The Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers will officially begin their 2026 NFL preseason schedules with a Thursday night matchup at Acrisure Stadium, giving both organizations their first major opportunity to evaluate months of offseason preparation against live competition.
The game will be played on Thursday, August 13, 2026, with kickoff scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time and 6:00 p.m. Central Time. Pittsburgh will host the matchup at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, while Green Bay begins its three-game preseason schedule on the road.
Although the result will not count toward the regular-season standings, the opener could become one of the most important evaluation nights of the summer for dozens of players competing for roster positions.
For fans of both franchises, the game also marks the official return of football and the first public look at rookies, free-agent additions, developing prospects and veterans attempting to establish larger roles before the regular season begins.
Packers vs. Steelers: Official Game Information
Here are the confirmed details for the preseason opener:
Matchup: Green Bay Packers at Pittsburgh Steelers
Date: Thursday, August 13, 2026
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. CT
Venue: Acrisure Stadium
Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Preseason Week: Week 1
Pittsburgh Television: CBS and KDKA-TV
Pittsburgh Radio: WDVE 102.5 FM and WBGG 970 AM
Green Bay Television: Packers TV Network
Spanish-Language Coverage: Telemundo Wisconsin
The Thursday evening schedule gives supporters of both teams a clear opening date for the 2026 preseason and places the matchup among the earliest exhibition games of the summer.
Pittsburgh Opens the Preseason at Home
The Steelers will have the advantage of beginning their preseason in front of their own fans at Acrisure Stadium.
After weeks of training camp practices, position meetings and internal competition, the opener against Green Bay will provide Pittsburgh’s coaching staff with its first opportunity to evaluate the roster in a genuine game environment.
Practice can reveal athletic ability, preparation and understanding of the playbook, but preseason games create challenges that are difficult to reproduce on the training field.
Players must communicate in front of a crowd, respond to unfamiliar formations and execute assignments without knowing exactly what the opponent will do.
The game should therefore become an important first checkpoint for Pittsburgh.
Established starters may play only a limited number of snaps as the coaching staff attempts to balance preparation with injury prevention. That should create extended opportunities for reserve quarterbacks, young offensive linemen, developmental defenders and special-teams candidates.
For players near the bottom of the depth chart, every possession could matter.
Green Bay Begins a Three-Game Road Test
The Packers will open their preseason away from Lambeau Field, beginning their exhibition schedule in one of the NFL’s most recognizable football cities.
Traveling to Pittsburgh immediately places Green Bay’s younger players in a challenging environment.
Crowd noise, road-game preparation and unfamiliar surroundings can test rookies and inexperienced players in ways that normal training camp practices cannot.
The coaching staff will be watching closely to see how players respond to those conditions.
Green Bay will also use the opener to evaluate several position battles that have developed throughout the offseason.
Backup roles, rotational responsibilities and special-teams assignments could all begin taking shape based on what happens at Acrisure Stadium.
A player who performs well against Pittsburgh could earn additional snaps in Green Bay’s second preseason game. A difficult opening performance, however, could increase the pressure during the final two weeks of August.
Complete Pittsburgh Steelers Preseason Schedule
The Steelers will play three preseason games before beginning the regular season:
Thursday, August 13
vs. Green Bay Packers
7:00 p.m. ET
Acrisure Stadium
Friday, August 21
vs. New York Jets
Acrisure Stadium
Thursday, August 27
at Buffalo Bills
Highmark Stadium
The schedule gives Pittsburgh two consecutive home games before the team concludes its preseason on the road.
That structure should allow the Steelers to evaluate the roster in familiar surroundings before facing another difficult road environment in Buffalo.
Complete Green Bay Packers Preseason Schedule
Green Bay will also play three exhibition games:
Thursday, August 13
at Pittsburgh Steelers
6:00 p.m. CT
Acrisure Stadium
Friday, August 21
at Denver Broncos
Empower Field at Mile High
Friday, August 28
vs. Arizona Cardinals
Lambeau Field
The Packers begin with two consecutive road games before returning home for their preseason finale.
