Detroit Lions Official 2026 Preseason Games, Dates, Times
The Detroit Lions 2026 preseason dates, times and opponents have been officially released.
This year, Dan Campbell's squad will go out on the road to face the Cincinnati Bengals on August 13 to kickoff the preseason.
The sole home game in the preseason will take place at Ford Field against the Washington Commanders on August 22. It will be the first opportunity to potentially see veteran cornerback Amik Robertson, who departed the Lions to sign with the Commanders during free agency.
"Great guy. Great guy to have," Campbell said about Robertson back in 2025. "He's a skilled player, and he's tenacious, he's feisty, he's confident, and teammates love his energy because he does, he brings it all the time. He brings it in practice, brings it in the games, he's a ball guy."
To conclude the preseason, Detroit will travel to face the Indianapolis Colts on August 29.
This year, the Lions made the decision not to conduct joint practices with another team. Last year, the team held practices against the Dolphins and Texans. In previous years, the Lions practiced with the Giants in East Rutherford and with the Jaguars at Ford Field.
Although Dan Campbell had previously expressed he found value in competing against another roster, he expressed that over time, he found the value had diminished.
Next up for the roster is organized team activities and a June veteran minicamp that is mandatory.
Preseason times and dates are confirmed pic.twitter.com/2XsOoBD4b6
- Detroit Lions (@Lions) May 19, 2026
Detroit Lions 2026 preseason schedule
Week 1:
Lions at Bengals (Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026 7 p.m. ET)
Week 2:
Commanders at Lions (Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026 12 p.m. ET)
Week 3:
Lions at Colts (Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026 3 p.m. ET)
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/lions/onsi as Detroit Lions Official 2026 Preseason Games, Dates, Times.
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This story was originally published May 19, 2026 at 10:50 AM.