Detroit Lions announce 2026 preseason opponents
In addition to its full 2026 NFL schedule release, the Lions also announced their three preseason opponents.
In addition to its full 2026 NFL regular-season slate, the Detroit Lions also announced their three preseason foes on Thursday. The Lions will travel to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1 of the preseason, host the Washington Commanders in the next week and then head to the Indianapolis Colts for the final week of the preseason. Our preseason opponents are set!
pic. twitter. com/467U7hvmn0 ā Detroit Lions (@Lions) May 14, 2026 Detroit Lions' 2026 preseason Week 1 (preseason): at Cincinnati Bengals Week 2 (preseason): vs.
Washington Commanders Week 3 (preseason): at Indianapolis Colts With the Lions having nixed joint practices heading into the 2026 season, the door is open for Detroit starters to play more in the 2026 preseason. "I felt like we got two really good years of it. Like, man, we're really getting something out of this.
Then, as it kind of went on, we got into that third year, whatever it was, '24, I don't know, it just felt counterproductive. It didn't feel like we were getting what I thought we would get out of it," Campbell said of eliminating joint practices in 2026. While Campbell didn't fully commit to the idea of playing starters more in the preseason, he indicated in March that it could be a possibility.