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...
JJ McCarthy Just Turned Up The Heat In Vikings QB Battle
The Vikings quarterback competition has taken on real shape in training camp, with J.J. McCarthy and Kyler Murray battling to open the 2026 season under center. McCarthy, who sat out his rookie year because of injury before going 6-4 in 10 starts last season, is trying to build on that momentum as Minnesota works to rebound and get back to the playoffs.
ESPNs Dan Graziano watched a recent camp session and came away feeling McCarthy had the edge that day, a reminder of how closely the Vikings staff will be tracking every rep between the two. It has not been a one-way race throughout camp, though, which is why this remains such a live situation for a team trying to sort out its most important position before the season arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Jamal Adams Just Put A New Twist On The Vikings Safety Battle
Jamal Adams got a noticeable preseason wrinkle during Vikings practice, where the veteran was working in a different spot after spending time at linebacker. The shift fits his background, since Adams played safety for eight NFL seasons, and it comes as Minnesota continues to sort through a secondary that has already had to manage his recent injury history.
The jersey change was the other clue that this was more than a temporary look, with Adams now wearing a number associated with his old role. It also lands at a time when the Vikings still do not have a clear update on Harrison Smiths status, leaving the safety picture open enough that a familiar name could end up mattering in a bigger way than it seemed a few days ago. [Read more 🡒]
New Vikings Already Feeling The Pressure Of A Brutal Roster Fight
Training camp always has a way of sharpening the edges of a roster, and for the Vikings it is already turning into a test for several newcomers who do not have much room for error. Defensive tackle Isaiahh Loudermilk, center Gavin Gerhardt and punter Johnny Hekker are all trying to carve out roles while a larger group of players fights for one of the few spots available on the 53-man roster, with positional depth and versatility quickly becoming part of the conversation.
For Loudermilk and Gerhardt, the challenge is not just earning coaches trust, but doing it in a room where younger players and undrafted options are pushing just as hard. Hekker faces a different kind of squeeze, as even specialists are not insulated from the reality of camp competition. In a month where every practice rep can matter, the Vikings are already finding out which additions can withstand the pressure and which ones may be battling uphill the entire way. [Read more 🡒]