Nothing about an NFL schedule is easy, but the Minnesota Vikings’ road in 2026 at least feels more normal. They won’t kick off the season in primetime. They aren’t planning a two-week trip abroad. Out of the gates, Minnesota should have some opportunities to find its footing.

There are still plenty of ifs for a team that wants to take a quarterback competition into training camp and will be relying heavily on youngsters to make an impact. From Kyler Murray’s introduction to Caleb Banks’ health, these players and storylines will define the Vikings’ 2026 season.

Games against NFC North foes present major tests. Down they stretch, they’ll be a fixture on national television. What stood out from the schedule release? Here is our complete review:

Wk.MatchupDateTimeNetwork1 Sunday, Sept. 13 4:25 p.m. CBS 2@ Sunday, Sept. 20 1:00 p.m. Fox 3@ Sunday, Sept. 27 4:05 p.m. Fox 4 Sunday, Oct. 4 4:05 p.m. Fox 5@ Sunday, Oct. 11 1:00 p.m. Fox 6 BYE 7 Sunday, Oct. 25 1:00 p.m. CBS 8@ Sunday, Nov. 1 1:00 p.m. Fox 9 Monday, Nov. 9 8:15 p.m. ESPN/ABC 10@ Sunday, Nov. 15 1:00 p.m. Fox 11@ Sunday, Nov. 22

Mexico City

8:20 p.m. NBC 12 Sunday, Nov. 29 1:00 p.m. Fox 13 Sunday, Dec. 6 4:25 p.m. CBS 14@ Thursday, Dec. 10 8:15 p.m. Prime 15 Sunday, Dec. 20 8:20 p.m. NBC 16

TBA

17@ Sunday, Jan. 3 1:00 p.m. CBS 18

TBA

Week 1 keys to victory

This journey begins with a heavyweight fight. The Packers may not have star defender Micah Parsons, but they’ll still be tough to prepare for with new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon. The Vikings torched the Packers in the 2022 season opener. So much of the success that afternoon dovetailed with a defense committed to playing soft coverage against Justin Jefferson. I would expect the Packers’ approach to be different this time around.

Defensively, the Vikings will have their hands full with Packers quarterback Jordan Love and an offense betting big on some young receivers. Minnesota has beaten Green Bay four times since defensive coordinator Brian Flores arrived. In most of those games, the Vikings’ defensive game plan caught Packers head coach Matt LaFleur off guard.

The trenches will determine the outcome here. If the Vikings’ new-look offensive line pays dividends and the young defensive linemen are healthy and active, Minnesota should find itself in the driver’s seat.

Must-watch game: vs. Bills, Week 9

It doesn’t get much better than this. Two of the NFL’s biggest stars in Jefferson and Josh Allen. A primetime “Monday Night Football” matchup at U.S. Bank Stadium, one of the league’s best venues for theater.

Then there’s the history. In 2022, the last time Minnesota and Buffalo squared off, the matchup produced one of the most entertaining regular-season games in recent memory.

You can already envision the darkness, lights off, Jefferson doing the Griddy out of the tunnel. Allen trying to solve the Rubik’s Cube that is this Vikings defense. Minnesota’s young defensive tackles, working to slow down a Buffalo rushing attack that has consistently been one of the NFL’s best.

This one has all of the makings of another classic.

Toughest stretch: Weeks 8 through 11

Detroit, Buffalo, Green Bay and San Francisco all enter the 2026 season with playoff expectations. The Vikings will have to go through them all in a row. Three of these matchups are on the road, and Minnesota will end the run with a long journey to Mexico City. Fortunately, the Vikings have their bye week just before this series of games. That’ll allow them to gear up. If they emerge from these four games with a winning record, they could push for the NFC North title over the back half of the season.

Game that has gotten tougher: vs. Panthers, Week 13

In 2023, Flores threw the kitchen sink at Panthers quarterback Bryce Young. The Vikings squeaked past Carolina that day, but this Panthers team is more talented and experienced. They added high-profile edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and underrated linebacker Devin Lloyd in free agency. They have an unheralded but feisty secondary. No NFL game is a given. However, this one has the makings of a projected victory that becomes an agonizing afternoon.

One game the Vikings can’t afford to lose: vs. Dolphins, Week 4

Every indication suggests the Dolphins will be one of the league’s worst teams in 2026. Add in the motivation that Flores will have coordinating a defense against the team that fired him, and this will feel like a must-win, especially following a challenging three-game start.

Best offense the Vikings will face: Bears, Weeks 2 and 18

It’s as simple as Chicago’s head coach and play caller, Ben Johnson. When he’s designing the offense, it’s going to be difficult to defend. There is perhaps no opponent that has given Flores more trouble, and while personnel plays a role in the lofty task, Johnson’s balanced attack causes problems.

The Bears’ offensive line could take a step back without Drew Dalman. They’re relying heavily on young pass catchers Colston Loveland, Rome Odunze and Luther Burden. They still don’t have a special running back as Johnson did in Detroit with Jahmyr Gibbs. None of that minimizes the degree of the test, especially if Bears quarterback Caleb Williams continues his ascent.

Best defense the Vikings will face: Patriots, Week 14

Coming up with an answer in this category was difficult, which is probably a positive sign. The Vikings don’t play the Seahawks, Texans or Broncos. New Orleans is a sneaky candidate, but New England makes the most sense, especially on a short week. The Patriots’ defensive coordinator, Zak Kuhr, did a masterful job in 2025, and they’ve injected the unit with more talent.

Safety Kevin Byard is a ball hawk on the back end. Defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones is a versatile pass rusher on the interior. Toss those two into a mix with Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis III and Milton Williams, and the Vikings will have their hands full.

Predicted record: 10-7

This schedule is set up nicely. If the Vikings can emerge from the first few weeks with a winning record, they should have some wind in their sails. The goal should be to get to their bye week with a winning record. Do that, and they’ll give themselves a buffer during the gauntlet of Week 8 to Week 11. The closing stretch isn’t as difficult, and there is definitely a path to a winning season.

Predicted NFC North finish

Just like last year, these four could finish in any order, and I wouldn’t be surprised. Chicago could regress depending on its defensive turnover creation. The Vikings’ quarterback situation allows for more optimism. Green Bay’s defensive coordinator swap gives me pause, while I’m still unsure about Detroit’s ability to pass protect and affect the quarterback. For Minnesota to turn the tide, it’ll need quarterback Kyler Murray to be the player it believes he can be.

1. Bears
2. Vikings
3. Packers
4. Lions