🏈 HOW TO WATCH: MINNESOTA VIKINGS FOOTBALL vs. MIAMI DOLPHINS — THE STAGE IS SET FOR A MASSIVE NFL SHOWDOWN, OFFICIAL KICKOFF TIME CONFIRMED
The stage is officially set for another intriguing NFL Week 4 matchup, as the Minnesota Vikings prepare to welcome the Miami Dolphins to U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday, October 4, 2026.
With both teams entering a critical point in the early portion of the season, football fans will have plenty of reasons to clear their schedules and tune in.
The matchup is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. ET / 3:05 p.m. CT at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, with FOX carrying the national broadcast. The game will also be available to stream through FOX One.
For Vikings fans, this home matchup comes after an impressive opening stretch.
Minnesota began the season with a 39–22 victory over the Green Bay Packers, followed that with a 9–3 win over the Chicago Bears, and then defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23–16 in Week 3. The Vikings enter Week 4 with a 3–0 record.
Now, the challenge shifts to Miami.
The Dolphins arrive in Minneapolis for their first meeting with Minnesota of the 2026 regular season. Miami’s schedule has included road games against the Las Vegas Raiders and San Francisco 49ers before the team’s Week 3 home matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs. The Dolphins’ official schedule confirms that the trip to Minnesota is their Week 4 contest.
📺 HOW TO WATCH THE GAME
Fans looking to watch the matchup should have the key information ready:
Matchup: Miami Dolphins at Minnesota Vikings
Date: Sunday, October 4, 2026
Kickoff: 4:05 p.m. ET / 3:05 p.m. CT
Venue: U.S. Bank Stadium — Minneapolis, Minnesota
TV: FOX
Streaming: FOX One
The late-afternoon kickoff gives fans across the country an opportunity to settle in for a nationally televised Sunday football matchup.
For viewers in Minneapolis and the Central Time Zone, the game begins at 3:05 p.m. local time.
🏟️ A BIG HOME TEST FOR MINNESOTA
U.S. Bank Stadium will once again provide the backdrop for Minnesota’s latest challenge.
The Vikings have already shown that they can win in different environments this season. Their victory over Green Bay opened the year with an explosive offensive performance, while the 9–3 win over Chicago demonstrated a much more defensive battle.
Against Tampa Bay, Minnesota once again found a way to finish.
That variety has made the Vikings’ start particularly interesting. Instead of relying on one type of game every week, Minnesota has had to handle different circumstances and different styles of football.
The Dolphins now bring another test.
Miami will be looking to establish its own rhythm early, while Minnesota will attempt to maintain control of the game in front of its home crowd.
🔥 PLAYERS AND STORYLINES TO WATCH
The matchup offers plenty of individual storylines as well.
For Minnesota, attention will naturally turn toward the team’s quarterback and offensive playmakers, while the Vikings’ defense will look to continue building on an opening stretch that has already included several important performances.
The defensive side of the ball could be especially important if Miami manages to create explosive plays.
For the Dolphins, the trip to Minneapolis provides an opportunity to respond against a Minnesota team that has opened the season 3–0.
That creates a compelling contrast.
One team is trying to protect an unbeaten start.
The other is trying to change the direction of its season.
Neither objective is small.
📖 HISTORY ADDS ANOTHER LAYER
The matchup also carries some historical significance.
According to FOX’s game preview, Miami leads the all-time series 8–6, including the Dolphins’ victory over Minnesota in Super Bowl VIII. The teams last met during the 2022 regular season, when Minnesota won 24–16 in Miami.
That history gives longtime NFL fans another reason to pay attention, but the focus on October 4 will be entirely on the present.
The Vikings are trying to continue their strong start.
The Dolphins are looking to make their own statement.
And U.S. Bank Stadium will be the setting.
⏰ CLEAR YOUR SCHEDULE
For fans who have been waiting for another Vikings home game, the countdown is simple.
Sunday afternoon.
October 4.
4:05 p.m. ET.
FOX.
The Vikings and Dolphins are ready to take the field in Minneapolis.
Whether you’re watching from the stadium, gathering with friends, or following the action from home, this Week 4 matchup offers another chance to experience the intensity of NFL football.
The lights will come on at U.S. Bank Stadium.
The crowd will be ready.
The players will take the field.
And when the opening kickoff arrives, everything that happened during the first three weeks will become secondary.
For Minnesota, the mission is to keep the momentum going.
For Miami, the mission is to change the conversation.
And for NFL fans, the message is simple:
Clear your schedule.
Vikings football is coming to U.S. Bank Stadium.
