The 2026 NFL preseason will commence with the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday, August 6, at 8 p.m. ET, featuring the Carolina Panthers against the Arizona Cardinals in Canton, Ohio. The game will be broadcast on NBC and available for streaming on Peacock.
As a result of participating in the Hall of Fame Game, the Panthers and Cardinals will play four preseason games this year, while the other 30 teams will play the standard three.
Preseason Week by Week
Preseason Week 1 is scheduled from Thursday, August 13, to Saturday, August 15, with all 32 teams participating. This week will not feature any games on national broadcast networks, though the NFL Network will carry six games.
Preseason Week 2 will take place from Thursday, August 20, to Sunday, August 23. This week includes two nationally televised games. The remaining games in Week 2 will air on local affiliates and the NFL Network, with additional streaming options available for out-of-market fans.
Preseason Week 3, running from Thursday, August 27, to Saturday, August 29, will conclude the preseason before teams finalize their rosters. National broadcast windows for Week 3 include a game on CBS and another on the NFL Network.
Broadcast and Streaming Information
The majority of preseason games will be broadcast on each team's local affiliate. National broadcasts will be spread across networks including NBC, ESPN, FOX, CBS, and Prime Video. The NFL Network is also set to broadcast a significant number of games throughout the preseason.
For streaming, games broadcast on FOX can be viewed on FOXSports.com, the FOX Sports app, or FOX One. Games on other networks may be available through streaming services like YouTube TV or Fubo, though package and local affiliate availability can vary. NFL+ will stream national and out-of-market preseason games, subject to local blackouts and device restrictions. In-market games might also be accessible via the participating club's website or app.
Fans can watch preseason games airing on FOX, NBC, or CBS in their local market at no cost by using an over-the-air antenna.