When is NFL preseason Week 1?

It's mid-July, and that means NFL training camp is just a few weeks away. Beyond that is the slate of preseason games that fans and NFL players alike have been anxiously awaiting since COVID-19 prohibited preseason games in 2020.

This gives players who may be on the roster bubble on their prospective teams a chance to prove themselves in a live game. It also gives fans a chance to see their teams in action before the start of the season.

When is NFL preseason Week 1?

The NFL preseason will begin during Hall of Fame weekend as two of the most legendary teams in NFL history face off. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys, who were scheduled to play in the 2020 Hall of Fame Game when it was canceled, were given the chance to play again this year in Canton, Ohio, at the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium on Thursday, August 5 at 8:00 pm ET.

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The official Week 1 of the NFL preseason will begin on Thursday, August 12 with two games scheduled at 7:30pm ET:

Washington Football Team at New England Patriots

Pittsburgh Steelers at Philadelphia Eagles

On Friday, August 13, there will be three more preseason games:

Tennessee Titans at Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills at Detroit Lions

Dallas Cowboys at Arizona Cardinals

A total of ten games are scheduled for Saturday, August 14:

Miami Dolphins at Chicago Bears

Denver Broncos at Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints at Baltimore Ravens

Cleveland Browns at Jacksonville Jaguars

New York Jets at New York Giants

Cincinnati Bengals at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Houston Texans at Green Bay Packers

Kansas City Chiefs at San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks at Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers at Los Angeles Rams

On Sunday, August 15, the last game of the first week of the preseason will kick off:

Carolina Panthers at Indianapolis Colts

While Week 1 preseason matchups don't usually feature starters on offense and defense, it may just showcase some potential breakout stars who have the opportunity to put their talents on show.

Tickets for preseason games have sold out quite quickly, as this will be the first time since 2019 that most fans will be able to see their team take the field live and in person. To check for more tickets, visit the official ticket exchange website, a partnership between the NFL and Ticketmaster.

About the author

Bethany Cohen is an NFL writer at Sportskeeda, with a rich prior 15-year experience in the sports writing industry, primarily covering the MLB and MiLB. She majored in Communications from the University of South Florida and has previously worked for top companies such as Examiner.com and Legends on Deck.

Bethany owes her NFL allegiance to the Pittsburgh Steelers owing to their long-standing tradition and competitiveness. She is a fan of old stalwarts such as Terry Bradshaw and Franco Harris and would love to watch them in the 1970s if she manages to get her hand on a time machine. She also acknowledges the greatness of modern icons like T.J. Watt for his desire to continuously improve despite being on top. She admires coaches Mike Tomlin and Andy Reid for their longevity and success.

The ace reporter credits her knowledge and love for the sport to be her biggest reporting strengths. Prior fact-checking is a big component of her process and she always scours through additional sources to ensure complete accuracy in her content.

Super Bowl XLIII, when the Steelers won the the grand prize after Santonio Holmes’ epic catch in the end zone with just seconds left on the clock is etched in Bethany’s memory forever. When she is free of her professional commitments, she likes to attend sports events and music concerts.

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Edited by Colin D'Cunha