Vikings Will Reportedly Host Packers In 2026 Season Opener

The Vikings will reportedly open their 2026 season hosting their border rivals at U.S. Bank Stadium. According to noted NFL schedule leaker @NerdingonNFL on X, formerly Twitter, the Vikings will host the Packers at 3:25 p.m. CT on Sunday, September 13 for the season opener.

NFL SCHEDULE LEAK

Packers at Vikings - Week 1 4:25pm (Sep 13) pic.twitter.com/DIncektjMA
— NFL Nerd (@NerdingonNFL) May 14, 2026

It will be a rematch of how each team closed out the 2025 regular season. The Vikings beat the Packers 16-3 in January at U.S. Bank Stadium. With a playoff spot already secured, the Packers rested numerous key players, including their top two QBs in Jordan Love and Malik Willis. Meanwhile, already eliminated from playoff contention, the Vikings played several key figures, notably Justin Jefferson, who started and was heavily targeted early on in the game to surpass 1,000 receiving yards on the season.

It will be the first time since the 2022 season that the Vikings and Packers will play each other to open the season. That game was Kevin O'Connell's first in charge as the head coach of Minnesota, and he led the Vikings to a 23-7 win with Justin Jefferson catching nine passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns.

It will be the eighth all-time meeting between the two teams in the first week of the season. Notably, all but the most recent two season-opening meetings have taken place in Green Bay. The Vikings are 3-5 all-time when taking on the Packers in the first week of the season.

Opening-week meetings between the Vikings and Packers

2022 - 23-7 Vikings win (at Minnesota)
2020 - 43-34 Packer win (at Minnesota)
2008 - 24-19 Packers win (at Green Bay)
2003 - 30-25 Vikings win (at Green Bay)
1994 - 16-10 Packers win (at Green Bay)
1992 - 23-20 Packers overtime win (at Green Bay)
1974 - 32-17 Vikings win (at Green Bay)
1962 - 34-7 Packers win (at Green Bay)

The game will be the first chance for the Vikings to likely see former Cardinals QB Kyler Murray man the Vikings' offense. Murray was signed to a one-year, veteran minimum deal in March following his release from Arizona. The Vikings' coaching staff and front office have been adamant they see Murray in a "true competition" with J.J. McCarthy for the team's starting quarterback role.

As for the Packers, they will likely be without star pass rusher Micah Parsons for the first several weeks of the 2026 season. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter on Thursday, Parsons is a "candidate to be placed on the Physically Unable to Perform List" to start the season. Parsons tore his ACL in December and is currently recovering from the injury.

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