As the NFL gears up for its highly anticipated schedule release on Thursday, May 14th at 7 p.m. CT, Chicago Bears fans have plenty of reasons to circle their calendars. While we've known the Bears' opponents for months, the release of dates, times, and—most excitingly—prime-time slots will finally give us a glimpse into how the 2026 season might unfold.

After a thrilling 11-6 campaign that saw the Bears emerge as one of the league's most entertaining teams, complete with multiple comeback victories that had fans on the edge of their seats, it's no surprise that the NFL is likely to give Chicago a prominent national stage. Prime-time games—whether on Sunday, Monday, Thursday, or even Saturday nights—are reserved for the league's most captivating matchups, and the Bears have certainly earned that spotlight.

This season's slate is packed with potential blockbusters. Chicago faces both Super Bowl LX participants, a former league MVP, and—perhaps most tantalizingly—a rematch with the Green Bay Packers after last season's wild-card comeback win. Last year, we correctly predicted just two prime-time games, so we're aiming higher this time. Here's our best guess at which Bears games will light up the national stage in 2026.

The buzz around a Week 1 showdown between the Bears and the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks is so loud that anything else would be a surprise. With the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams heading to Australia, uncertainty surrounding Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes as he recovers from a torn ACL, and fatigue over a potential Super Bowl rematch with the New England Patriots, Chicago emerges as the ideal opponent for Seattle's opener. Even if they don't clash in Week 1, these two teams are built for prime-time drama later in the season.