The 2026 Chicago Bears schedule is the busiest holiday slate in franchise history. Ben Johnson’s team is back at Soldier Field after an 11 and 6 season and an NFC North title, and this year it plays on Thanksgiving and Christmas in the same season for the first time ever, plus five primetime games.
Below you will find every game date, kickoff time in Eastern Time, TV channel and streaming option, plus a free printable PDF you can stick on the fridge or save to your phone.
Free Printable Chicago Bears Schedule PDF
The printable Chicago Bears schedule puts the whole season on one page. Every matchup lists the opponent, date, start time in ET and TV channel, with room to write in scores and track the record through Week 18.
Download the Printable Bears Schedule PDF
2026 Chicago Bears Preseason Schedule
Chicago opens the preseason at home against Cleveland, then takes two road trips, to Cincinnati and Nashville. All three exhibition games are Saturdays and air locally on FOX32 in the Chicago market.
| WEEK | DATE | OPPONENT | TIME (ET) | TV CHANNEL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sat, Aug 15 | vs Browns | 1:00 PM | FOX32 |
| 2 | Sat, Aug 22 | @ Bengals | 7:00 PM | FOX32 |
| 3 | Sat, Aug 29 | @ Titans | 6:00 PM | FOX32 |
The Week 1 and Week 3 exhibitions also carry national coverage on NFL Network, and all three are available on NFL+ for mobile viewers.
2026 Chicago Bears Schedule: Full Regular Season
Here is the complete week by week slate with kickoff times in Eastern Time. Late season Sunday games can move under NFL flexible scheduling, so check back for updates.
| WEEK | DATE | OPPONENT | TIME (ET) | TV CHANNEL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sun, Sep 13 | @ Panthers | 1:00 PM | FOX |
| 2 | Sun, Sep 20 | vs Vikings | 1:00 PM | FOX |
| 3 | Mon, Sep 28 | vs Eagles | 8:15 PM | ESPN/ABC |
| 4 | Sun, Oct 4 | vs Jets | 1:00 PM | FOX |
| 5 | Sun, Oct 11 | @ Packers | 4:25 PM | FOX |
| 6 | Sun, Oct 18 | @ Falcons | 1:00 PM | FOX |
| 7 | Thu, Oct 22 | vs Patriots | 8:15 PM | Prime Video |
| 8 | Mon, Nov 2 | @ Seahawks | 8:15 PM | ESPN |
| 9 | Sun, Nov 8 | vs Buccaneers | 8:20 PM | NBC, Peacock |
| 10 | Bye Week | No game | None | None |
| 11 | Sun, Nov 22 | vs Saints | 1:00 PM | FOX |
| 12 | Thu, Nov 26 | @ Lions (Thanksgiving) | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| 13 | Sun, Dec 6 | vs Jaguars | 1:00 PM | FOX |
| 14 | Sun, Dec 13 | @ Dolphins | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| 15 | Sat, Dec 19 | @ Bills | 8:20 PM | CBS |
| 16 | Fri, Dec 25 | vs Packers (Christmas) | 1:00 PM | Netflix |
| 17 | Sun, Jan 3 | vs Lions | 4:25 PM | FOX |
| 18 | TBD | @ Vikings | TBD | TBD |
Week 18 falls on the weekend of January 9 and 10, 2027. The NFL sets that date and window later in the season so it can protect games with playoff meaning.
Also check:
- 2026 Green Bay Packers schedule
- 2026 Detroit Lions schedule
- 2026 Minnesota Vikings schedule
- Full 2026 NFL schedule
Key Matchups, Bye Week and Holiday Games
Chicago plays on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday in the same season for the first time in team history. The two holiday dates carry the most weight: a Thanksgiving trip to Detroit on November 26, the fifth Bears game on Thanksgiving Day in nine seasons, and a Christmas Day meeting with Green Bay at Soldier Field that streams worldwide on Netflix. That Packers game is only the third Christmas game in franchise history and the first since 2011.
Five primetime games fill out the national schedule: Philadelphia on Monday night in Week 3, New England on Thursday night in Week 7, Seattle on Monday night in Week 8, Tampa Bay on Sunday night in Week 9 and a Saturday night trip to Buffalo in Week 15. The bye lands in Week 10, right before the stretch that decides the NFC North race.
Division play is spread across the calendar. The Bears see Minnesota in Week 2 and again in the Week 18 finale, visit Green Bay in Week 5 before the Christmas rematch, and close the home slate against Detroit on January 3 after the Thanksgiving trip to Ford Field.
