The Carolina Panthers have been selected to participate in the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, facing off against the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday, August 6, in Canton, Ohio. The game, scheduled for 8p ET, will kick off a weekend of celebration for Panthers Legend Luke Kuechly and the other four members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026, who will be recognized on the field during pregame activities.
“Both of these teams are eager to come to Canton to open their season and to celebrate members of the Class of 2026 who meant so much to their organizations,” said Jim Porter, president & CEO of the Hall of Fame.
On Saturday, August 8, Kuechly – a native of Cincinnati, Ohio – will become the first player to spend his entire career with the Panthers to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He will be joined by fellow 2026 inductees Drew Brees, Roger Craig, Larry Fitzgerald and Adam Vinatieri.
The Panthers, coming off an NFC South division title, are set to make their first appearance in the Hall of Fame Game since the team’s inaugural 1995 season, when they defeated fellow expansion franchise, Jacksonville, 20-14. The game drew 24,625 fans to Fawcett Stadium, marking one of the largest crowds in the game’s history.
Tickets for the 2026 Hall of Fame Game presented by Novartis will go on sale to the public at 12p ET Monday, March 9.