Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) celebrates with Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard (30) during an NFL wild-card playoff football game between the Carolina Panthers and the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)
The Carolina Panthers 2026 regular season schedule was released Thursday night.
It includes three primetime games and several other highly-anticipated matchups.
The Panthers are coming off their first first NFC South division title since 2015 and first playoff appearance since 2017.
Here’s what you need to know about Carolina’s schedule:
Carolina Panthers 2026 schedule
- Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 13 at 1:00 p.m. vs. Chicago Bears
- Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 20 at 1:00 p.m. at Atlanta Falcons
- Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 27 at 1:00 p.m. at Cleveland Browns
- Week 4: Sunday, Oct. 4 at 8:20 p.m. vs. Detroit Lions (SNF)
- Week 5: Bye Week
- Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 18 at 1:00 p.m. at Philadelphia Eagles
- Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 25 at 1:00 p.m. vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Week 8: Thursday, Oct. 29 at 8:15 p.m. at Green Bay Packers (TNF)
- Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 8 at 1:00 p.m. vs. Denver Broncos
- Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 15 at 1:00 p.m. at New Orleans Saints
- Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 22 at 1:00 p.m. vs. Baltimore Ravens
- Week 12: Monday, Nov. 30 at 8:15 p.m. at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (MNF)
- Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 6 at 4:25 p.m. at Minnesota Vikings
- Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 13 at 1:00 p.m. vs. New Orleans Saints
- Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 20 at 1:00 p.m. vs. Cincinnati Bengals
- Week 16: TBD at Pittsburgh Steelers
- Week 17: Sunday, Jan. 3 at 1:00 p.m. vs. Seattle Seahawks
- Week 18: TBD vs. Atlanta Falcons
What to know about Carolina’s 2026 schedule
Carolina kicks the season off with a home game against the Chicago Bears, the reigning NFC North champs. It’s the Panthers’ first Week 1 home game since the 2022 season. This matchup also features two quarterbacks that were taken No. 1 overall in Bryce Young and Caleb Williams.
The Panthers will play three games in primetime this year, the most the team has had in a single season since 2016.
In Week 4, the Panthers host the Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football. It’s their first home SNF game in 11 years and first time back on SNF in general since 2016.
Carolina will also travel to Lambeau Field to take on the Green Bay Packers on Thursday Night Football to start Week 8. Lastly, they will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road on Monday Night Football in Week 12.
The Panthers will face the defending Super Bowl champs, the Seattle Seahawks, in Week 17 at Bank of America Stadium. Carolina hosted Seattle in Week 17 last year but fell 27-10.
Additional Notes About Panthers 2026 schedule
- Panthers have a Week 5 bye, the earliest week a team can have a bye
- Four of Panthers’ final five games are at home
- Panthers don’t have back-to-back home games until this stretch
- Carolina hosts the Denver Broncos, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, and Seattle Seahawks, teams typically difficult to play against on the road
- Panthers will travel the least amount of air miles for the 2026 season with a league-low 8,740 miles, according to Bill Speros
- Carolina doesn’t play any international games or any games on the west coast
- The further west the team will play is at Green Bay
- Because of this, most non-primetime games are a 1:00 p.m. start
