In a few days, we will all know exactly what the 2026 schedule looks like for the Carolina Panthers. We have known the unfortunate slate of opponents for a long time, but we have no idea when those games will be held or when the bye week is.
Ahead of the May 14 launch of the actual schedule, though, information tends to trickle out. The NFL is not immune to leaks, and schedule leaks have become part of the process. So as we continue learning about what is (or may be) on the schedule, we will keep this tracker updated with the leaks related to the Panthers.
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For example, the Sunday Night Football opener is Cowboys-Giants. That leaked, as did the Cowboys-Eagles Thanksgiving Day game in Week 12. Those don’t matter to the Panthers, but these do.
Leaked Panthers schedule
According to a report, the Panthers will host the Chicago Bears in Week 1. This is peak cinema for the NFL, as the current versions of these teams are forever linked.
The Panthers sent the Bears a haul for what turned out to be Bryce Young. Part of it turned out to be Caleb Williams, and those two will face off. It will show how far Young is from being at Williams’ level to start the season.
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It will also be a good test for the Panthers to determine whether or not they used the preseason well enough. Last year, they did not, and for the first game and a half, they were sleepwalking. The Jacksonville Jaguars ended up being a very good team and made Carolina pay for that.
If Dave Canales’ team sleepwalks against the Bears, they will absolutely make the Panthers pay for it, so the preseason is that much more important.
Carolina Panthers team owner David Tepper and General Manager Dan Morgan during the first quarter | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
For now, that’s the lone leak regarding the Panthers games. Since they aren’t likely to have too many primetime games and aren’t that notable to the wider NFL audience, we don’t expect to get too much more information before Thursday’s release.
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There is, however, a new leak that suggests the Panthers will not travel outside the US. They haven’t had an international contest since 2024, when they visited Munich to face the New York Giants.
Also, it should be stressed that these are leaks. The Panthers may open the season with the Bears at home, but it is not set in stone until that schedule actually releases.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/panthers/onsi as Carolina Panthers Schedule Release Leaks: Confirmed Opponents and Dates .