursday.
While the specific Week 1 opponent is not yet known, the Packers will face various teams, with fans speculating on matchups.
Key players like Micah Parsons and Tucker Kraft are coming back from major injuries, with Parsons likely not ready for the season opener.
Starting the season with a win is crucial for momentum, making the Week 1 matchup particularly significant for the Packers.
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The Packers hadn’t lost two games in the same season to the Bears since 2005. That changed last year, when Green Bay fell to Chicago in overtime in Week 16 and again in the wild-card round. Losing to a division rival in the playoffs is brutal, especially when you blow a 21-3 lead. Now that they have Caleb Williams, the Bears fans view it as a changing of the guard after being dominated by Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers over the last three decades. Jordan Love has been excellent against Chicago, completing 64.5% of his passes for 1,525 yards, throwing 13 touchdowns with two interceptions, but the Packers are just 4-3 against the Bears since Love took over as the starter. This feels like a prime opportunity to spotlight this bitter rivalry and see who has the upper hand moving forward.
From a purely tactical point of view, I want the Packers to have a soft start to the season, and face as few conference and/or division opponents as possible early on, given they have Micah Parsons and Tucker Kraft working their way back from ACL injuries, meaning they could miss multiple weeks at the beginning of the campaign. The Dolphins have the lowest projected win total of any Packers opponent at 4.5, and the game is at home, making it their easiest game of the year on paper. Having the storyline of ‘Green Bay South’ coming to town in Week 1, led by former Packers Jon-Eric Sullivan, Jeff Hafley and Malik Willis, will add a fun twist, and also gets it out of the way before the new regime can settle in and build up steam.
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This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers schedule Week 1 predictions 2026 regular season roundtable