The NFL’s Week 1 slate opens with a familiar jolt: Packers at Vikings on Sunday afternoon, Sept. 13, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
It’s the kind of matchup that gets attention fast, and this one comes with both teams looking to set the tone early in 2026. Last season, the NFC North rivals split the difference, and now they’re back at it right away with a marquee opener in Minnesota.
Tickets are already on the market, with prices starting at $200. Lower-level seats begin at $400, and club-level seats are listed at $700.
Kickoff is set for 4:25 p.m. ET, which is 3:25 p.m. CT.
Minnesota’s 2026 schedule starts with Green Bay and runs through a mix of division games, prime-time spots, and a late-season stretch that includes the Commanders, Jets and Bears. After the opener, the Vikings go to Chicago in Week 2, then to Tampa Bay in Week 3, before coming home for Miami in Week 4. Their bye arrives in Week 6.
The Vikings’ schedule also includes home games against the Bills, 49ers, Falcons, Panthers, Lions, Commanders and Bears, plus road trips to the Saints, Lions, Patriots and Jets.
Green Bay’s 2026 slate also starts with the Vikings, then sends the Packers to the Jets in Week 2 before a Thursday night home game against the Falcons. Their season includes dates with the Bears, Cowboys, Lions, Panthers, Patriots, Saints, Bills, Dolphins, Texans and a Christmas Day trip to Chicago. The Packers’ bye comes in Week 11.
For fans looking to be in the building when the rivalry starts again, Week 1 in Minneapolis is the place to start.
In Other News...
Packers Are Counting On Nick Niemann In A Bigger Way
Nick Niemann has quietly become one of the more important depth pieces on the Packers roster heading into 2026, landing at No. 37 on a Top 50 list while carrying real weight on special teams and as a backup linebacker. Green Bays decision to extend him for another year says plenty about how much the team values what he brings beyond the headline spots, especially after he led the NFL in total special teams tackles before an injury interrupted his 2025 season.
The Packers are clearly counting on him to reclaim that role if his health holds, because his value in this phase of the game goes well beyond the usual coverage-unit label. A healthy Niemann gives Green Bay a reliable enforcer in the third phase and useful insurance on defense, and the open question is whether he can stay on the field long enough to match the impact he had before the injury slowed him down. [Read more 🡒]
Warren Brinson Faces A Big Packers Role Test In 2026
Warren Brinsons first season in Green Bay was more about flashes than full-time impact, but the rookie defensive tackle gave the Packers enough to make the next step worth watching. He appeared in nine games in 2025 and showed some real promise as a pass rusher, finishing with one sack, nine quarterback hurries and 13 tackles while working through a limited workload.
Now the conversation shifts from potential to responsibility. The Packers and outside observers alike see room for Brinson to grow, and 2026 shapes up as a key year for him to compete for a much bigger role on the defensive line. Whether he can turn those brief moments into steady production will be one of the more interesting camp battles to track. [Read more 🡒]
Packers May Need Unexpected Help From Roster Cuts At Two Spots
The Packers preseason roster picture at tight end and running back is starting to look like one of those situations where the answer might not come from inside the building. With cutdown day set for Aug. 30, Green Bay is still sorting through depth concerns at both spots, and the injuries and uncertainty behind the top names could push the front office to scan the waiver wire for help rather than settle for what is already on hand.
That is where the leagues roster churn could matter, with a few potentially useful options set to hit the market as teams trim down. Tanner Hudson and Trey Benson are among the players who could end up available, while Emanuel Wilson remains part of the Packers own conversation as they weigh how much stability they have at running back. Nothing is locked in yet, but the next few days could determine whether Green Bay fills those holes from its current group or waits for a post-cutdown opening to present itself. [Read more 🡒]