The Chicago Bears open the 2026 season on the road Sunday against the Carolina Panthers, and oddsmakers like Chicago to walk out of Charlotte with a win.
As of Tuesday, Sept. 8, the Bears are three-point favorites at BetMGM in a matchup that puts two former No. 1 picks in the spotlight: Caleb Williams and Bryce Young. It’s also a meeting of two division winners trying to get rolling immediately in Week 1.
Chicago arrives with plenty of momentum after an 11-6 season that flipped the script in a hurry. The Bears went from worst to first, captured the NFC North for the first time in eight years and earned their first playoff win in nearly two decades in Ben Johnson’s first year as head coach. Williams was a huge part of that push, putting together a top-five offense while finishing with a record seven fourth-quarter comebacks.
Carolina, meanwhile, is coming off an 8-9 season that was enough to take the NFC South and send the Panthers to the postseason for the first time since 2017. They nearly pulled off a major upset in the wild-card round, too, before falling 34-31 to the Los Angeles Rams.
So this opener carries a little more weight than your average September game. The Bears are trying to keep the momentum from last season alive, and Johnson is looking to end a rough stretch of season-opening results for Chicago. The Panthers, for their part, have a chance to land an early statement win at home.
The game is set for Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. Kickoff is 12 p.m.
CT, and the game will air on FOX. Fans can stream it on FuboTV, with radio coverage on ESPN 1000 in Chicago.
Chicago’s full regular-season slate includes a home date with Minnesota in Week 2, a Monday night matchup with Philadelphia in Week 3 and a Thanksgiving trip to Detroit in Week 12. The Bears also have a bye in Week 10 and close with games against Detroit in Week 17 and Green Bay on Christmas Day.
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Freelings first big chance comes with a difficult assignment waiting on the other side. Montez Sweat is the kind of edge rusher who can make a rookie tackle earn every snap, especially when the protection around him is still getting sorted out. The Panthers do not need perfection from Freeling right away, but they do need him to hold up in a test that will say a lot about how ready he is for the NFL pace. [Read more 🡒]