For football fans, the most wonderful time of the year has finally arrived. The NFL is back.
The Hall of Fame Game between the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals took place Aug. 6, kicking off the 2026 NFL preseason schedule. The preseason slate of games continued Aug. 13 and runs through Aug. 29.
So, when do the Cincinnati Bengals play preseason games? And when does the NFL regular season officially start? Here’s what to know.
When does the NFL preseason start?
The NFL preseason kicked off with the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game between the Panthers and Cardinals, held on Aug. 6. Several other NFL teams, including the Bengals, started playing preseason games on Aug. 13 and will continue through Aug. 29.
When is the Bengals’ first preseason game?
The Bengals opened their 2026 preseason schedule with a home game against the Detroit Lions on Aug. 13, which the Bengals won, 16-14. Cincinnati hosts the Chicago Bears for a preseason game on Aug. 22, then heads to Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia to play the Philadelphia Eagles in their final preseason game on Aug. 28.
When does the regular NFL season start?
The 2026 NFL regular season begins Wednesday, Sept. 9, when the Seattle Seahawks host the New England Patriots in a Super Bowl 60 rematch at 8:20 p.m. ET.
When is the Cincinnati Bengals’ first regular season game?
The Bengals kick off their regular season with a home matchup Sept. 13 against Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kick off is set for 1 p.m. ET.
Cincinnati Bengals 2026 regular season schedule
Cincinnati will play three primetime games, including an appearance on New Year’s Eve at Paycor Stadium. The Bengals will start and end the season at home and will play an international game in Madrid, Spain.
Here’s a look at the Bengals 2026 regular schedule.
When is Super Bowl 2027?
Super Bowl 61 is scheduled for Feb. 14, 2027.
Where is Super Bowl 2027?
Super Bowl 2027 will return to Los Angeles for the first time since 2022. The biggest game in football is set to take place at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
The last Super Bowl held at SoFi was on Feb. 13, 2022, when the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 in Super Bowl 56.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: When does the NFL regular season start? See Bengals full slate
Reporting by Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer | USA TODAY Network
