Following Saturday’s Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony in Canton, Ohio, football fans are checking television listings for Saturday night exhibition action.
The 2026 NFL preseason officially opened Thursday, August 6, when the Carolina Panthers earned a 33-30 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in the annual Hall of Fame Game at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Rookie quarterback Haynes King secured the win for Carolina with a 5-yard touchdown run as time expired.
While the exhibition opener provided fans with their first live action of the 107th league season, Saturday’s schedule focuses entirely on ceremonial honors rather than on-field competition.
Are There NFL Preseason Games This Weekend?
No, there are no NFL preseason games on tonight, Saturday, August 8, nor are there any games scheduled for Sunday, August 9.
The Hall of Fame Game serves as a standalone matchup to launch the exhibition calendar, leaving the rest of Hall of Fame Weekend reserved exclusively for non-game events.
Saturday’s marquee event was the official Enshrinement Ceremony at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, honoring the Class of 2026: quarterback Drew Brees, wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, linebacker Luke Kuechly, kicker Adam Vinatieri, and running back Roger Craig.
With Canton festivities concluding, all 32 NFL franchises take a four-day break from game action to finalize training camp evaluations before launching the primary preseason slate.
BE THE GM OF YOUR FAVORITE TEAM: PFN’s FREE NFL Mock Draft Simulator
When Does 2026 NFL Preseason Start? Complete Schedule, Streaming Details
The primary 2026 NFL preseason calendar officially begins with Preseason Week 1 on Thursday, August 13. Spanning three consecutive days from August 13 through Saturday, August 15, Week 1 features all 32 teams competing across 16 exhibition matchups.
National television coverage begins Thursday, August 13, on NFL Network, alongside local affiliate broadcasts and streaming options on NFL+, Peacock, FuboTV, and YouTube TV.
PREDICT THE NFL SEASON: PFN’s FREE NFL Playoff Predictor
Thursday, August 13
- Detroit Lions at Cincinnati Bengals, 7:00 p.m. ET (Local TV)
- Green Bay Packers at Pittsburgh Steelers, 7:00 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
- Indianapolis Colts at New England Patriots, 7:30 p.m. ET (Local TV)
- Los Angeles Chargers at Houston Texans, 8:00 p.m. ET (Local TV)
- Arizona Cardinals at Las Vegas Raiders, 8:00 p.m. ET (Local TV)
- Tennessee Titans at San Francisco 49ers, 9:00 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
Friday, August 14
- Denver Broncos at Atlanta Falcons, 7:00 p.m. ET (Local TV)
- Miami Dolphins at Washington Commanders, 7:00 p.m. ET (Local TV)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New York Jets, 7:00 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
Saturday, August 15
- Carolina Panthers at Buffalo Bills, 1:00 p.m. ET (Local TV)
- Cleveland Browns at Chicago Bears, 1:00 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
- Minnesota Vikings at New York Giants, 1:00 p.m. ET (Local TV)
- Los Angeles Rams at Kansas City Chiefs, 4:00 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
- Jacksonville Jaguars at New Orleans Saints, 4:00 p.m. ET (Local TV)
- Philadelphia Eagles at Baltimore Ravens, 7:00 p.m. ET (Local TV)
- Dallas Cowboys at Seattle Seahawks, 8:00 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
BUILD YOUR OWN TOP 100: PFN’s FREE NFL Top 100 Builder
What to Watch for in Preseason Week 1: Roster Cutdown Stakes
Beyond starting quarterback workloads, Preseason Week 1 serves as the primary proving ground for players battling for spots on active rosters.
In 2026, the league established a revised roster reduction calendar, setting final 53-man cutdowns for Sunday, August 30, at 6:00 p.m. ET, rather than the Tuesday deadline used in prior seasons.
Coaching staffs use the three-game exhibition slate to evaluate non-starters across special teams units and positional depth charts.
With clubs transitioning from 90-player offseason rosters to 53-man active rosters and 16 practice-squad positions (17 if a team carries an International Pathway Program player), live reps during Preseason Week 1 carry significant weight for undrafted rookies, second-year reserve players, and back-of-the-roster veterans fighting to survive initial league cuts.
