EAGAN, Minn. — The historic duo of international games for the Minnesota Vikings isn't the team's only double dip in 2025.

It turns out the Vikings will have prime time X 2 in visiting the Chicago Bears in Week 1 and hosting the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2 to open the 2025 NFL schedule.

It will be just the second instance of Minnesota opening with back-to-back appearances in prime time first since 1981.

The Vikings will open the 2025 season and era with J.J. McCarthy as the starting quarterback by visiting his hometown. ESPN and ABC will simulcast Monday Night Football in what should be the 2024 No. 10 overall pick's first regular-season start, as well as the head coaching debut of Ben Johnson, the former offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions. Johnson has been joined with QB Caleb Williams, the 2024 top pick.

The young QB matchup talk is likely to continue from McCarthy and Williams in Week 1 into Week 2 when Minnesota faces Michael Penix, Jr., on NBC's Sunday Night Football.

Penix was drafted at No. 8 overall in 2024 and started three games last season after the Falcons pivoted from former Viking Kirk Cousins.

Justin Jefferson will finally play host to former LSU teammates Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase in Week 3 when the Cincinnati Bengals visit for Minnesota's only noon (CT) kickoff in its first five games.

As officially announced Tuesday, the Vikings will face the Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL's first regular-season game in Ireland before challenging the Cleveland Browns in London in Weeks 4-5.

A Week 6 bye needs to be beneficial for the Vikings, who will return to action in Week 7 by hosting the defending Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles and then heading to Los Angeles for a Thursday Night Football clash with the Chargers in Week 8. It is the second consecutive year for the NFL to have the Vikings bye fall in Week 6 and send Minnesota to a Thursday game in Week 8.

Week 9 will involve the Vikings visiting the Motor City to face defending NFC North Champion Detroit in the first of two annual matchups with the Lions.

The Vikings will return to U.S. Bank Stadium for just the second time since late September when they host the Ravens in Week 10 (Nov. 9) and stay put to host Chicago in Week 11 to conclude their division rivalry with the Bears.

Did someone say division rivalry? The first of two Border Battles is scheduled for Week 12 at Green Bay to cap a grouping of four games scheduled for noon kickoffs.

In Week 13, Minnesota will head back to the Pacific Northwest for a second consecutive season and will try to limit Sam Darnold's productivity a season after he delivered the game-winning TD pass for the Vikings against the Seahawks.

The lone Vikings home game in a five-week stretch will be a Week 14 contest against the Washington Commanders. It will be followed by consecutive trips to Washington's NFC East rivals (Dallas on Sunday Night Football and the New York Giants) for Weeks 15-16.

Minnesota will be "ho, ho, home" for the holidays in a rare Christmas Day game when it hosts Detroit in Week 17 and then closes the regular season by hosting Green Bay.

Here's a look at the complete Vikings 2025 schedule, followed by notes on each game.

WEEK 6 - BYE

Week 1 at Chicago Bears: This will be just the fourth time in 65 seasons that Minnesota has opened as the road team against Chicago (1991, 1995 and 2002).

Week 2 vs. Atlanta Falcons: The Vikings and Falcons will make their first joint appearance on Sunday Night Football.

Week 3 vs. Cincinnati Bengals: The Vikings fell 27-24 in overtime in trips to Cincinnati in 2021 and 2023 but will try to improve to 7-0 all-time when hosting the Bengals.

Week 4 at Pittsburgh Steelers (Dublin, Ireland): The Vikings will try to improve to 2-0 against the Steelers on international soil in a rematch of the 2013 pairing in London, when Minnesota toppled Big Ben in the first international regular-season game for both teams.

Week 5 at Cleveland Browns (London, England): Speaking of rematches, Minnesota also intends to improve to 2-0 against Cleveland in London, having claimed the first encounter in 2017. This game, however, will be at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium instead of Twickenham Stadium.

Week 6 Bye: For a second consecutive season, the Vikings are following their trip across the Atlantic with rest.

Week 7 vs. Philadelphia Eagles: The Vikings will play the Eagles for the third time in four seasons but host for the first time since 2019.

Week 8 at Los Angeles Chargers: A season filled with historic firsts also includes the initial Thursday meeting between the Vikings and Chargers, with McCarthy set to face his college coach Jim Harbaugh.

Week 9 at Detroit Lions: Minnesota is 36-27-1 when visiting Detroit but has dropped four in a row in Motown.

Week 10 vs. Baltimore Ravens: The Vikings will host the Ravens for just the third time in the eighth overall meeting between the franchises. Minnesota is 2-0 at home against Baltimore.

Week 11 vs. Chicago Bears: The season series will wrap on Nov. 16, which is early considering the first of both 2024 games was Nov. 24.

Week 12 at Green Bay Packers: This will be Minnesota's first trip to Green Bay in November since 2020.

Week 13 at Seattle Seahawks: It was dramatic and took late heroics, but Minnesota finally snapped a long losing streak in Seattle (since 2006) last season. The Vikings will try to build on their 3-9 mark when visiting the Seahawks.

Week 14 vs. Washington Commanders: Another marquee matchup of young QBs awaits with 2024 No. 2 pick Jayden Daniels leading the Commanders.

Week 15 at Dallas Cowboys: Oddly, both teams have better records in this series when playing as the road team. We'll see if that helps during Minnesota's first trip to Dallas since an electric 2019 Sunday Night Football game claimed by the Vikings.

Week 16 at New York Giants: Instead of visiting the Big Apple to open the 2024 season, Minnesota will this time close its road slate.

Week 17 vs. Detroit Lions: This will be just the fifth time Minnesota has played on Christmas Day.

Week 18 vs. Green Bay Packers: This will be the first time the Packers have wrapped a regular season in Minnesota since 2012.

Preseason 1 vs. Houston Texans: This will be the fifth preseason contest between the Vikings and Texans, which began play in 2002.

Preseason 2 vs. New England Patriots: Minnesota has hosted New England just once (1987) out of four previous preseason games.

Preseason 3 at Tennessee Titans: The Vikings have played the Titans (not including the organization's years as the Houston or Tennessee Oilers) seven times in the preseason.

View the 2025 Vikings Schedule.

See the full 2025 Schedule Release.

Check out the 2025 International games.

View more future opponents for the Vikings.

Buy single game tickets.