Full Vikings schedule: NFL to feature J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota prominently with 7 marquee games

The Minnesota Vikings’ full 2025 regular season schedule was leaked on Wednesday afternoon, and the NFL is clearly buying into the J.J. McCarthy hype.

The Vikings will be featured prominently with seven marquee matchups, including two early-morning kickoffs overseas, and five additional prime-time games.

While still to be officially announced by the NFL, which will broadcast its Schedule Day special on Wednesday night, here’s Minnesota’s full 18-week schedule based on the latest reporting.

Minnesota Vikings 2025 Schedule Tracker:

• WEEK 1 — Monday, Sept. 8, at Chicago Bears, 7:15 p.m. CST (MNF, ESPN)
• WEEK 2 — Sunday, Sept. 14, vs. Atlanta Falcons, 7:20 p.m. CST (SNF, NBC)
• WEEK 3 — Sunday, Sept. 21, vs. Cincinnati Bengals, noon, CST
• WEEK 4 — Sunday, Sept. 28, vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 8:30 a.m. CST (Dublin, Ireland)
• WEEK 5 — Sunday, Oct. 5, vs. Cleveland Browns, 8:30 a.m CST (London, England)
• WEEK 6 — BYE WEEK
• WEEK 7 — Sunday, Oct. 19, vs. Philadelphia Eagles, noon, CST
• WEEK 8 — Thursday,  Oct. 23, at Los Angeles Chargers, 7:15 a.m. CST, (TNF, Amazon Prime)
• WEEK 9 — Sunday, Nov. 2, at Detroit Lions, noon CST
• WEEK 10 — Sunday, Nov. 9, vs. Baltimore Ravens, noon CST
• WEEK 11 — Sunday, Nov. 16, vs. Chicago Bears, noon CST
• WEEK 12 — Sunday, Nov. 23, at Green Bay Packers, noon CST
• WEEK 13 — Sunday, Nov. 30, at Seattle Seahawks, 3:05 p.m. CST
• WEEK 14 — Sunday, Dec. 7, vs. Washington Commanders, noon CST
• WEEK 15 — Sunday, Dec. 14, at Dallas Cowboys, 7:20 p.m. CST (SNF, NBC)
• WEEK 16 — Sunday, Dec. 21, at New York Giants, noon CST
• WEEK 17 — Thursday, Dec. 25, vs. Detroit Lions, 3:30 p.m. CST (Netflix)
• WEEK 18 — Sunday, Jan. 4, vs. Green Bay Packers (*could be flexed to Saturday, Jan. 3)

— Source: progrid.org

Minnesota Vikings 2025 schedule takeaways

As previously stated, the Vikings will be featured prominently in 2025, especially early in the season.

Minnesota will travel to Soldier Field in Week 1 on Monday Night Football, pitting McCarthy against former No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams in his first NFL start. The Vikings will then return home in Week 2 for their home opener, which will be played on Sunday Night Football against the Atlanta Falcons.
 

The Vikings return to normalcy for one week, hosting Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3, before heading overseas for back-to-back games in Ireland and London. They’ll be the first team in NFL history to play consecutive international games in separate countries.

MORE: NFL gave Vikings hidden advantage in unprecedented 2-week trip to Ireland, London

After their Week 6 bye — a well-timed one, to get reacclimated to the time difference — the Vikings will play an additional three prime-time games: TNF in Week 8 at the L.A. Chargers, SNF in Week 15 at the Dallas Cowboys, and Christmas Day in Week 16 home against the Lions, in what will be a 3:30 p.m. local-time kickoff on Netflix.

Thanks to their pair of neutral-site contests, the Vikings only have seven true road games on their schedule. Four of those seven games will be played in Week 12 or later, including a trip to Lambeau Field on Nov. 23.

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Vikings official schedule release date and time

• When: Wednesday, May 14, 8 p.m. EST
• Watch: NFL Network, ESPN

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• Vikings owner Mark Wilf makes strong announcement on NFL’s international schedule
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