Honestly, being a Detroit sports fan is basically a full-time job. You’ve got the Red Wings mid-season grind, the Pistons trying to find their footing in the NBA East, and the Lions—well, we finally have high expectations for the Lions. If you’re asking who does Detroit play, you're likely staring at a calendar trying to figure out which night requires the "good" jersey and which night involves yelling at the TV from the couch.
Right now, in January 2026, the city is in that weird overlap where winter sports are in high gear and the Tigers are already packing their bags for Florida. It’s a lot to keep track of.
The Red Wings: Hockeytown's January gauntlet
The Wings are right in the thick of it. If you’re looking to catch a game at Little Caesars Arena (LCA) or follow them on the road this month, the schedule is pretty relentless. They just came off a split with the Penguins and a solid win against Ottawa.
Tonight, January 18, 2026, the Detroit Red Wings play the Ottawa Senators at home. Puck drop is at 5:00 PM. It’s one of those classic Atlantic Division matchups that usually gets a bit chippy. After that, the boys hit the road for a Canadian swing and some Western Conference action.
- January 21: At Toronto Maple Leafs (7:00 PM) – Always a circus in Toronto.
- January 22: At Minnesota Wild (9:30 PM) – A tough back-to-back.
- January 24: At Winnipeg Jets (7:00 PM).
- January 27: vs. Los Angeles Kings (7:00 PM) – Back at LCA.
- January 29: vs. Washington Capitals (7:30 PM).
- January 31: vs. Colorado Avalanche (1:00 PM) – A Saturday matinee against an old rival.
Watching the Wings lately, you can see the defensive structure starting to hold up, though they still have those "Detroit moments" where the puck luck just disappears for ten minutes.
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Who do the Pistons play this week?
The Pistons are also calling LCA home right now, but their vibe is a bit different. They’re navigating a heavy home stretch. If you want to see them in person, you’ve got plenty of chances before the month ends.
On Monday, January 19, the Detroit Pistons play the Boston Celtics. That’s the big MLK Day game at 8:00 PM. Taking on the defending champs (or near-champs, depending on how you view the Celtics' recent run) is never easy, but the atmosphere for the holiday game is usually top-tier.
The rest of the January schedule looks like this:
- January 21: At New Orleans Pelicans.
- January 23: vs. Houston Rockets.
- January 25: vs. Sacramento Kings (Kids Day matinee at 3:00 PM).
- January 27: At Denver Nuggets.
- January 29: At Phoenix Suns.
- January 30: At Golden State Warriors.
That West Coast trip at the end of the month is going to be a brutal test of depth. If they can steal one in Denver or Phoenix, it’ll be a huge confidence booster for the young core.
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The Lions: Looking ahead to the 2026 season
The NFL season just wrapped up its regular schedule. While the playoffs are happening, the Lions finished 9-8 this year, which unfortunately put them in fourth place in the NFC North due to some tiebreaker math and a season sweep by Minnesota.
Since the season is over, who does Detroit play in the fall of 2026? We actually already know the opponents. The dates won't drop until the spring, but the home and away matchups are locked in.
At Ford Field (Home):
The usual suspects are coming to town: the Bears, Packers, and Vikings. But the 2026 non-divisional slate is actually pretty exciting. We’ve got the New England Patriots, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans, New Orleans Saints, and the New York Giants.
On the Road (Away):
Aside from the divisional road trips, the Lions will be traveling to face the Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Carolina Panthers, and the Arizona Cardinals.
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It’s a 17-game schedule again, with nine home games and eight road games this time around. Honestly, that Buffalo road trip in late 2026 sounds like a cold, snowy nightmare, but it’ll make for great TV.
Tigers: Baseball is closer than you think
It’s January, so the Tigers aren't playing anyone "for real" yet. But the countdown to Lakeland is officially on. Pitchers and catchers report in less than a month (February 11).
If you’re planning a trip down to Florida, the Detroit Tigers play their first Spring Training game on February 21, 2026, against the New York Yankees in Tampa. Their first home game at Joker Marchant Stadium is the very next day, February 22, against the Baltimore Orioles.
They also have a weirdly cool exhibition game on March 4 against the Panama National Team as part of the World Baseball Classic prep.
What you should do next
If you're trying to stay on top of the Detroit sports scene, here's how to actually use this info without losing your mind.
- Check the TV listings tonight: The Red Wings/Senators game is a regional broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network Detroit (formerly Bally). If you're out of market, it's an ESPN+ night.
- Grab Pistons tickets now: Since they aren't exactly leading the league, secondary market tickets for the Houston or Sacramento games are surprisingly cheap right now—sometimes under $30.
- Set a reminder for the NFL Draft: It’s April 23–25 in Pittsburgh. Since the Lions are picking at No. 17, that’s going to be the next big "roster move" moment for the city.
- Download a synced calendar: Don't manually type these in. Most team sites have an "Add to Calendar" button that updates when game times change (which they always do for TV).
Detroit sports is a rollercoaster. Sometimes the ride is smooth, and sometimes it feels like the wheels are coming off, but we always show up. Whether it's the ice, the court, or the diamond, there's always a game on.