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 Campbell had previously expressed he found value in competing against another roster, he expressed that over time, he found the value had diminished.

One change that could occur in this year's training camp is veterans could see a little more game action during the preseason.

Campbell and the coaching staff had previously restricted veterans and starters from appearing in the postseason. But in the opener against the Packers last season, the team did not come out playing that well. Several key errors derailed the chances of winnign on the road against a quality division rival.

It is uncertain just how much veterans could play, but it would not be surprising to see this preseason.

Next up for the roster is organized team activities and a June veteran minicamp that is mandatory.