The wait is finally over. One of the NFL’s most familiar rivalries is ready to open the 2026 regular season as the Green Bay Packers travel to U.S. Bank Stadium to face the Minnesota Vikings in a massive NFC North showdown.
For fans asking the biggest question — which channel will broadcast the game? — the answer is CBS. The Week 1 matchup is scheduled for Sunday, September 13, 2026, at 3:25 p.m. CT, which is 4:25 p.m. ET. CBS will provide the national television coverage, with Jim Nantz handling play-by-play, J.J. Watt serving as analyst and Tracy Wolfson reporting from the sidelines.
That means football fans have a perfect Sunday afternoon appointment: Packers vs. Vikings, two NFC North rivals, one stadium, and an opportunity for one team to begin the new season with a huge divisional victory.
📺 FULL TV SCHEDULE
🏈 Game: Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings
📅 Date: Sunday, September 13, 2026
⏰ Kickoff: 3:25 p.m. CT / 4:25 p.m. ET
🏟️ Location: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis
📺 TV: CBS
💻 Streaming: NFL Sunday Ticket via YouTube; other availability depends on the viewer’s local market and provider
📻 Radio: Packers Radio Network
The Packers’ official Week 1 guide confirms CBS as the broadcaster and notes that the game will also be available through NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube.
For fans in Green Bay, the game kicks off at 3:25 p.m. Central Time. In Minneapolis, the local kickoff time is the same. For viewers on the East Coast, the action begins at 4:25 p.m. ET.
International viewers should check their local NFL broadcaster or streaming provider because television and streaming rights can vary by country.
🔥 A RIVALRY THAT NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION
This is not simply another Week 1 matchup.
The Packers and Vikings have spent decades fighting for NFC North supremacy, and their meetings are frequently competitive. Green Bay’s official team notes point out that 27 of the last 47 regular-season meetings between the teams have been decided by seven points or fewer. The Packers also hold a 66-60-3 regular-season advantage in the series.
That history makes the opening-week matchup even more intriguing.
The Packers enter 2026 with ambitions of making another run at the NFC North and establishing themselves as one of the conference’s strongest teams. Meanwhile, Minnesota gets the advantage of playing the season opener at home, where the crowd inside U.S. Bank Stadium should create an electric atmosphere from the opening kickoff.
And because this is a division game, the result matters immediately.
A Week 1 victory does not decide the division, but it can provide an enormous psychological boost — especially when the opponent is a familiar rival that the team could potentially see again late in the season.
🧀 GREEN BAY’S CHANCE TO MAKE A STATEMENT
For the Packers, beginning the season on the road against Minnesota is a significant test.
Green Bay’s official 2026 schedule shows that the team will open the season away from home for the seventh time in the last eight seasons. It is also the fourth time in five years that the Packers have opened against a division opponent.
That makes Sunday’s contest an immediate measuring stick.
The Packers will need to handle the pressure of playing in a hostile environment while executing efficiently on offense and avoiding the mistakes that can quickly turn a divisional rivalry into a one-sided affair.
The Vikings, meanwhile, have every reason to believe that home-field advantage can help them start the year fast.
💜 MINNESOTA WANTS TO PROTECT HOME FIELD
Minnesota’s schedule confirms that the Vikings will host Green Bay in Week 1 before traveling to Chicago the following Sunday.
For the Vikings, the formula is simple: start fast, make the Packers uncomfortable and take advantage of every opportunity created by playing in front of their home crowd.
The matchup should also feature plenty of attention on the defensive side of the ball. Both teams understand that divisional games are often decided by a handful of critical plays — a third-down stop, a turnover, a red-zone possession or a late fourth-quarter drive.
One mistake could completely change the game.
👀 WHAT SHOULD FANS WATCH FOR?
There are several storylines worth following once the game begins.
First, watch the quarterbacks. Every possession will carry extra importance in what could become a tightly contested NFC North battle.
Second, watch the offensive lines. The team that controls the line of scrimmage could dictate the tempo and keep its quarterback out of difficult situations.
Third, watch the fourth quarter. Packers-Vikings games have repeatedly produced close finishes, and neither side can afford to relax with a lead.
Finally, keep an eye on special teams. In a matchup between familiar opponents, hidden yardage and field position can become the difference between victory and defeat.
📱 HOW CAN FANS STREAM THE GAME?
If you are unable to watch through a traditional CBS television broadcast, NFL Sunday Ticket through YouTube is an officially listed option for this matchup.
Fans should also check their local television provider and regional NFL availability before kickoff, particularly international viewers whose broadcast rights may differ from those in the United States.
The most important thing is to have your viewing option ready before the game begins. With a 3:25 p.m. CT kickoff, there will be no reason to miss the opening snap.
🏈 GET READY FOR KICKOFF!
The 2026 NFL season could not ask for a better NFC North opening act.
Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings.
Two rivals.
One division.
One opening-week opportunity.
📺 CBS has the television broadcast.
⏰ 3:25 p.m. CT / 4:25 p.m. ET.
🏟️ U.S. Bank Stadium.
🔥 Week 1.
Green Bay will look to begin the season with a statement victory on the road, while Minnesota will attempt to defend home turf and send a message to the rest of the NFC North.
Whatever happens, this is exactly the kind of divisional football fans wait all offseason to see.
🧀💚💛 PACKERS FANS — SET YOUR REMINDER!
💜💛 VIKINGS FANS — GET READY!
🏈🔥 GREEN BAY PACKERS vs. MINNESOTA VIKINGS — DON’T MISS A SINGLE SNAP!