How to Watch the 2026 Chicago Bears Schedule on TV and Streaming
Most Bears games stay on free broadcast television. FOX carries the bulk of the NFC slate, CBS picks up the AFC road games plus Thanksgiving and the Saturday night game in Buffalo, NBC has Sunday Night Football and ESPN with ABC handles both Monday night dates. Two games are streaming exclusives this year.
| PLATFORM | GAMES COVERED |
|---|---|
| FOX | Eight Sunday games, including both Lions and Vikings home dates |
| CBS / Paramount+ | Thanksgiving at Detroit, plus Miami and Buffalo |
| NBC / Peacock | Sunday Night Football vs Buccaneers |
| ESPN / ABC | Monday Night Football vs Eagles and at Seahawks |
| Prime Video | Thursday Night Football vs Patriots |
| Netflix | Christmas Day vs Packers |
| FOX32 | All three preseason games in the Chicago market |
| NFL+ | Local and primetime games on mobile |
| YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo | FOX, CBS, NBC and ESPN live |
You can watch plenty of this season free. An HD antenna pulls in local FOX, CBS and NBC broadcasts at no cost, FOX32 airs the preseason across Chicagoland, and most streaming services still offer a trial you can time around a big matchup.
FAQ: Chicago Bears 2026 Season
When do the Bears play their first game in 2026?
The Bears open the regular season on Sunday, September 13 at the Carolina Panthers, kicking off at 1:00 PM ET on FOX. Preseason starts earlier, on Saturday, August 15 against the Browns at Soldier Field.
When is the Bears bye week in 2026?
Chicago is off in Week 10, the weekend of November 15. The team returns on November 22 at home against the New Orleans Saints.
Who is the Bears head coach and quarterback in 2026?
Ben Johnson is in his second season as head coach after going 11 and 6 in 2025. Caleb Williams enters his third year as the starting quarterback.
Do the Bears play on Thanksgiving and Christmas in 2026?
Yes. Chicago visits Detroit on Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 26 at 1:00 PM ET on CBS, then hosts Green Bay on Christmas Day, Friday, December 25 at 1:00 PM ET on Netflix. It is the first time the franchise has played on both holidays in the same regular season.
What channel are Bears games on in 2026?
Most games air on FOX or CBS. ESPN and ABC carry the two Monday night games, NBC has the Sunday night game, Prime Video has Thursday Night Football and Netflix streams the Christmas game. Preseason airs locally on FOX32.
How many primetime games do the Bears have in 2026?
Five: Monday night vs the Eagles, Thursday night vs the Patriots, Monday night at the Seahawks, Sunday night vs the Buccaneers and Saturday night at the Bills. The Thanksgiving and Christmas games are standalone national windows on top of that.
How did the Bears finish the 2025 season?
Chicago went 11 and 6, won the NFC North for the first time since 2018, beat Green Bay 31 to 27 in the wild card round for its first playoff win since 2010, then lost to the Rams 20 to 17 in overtime in the divisional round at Soldier Field.
Where do the Bears play home games in 2026?
All home games are at Soldier Field in Chicago. The club is still pursuing a new venue. Its board voted in June 2026 to advance a stadium project in Hammond, Indiana, and the team is now testing sites near Wolf Lake, with a groundbreaking targeted for 2027 and an opening around 2031. Arlington Heights is not off the table, since the Bears still own that land and Illinois lawmakers do not take up the tax question again until the autumn veto session.
How many Super Bowls have the Bears won?
One, Super Bowl XX after the 1985 season. Chicago also won eight NFL championships before the Super Bowl era, giving the franchise nine league titles in all.
Where can I buy Bears tickets?
Official tickets are sold through ChicagoBears.com and Ticketmaster, with resale inventory on StubHub, SeatGeek and Vivid Seats. Primetime and division games sell out fastest.
Can I watch Bears games for free?
Yes. An HD antenna picks up local FOX, CBS and NBC broadcasts at no cost, FOX32 carries the preseason in the Chicago market, and services such as Peacock and Paramount+ offer free trial periods.
From the Carolina opener to the Thanksgiving trip to Detroit and a Christmas Day rivalry game on Netflix, the 2026 Chicago Bears schedule gives fans more marquee dates than any season in team history.
Bookmark this page, download the free printable Bears schedule, and check back as the NFL confirms flexible scheduling and the Week 18 kickoff.