The regular season is over, and if you're looking for the next time Baker Mayfield and the crew take the field at Raymond James Stadium, you're going to have to wait a little while. The 2025 season just wrapped up with a 16-14 win over the Carolina Panthers on January 3, 2026.
It was a gritty, classic NFC South defensive slugfest that felt like a microcosm of their whole year.
Because the Bucs finished 8-9 and landed in second place in the division, they missed out on the 2026 NFL playoffs. That means the "when do the Tampa Bay Buccaneers play" question has two answers: the literal dates for the upcoming 2026 season and the key offseason milestones that define how this roster will look when September finally rolls around.
The 2026 Regular Season Reality
We don't have the specific Sunday-by-Sunday calendar yet. The NFL usually drops the official schedule in mid-May. However, we do know exactly who they are playing because the NFL’s scheduling formula is basically a giant math problem that solves itself the moment the regular season ends.
Since the Bucs finished second in the NFC South, they’ve dodged the "first-place schedule" gauntlet for the first time in five years. No more automatic matchups against the absolute juggernauts of every division.
In 2026, the Buccaneers play nine home games. This is thanks to the 17-game rotation where the conferences swap who gets the extra home date every year. Here is who they are lining up against:
Home Opponents at Raymond James Stadium:
- Atlanta Falcons (Division rival)
- Carolina Panthers (Division rival)
- New Orleans Saints (Division rival)
- Green Bay Packers * Minnesota Vikings
- Cleveland Browns
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Los Angeles Chargers (The "17th game" interconference matchup)
- Los Angeles Rams
Away Opponents on the Road:
- Atlanta Falcons
- Carolina Panthers
- New Orleans Saints
- Chicago Bears
- Detroit Lions
- Baltimore Ravens
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Dallas Cowboys
That road trip to Dallas is already circled on a lot of calendars. It’s a high-profile matchup that almost always gets a prime-time slot. Honestly, playing the AFC North (Ravens, Bengals, Browns, Steelers) is going to be the biggest physical test for Todd Bowles’ defense. Those teams just play a different brand of "bully ball" that tests your depth by the fourth quarter.
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The Offseason Schedule: When the "Real" Work Starts
If you think the team just goes on vacation until August, you’ve never seen the modern NFL. The "play" starts in the front office. Jason Licht has a massive spring ahead of him.
The first date you need to care about is February 24 through March 2, 2026. That’s the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. This is where the Bucs will decide which edge rusher or offensive lineman is fast enough to help them reclaim the NFC South crown.
Then comes the chaos of Free Agency. March 11, 2026, is the official start of the new league year. You'll start hearing rumors and "legal tampering" news a few days before that. For the Bucs, this period is about figure out which of their own veterans they can afford to keep under the cap.
The 2026 NFL Draft is set for April 23–25. This is usually when the "When do the Tampa Bay Buccaneers play" searches spike again because fans want to see the new rookies in action.
Training Camp and Preseason 2026
Expect the team to report back to the AdventHealth Training Center in late July 2026.
Preseason games usually start the second week of August. Based on previous years, the Bucs will likely play three exhibition games. While the starters might only play a series or two, these games are the only way to see the depth players who end up being special teams heroes in November.
The 2026 NFL Regular Season is expected to kick off on Thursday, September 10, 2026. Since the Bucs aren't the defending Super Bowl champs, they likely won't play in that Thursday opener, meaning their first real game will be Sunday, September 13, 2026.
Why the Second-Place Finish Matters
Most fans were bummed to see the Falcons take the division title this year. I get it. Five straight titles would have been legendary. But from a "when do they play" and "who do they play" perspective, there’s a silver lining.
By finishing second, the Bucs play the second-place teams from the NFC East (Cowboys), NFC West (Rams), and AFC West (Chargers). If they had won the division, they’d be looking at the Eagles, 49ers, and Chiefs instead. That is a massive difference in "strength of schedule" which could be the difference between an 8-9 season and an 11-6 playoff run in 2026.
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Actionable Steps for Bucs Fans
To stay on top of the schedule as it evolves, you should focus on these three specific windows:
- Late March: Check the finalized dates for the "Buccaneers Beach Bash" or local draft parties. This is the first time you'll get a feel for the 2026 roster's energy.
- Mid-May: This is the big one. The NFL will release the full 2026 schedule with exact times and TV networks (FOX, CBS, ESPN, NBC, and Amazon Prime). This is when you book your flights for road games.
- June/July: Single-game tickets usually go on sale shortly after the schedule release, but the secondary market (StubHub, SeatGeek) stabilizes around early summer once season ticket holders get their digital passes.
If you’re planning to travel, keep an eye on that Cincinnati or Baltimore trip. Those are rare away venues for Tampa Bay fans and usually draw a huge "Krewe" of traveling supporters. The 2026 season might be months away, but the blueprint for the next playoff run is being drawn up right now.