Latest rumor about 2026 NFL schedule release could leave Bears fans waiting even longer for a highly anticipated announcement
The Chicago Bears, and the other 31 teams in the NFL, might have to wait longer than usual until finding out what their 2026 regular season schedule will look like later this fall.
The Chicago Bears enter into the 2026 season with some high expectations after a strong first year with head coach Ben Johnson at the helm.
The Bears not only will be going from being the hunter to the hunted in the NFC North, they’ll also be faced with a first place schedule this upcoming season and plenty more primetime games on a national stage.
That can usually be a recipe for disaster for some teams, but Johnson has the right approach for his team going into Year 2. For the fans, excitement is at an all-time high and everyone is ready for the season to start already.
However, some of the excitement fans have building for the 2026 season might have to wait a little longer than usual.
NFL might delay 2026 schedule release, as the Chicago Bears are eagerly awaiting a few announcements
“Most fans know full well that the schedule comes out in mid-May now,” NFL V.P. of broadcast planning Mike North said on the It’s Always Game Day in Buffalo podcast. “That’s what we’ve done the last five or six years. That’s sort of our target. Is there any magic to May 12, 13, 14? No. Is there any real downside to [May] 19, 20 or 21? No.”
In reality, waiting a new extra days for the announcement of when the games in September will be played doesn’t make that much of a difference. The 2026 schedule release is still going to be a televised event regardless of what day it happens this month.
However, the Chicago Bears and the fanbase, are still eagerly awaiting a few announcements to become official.
1. Will the Chicago Bears open the season against the Seattle Seahawks?
The first announcement Bears fans are waiting on involves the opening week matchup, which many believe will be against the defending Super Bowl champs in the Seattle Seahawks.
We now for sure that the Seahawks will kick off the 2026 regular season on Wednesday, September 9 at home. Who Seattle faces to open the season is still undecided but the Bears would make for a compelling game as a rising force in the NFC.
The other option would be a Super Bowl rematch with the New England Patriots travelling to take on the Seahawks in Week 1. However, last season, the league saved the Super Bowl rematch between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs for Week 2.
2. Will the Chicago Bears play a “road” game in Spain against the Atlanta Falcons?
The second announcement is whether or not the Bears will play an international game in Spain this upcoming season. Chicago last played an international game during the 2024 season in London and could travel back across the pond in 2026.
The good news is that only one game is left to be announced for the international slate with the Atlanta Falcons confirmed to be the home team for that game in Spain. Atlanta happens to be one of the away opponents on Chicago’s schedule.
Getting a “road” game in front of a neutral crowd would be a huge benefit for the Bears if that game officially gets announced.