CHARLOTTE — The NFL took notice of the Panthers last year.
And now national television audiences will get a chance to as well.
The Panthers have three prime-time games among the schedule released by the league Thursday night, and will open and close the season at home — a rarity in recent years.
Playing three night games (not including the TBDs in Week 16 and 18) marks their most prime time appearances since they had five in 2016 — the year following their 15-1 Super Bowl run.
They'll host the Lions on Sunday Night Football in Week 4, travel to Green Bay for a Thursday Night Football game in Week 8, and play at Tampa Bay on Monday Night Football in Week 12.
The Panthers had just one prime time game last year (the MNF appearance at San Francisco), and had none in 2024. They had a pair in Bryce Young's rookie year of 2023, and single games in 2022 and 2021.
It's also their first appearance on Sunday Night Football since 2016.
Complete 2026 Panthers schedule
All times Eastern
| Week | Date | Opponent | Time | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOF Game | Thursday, Aug. 6 | Arizona (in Canton, Ohio) | 8 p.m. | NBC |
| Pre 1 | Saturday, Aug. 15 | at Buffalo | 1 p.m. | Panthers TV Network |
| Pre 2 | Friday, Aug. 21 | at Jacksonville | 7:30 p.m. | Panthers TV Network |
| Pre 3 | Friday, Aug. 28 | Houston | 7 p.m. | Panthers TV Network |
| Week 1 | Sunday, Sept. 13 | Chicago | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| Week 2 | Sunday, Sept. 20 | at Atlanta | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| Week 3 | Sunday, Sept. 27 | at Cleveland | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| Week 4 | Sunday, Oct. 4 | Detroit | 8:20 p.m. | NBC |
| Week 5 | BYE WEEK | |||
| Week 6 | Sunday, Oct. 18 | at Philadelphia | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| Week 7 | Sunday, Oct. 25 | Tampa Bay | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| Week 8 | Thursday, Oct. 29 | at Green Bay | 8:15 p.m. | Amazon |
| Week 9 | Sunday, Nov. 8 | Denver | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| Week 10 | Sunday, Nov. 15 | at New Orleans | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| Week 11 | Sunday, Nov. 22 | Baltimore | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| Week 12 | Monday, Nov. 30 | at Tampa Bay | 8:15 p.m. | ESPN |
| Week 13 | Sunday, Dec. 6 | at Minnesota | 4:25 p.m. | CBS |
| Week 14 | Sunday, Dec. 13 | New Orleans | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| Week 15 | Sunday, Dec. 20 | Cincinnati | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| Week 16 | TBD | at Pittsburgh | TBD | TBD |
| Week 17 | Sunday, Jan. 3 | Seattle | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| Week 18 | TBD | Atlanta | TBD | TBD |
The schedule also includes a Week 1 opener at Bank of America Stadium against the Bears, and a Week 18 finale against the Falcons at home, which is part of four of their last five games being played here.
They don't play more than two games in a row at home or on the road at any point in the season.
They also have a Week 5 bye, which is far earlier than in years, when they didn't get breaks until late November or later. They've only had a bye earlier than Week 11 once in the last six seasons.
While Week 5 might be considered early in the context of an 18-week regular season, the Panthers also have an extended preseason to consider.
By virtue of playing in the Hall of Fame Game — coinciding with Luke Kuechly's induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame — the Panthers get an extra preseason game. That means the bye hits in Week 10 of 23 if you consider the whole time they're playing games, meaning the break is closer to the middle.
By virtue of winning the NFC South last year, the Panthers play a "first-place schedule," though only three games are different than the rest of their division foes.
And with those three games by seed against other division winners (Broncos, Seahawks, Eagles), the Panthers play a total of six games against 2025 playoff teams (along with the Bears, Packers, and Steelers, and those three will all play the rest of the NFC South).
While at least three prime time games are on the schedule now, that could change as the season develops.
After the Hall of Fame Game, the Panthers play their remaining three preseason games against playoff teams from last year.
They play at Buffalo and Jacksonville in the first two weeks of the normal preseason (meaning they'll play in the first game in the Bills' new stadium), before closing the preseason at home against Houston.
For more information on tickets to Panthers home games, click here.
