Minnesota Vikings 2026 opponents are finalized, and it looks to be a difficult schedule for Kevin O’Connell’s squad

After a strong finish to the 2025 season, the Minnesota Vikings know who their opponents are for the 2026 season, and it looks to be a difficult schedule.

Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer
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Dec 14, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell before a game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium.
Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Vikings finished out the 2025 season with their fifth-consecutive victory in beating the Green Bay Packers by a score of 16-3. Kicker Will Reichard hit three field goals and wide receiver Justin Jefferson got his 1,000-yard season in the win. The Vikings had the Packers shut out for the first 59:59, but they had to ensure they didn’t get shut out.

With the win, the Vikings have clinched a third-place finish in the NFC North, which will impact their schedule.

Each year, the schedule is built upon an algorithm. You play your three divisional opponents twice each season, play each NFC division as a whole on a three-year rotating basis, and a division in the AFC every four years.

The final three games are supplemented by playing a team from the other two divisions in your conference and a team from an AFC division (also on a four-year rotation) that finished in the same position that you did (ex: winning the division means you face the other three division winners).

We can chart out decades of schedules outside of those three games due to the algorithm the NFL uses. Each schedule only has three varied games in a given year, which is a major factor each year. The Vikings in 2025 lost all three of their games decided by their second-place finish in 2024 (Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Chargers, Seattle Seahawks). In even-numbered years, the NFC will have nine regular-season home games and just one during the preseason.

Here are the opponents for Kevin O’Connell‘s Vikings in the 2026 season.

Minnesota Vikings 2026 opponents

Home opponents

  • Chicago Bears
  • Detroit Lions
  • Green Bay Packers
  • Atlanta Falcons
  • Carolina Panthers
  • Buffalo Bills
  • Miami Dolphins
  • Washington Commanders
  • Indianapolis Colts

Away opponents

  • Chicago Bears
  • Detroit Lions
  • Green Bay Packers
  • New Orleans Saints
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  • New England Patriots
  • New York Jets
  • San Francisco 49ers

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