Which team was scheduled to face Carolina in the 2026 Hall of Fame Game?

The Arizona Cardinals were scheduled to face the Carolina Panthers in the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game.

The matchup was played at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, the home venue for the annual Hall of Fame weekend. The game opened the NFL's 2026 preseason on August 6 and paired the Cardinals with the Panthers before the rest of the league's exhibition schedule began.

The selection also had a clear Hall of Fame connection. Arizona was represented by longtime wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, while Carolina's connection was linebacker Luke Kuechly; both were part of the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame class. The league commonly uses the game to spotlight teams connected to that year's inductees.

A common mix-up is to identify a different NFC team because the Hall of Fame Game has featured many franchises over the years. The question asks for Carolina's opponent in the 2026 edition specifically: it was Arizona, not Tampa Bay, Seattle or Atlanta.