This year, "flexible scheduling" for Sunday Night Football may be used up to twice between Weeks 5-10, and in the NFL's discretion during Weeks 11-17; for Monday Night Football at the NFL's discretion in Weeks 12-17; and for Thursday Night Football, it may be used up to twice between Weeks 13-17. During these flex scheduling windows, the games initially scheduled for Sunday Night Football (on NBC), Monday Night Football (on ESPN or ABC), and Thursday Night Football (on Amazon Prime Video) are tentatively scheduled and subject to change. Only Sunday afternoon games (or those listed as TBD) are eligible to be moved to Sunday night, Monday night, or Thursday Night, in which case the initially scheduled Thursday/Sunday/Monday night game would be moved to Sunday afternoon. Sunday afternoon games may also be moved between 1:00 p.m. and 4:05 p.m. or 4:25 p.m. ET. As in prior seasons, for Week 18, the final weekend of the season, the scheduling of the Saturday, Sunday afternoon, and the Sunday night games is not assigned. In Week 18, three games will be played on Saturday (1 p.m. ET, 4:30 p.m. ET, and 8 p.m. ET) with the remainder to be played on Sunday afternoon (1 p.m. ET and 4:25 p.m. ET) and one matchup to be played on Sunday night (8:20 p.m. ET). Specific dates, start times, and networks for Week 18 matchups will be determined and announced following the conclusion of Week 17. For more information about flexible scheduling, visit https://www.nfl.com/schedules/flexible-scheduling-procedures.
View photos of the Panthers' voluntary offseason workouts on Thursday, May 14th.
Trevin Wallace is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 2 at Thursday, May. 14, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Trevor Etienne is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 2 at Thursday, May. 14, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 2 at Thursday, May. 14, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Luke Fortner is seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Phase 2 Thursday, May 14, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Bryce Young is seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Phase 2 Thursday, May 14, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Tetairoa McMillan and Jimmy Horn Jr. are seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 2 at Thursday, May. 14, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Bryce Pierre and Dan Chisena are seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Phase 2 Thursday, May 14, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Mike Reid is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 2 at Thursday, May. 14, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Jamil Muhammad is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 2 at Thursday, May. 14, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Jaylon Guilbeau is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 2 at Thursday, May. 14, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Trevor Etienne is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 2 at Thursday, May. 14, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Zakee Wheatley is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 2 at Thursday, May. 14, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Robert Hunt, Damien Lewis and Luke Fortner are seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 2 at Thursday, May. 14, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Sam Martin is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 2 at Thursday, May. 14, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Thomas Incoom, Jamil Muhammad and Jamil Muhammad are seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Phase 2 Thursday, May 14, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Anthony Tyus III is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 2 at Thursday, May. 14, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Stone Forsythe is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 2 at Thursday, May. 14, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Tyrek Funderburk and Cam Miller are seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Phase 2 Thursday, May 14, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Nic Scourton is seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Phase 2 Thursday, May 14, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Saahdiq Charles is seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Phase 2 Thursday, May 14, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Brendon Lewis and Jimmy Horn Jr. are seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Phase 2 Thursday, May 14, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Taylor Moton is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 2 at Thursday, May. 14, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
DeVonta Smith is seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Phase 2 Thursday, May 14, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 2 at Thursday, May. 14, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Bryce Young is seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Phase 2 Thursday, May 14, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Nick Scott is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 2 at Thursday, May. 14, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Jimmy Horn Jr. is seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Phase 2 Thursday, May 14, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Patrick Jones II is seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Phase 2 Thursday, May 14, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Monroe Freeling and Isaia Glass are seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Phase 2 Thursday, May 14, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Luke Fortner is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 2 at Thursday, May. 14, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Montrell Johnson Jr and John Metchie III are seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 2 at Thursday, May. 14, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Ja'seem Reed is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 2 at Thursday, May. 14, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Chris Smith and Tommy Tremble are seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 2 at Thursday, May. 14, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Chau Smith-Wade is seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Phase 2 Thursday, May 14, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Devin Lloyd is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 2 at Thursday, May. 14, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Jonathon Brooks is seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Phase 2 Thursday, May 14, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Devonta Smith and Demani Richardson are seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Phase 2 Thursday, May 14, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Bryce Young is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 2 at Thursday, May. 14, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Bryce Young is seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Phase 2 Thursday, May 14, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Albert Reese IV and Jacorey Thomas are seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Phase 2 Thursday, May 14, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Robert Hunt is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 2 at Thursday, May. 14, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
David Moore is seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Phase 2 Thursday, May 14, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Maema Njonmeta is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 2 at Thursday, May. 14, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Kobe Prentice is seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Phase 2 Thursday, May 14, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Isaiah Smith, Ese Dubre and Patrick Jones II are seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Phase 2 Thursday, May 14, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Brycen Tremayne is seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Phase 2 Thursday, May 14, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Ja'Tavion Sanders is seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Phase 2 Thursday, May 14, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Chau Smith-Wade is seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Phase 2 Thursday, May 14, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Mitchell Evans is seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Phase 2 Thursday, May 14, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Xavier Legette is seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Phase 2 Thursday, May 14, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