That final matchup against Arizona will likely become one of the last opportunities for players to make an impression before the roster is reduced for the regular season.
What Coaches Will Be Evaluating
Preseason football is often misunderstood because the scoreboard does not carry regular-season consequences.
For coaches, however, the games provide valuable information.
Pittsburgh and Green Bay will be evaluating much more than touchdowns, sacks and passing yards.
Communication will be closely examined, especially along the offensive line and in the defensive secondary.
Coaches will also monitor tackling, pass protection, ball security, penalty avoidance and special-teams execution.
A reserve player may only receive a limited number of snaps, meaning one missed assignment can become significant.
At the same time, one impressive drive, defensive stop or special-teams tackle can dramatically improve a player’s chances of earning a roster position.
The opener could be particularly important for undrafted free agents and late-round rookies.
Those players often enter training camp with fewer guaranteed opportunities than established veterans. A strong performance against another NFL team can quickly change how a coaching staff views their potential.
A Long Preseason History Between Green Bay and Pittsburgh
The meeting also carries notable exhibition history.
Green Bay and Pittsburgh have faced each other 26 times during the preseason, making the Steelers the Packers’ second-most frequent exhibition opponent.
Their most recent preseason meeting came in 2018, when Green Bay earned a high-scoring 51–34 victory at Lambeau Field.
This will be the first preseason matchup between the teams in Pittsburgh since 2015.
Although previous exhibition results have little influence on the 2026 season, the history adds another layer of interest to the matchup.
Both franchises possess passionate fan bases, historic traditions and strong football identities, making even a preseason meeting more recognizable than the average August game.
Steelers Play Football Celebration
The matchup has also been designated as Pittsburgh’s Steelers Play Football game.
The event will feature activities celebrating youth and high school football players throughout the region.
Area athletes are expected to be recognized during halftime festivities at Acrisure Stadium, allowing the organization to highlight the next generation of football players.
The celebration should add another element to the evening and create a strong community atmosphere around the preseason opener.
For younger athletes attending the game, the event provides an opportunity to experience an NFL environment while being recognized for their involvement in local football.
Television and Radio Coverage
Fans in the Pittsburgh market can watch the game through CBS and KDKA-TV.
Steelers supporters can also listen through the Steelers Radio Network, including WDVE 102.5 FM and WBGG 970 AM.
In Green Bay’s market, the game will be available through the Packers TV Network, with additional Spanish-language coverage provided by Telemundo Wisconsin.
Supporters outside the local television markets should check their regional listings and available NFL viewing options before kickoff.
Preseason broadcast availability can vary depending on location, so confirming local coverage in advance is recommended.
Acrisure Stadium Ready for Football Again
Acrisure Stadium will once again welcome Steelers fans as Pittsburgh begins another football season.
The Thursday night kickoff should create an energetic atmosphere along the city’s North Shore.
August conditions in Pittsburgh can remain warm and humid, although the evening start should provide more comfortable temperatures than an afternoon game.
Fans planning to attend should continue monitoring the weather forecast closer to game day and allow additional travel time around the stadium.
Opening-night traffic and preseason excitement could create heavier congestion in the hours before kickoff.
The Official Return of Football
Everything is now in place for the preseason opener.
Green Bay Packers at Pittsburgh Steelers.
Thursday, August 13, 2026.
7:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. CT.
Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh.
For the Steelers, the game represents the first opportunity to perform in front of their home fans and begin evaluating a roster preparing for the regular season.
For Green Bay, it begins a demanding preseason stretch that includes two road games before the Packers return to Lambeau Field.
The final score may not be remembered for long, but the individual performances could influence roster decisions throughout the remainder of August.
Rookies will attempt to make strong first impressions. Veterans will compete to protect their roles. Coaches will begin identifying the players they can trust when the regular season arrives.
Thursday night at Acrisure Stadium will officially mark the return of football for two of the NFL’s most historic franchises—and the first major step toward finalizing their 2026 rosters.
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