CANTON, OHIO — The game will be played at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. Kickoff for the game is set for 8 p.m. ET.

The game will be broadcast on NBC with Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, and Melissa Stark as announcers. The game will stream live on Peacock.

Luke Kuechly and Larry Fitzgerald are scheduled to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame during the weekend of the game. Drew Brees, Adam Vinatieri, and Roger Craig are also among the Hall of Fame inductees this year.

Mike LaFleur is the new head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. As of Aug. 3, FanDuel Sportsbook listed the Panthers as 1.5-point favorites over the Cardinals.

As of Aug. 3, the moneyline odds were Panthers -120 and Cardinals +100. As of Aug. 3, the over/under for total points scored was 35.5.

According to BetMGM, 78% of the money wagered is on Arizona to cover the 1.5-point spread. According to BetMGM, 73% of the money wagered is on the score to exceed 35.5 points.

The Arizona Cardinals have a 1-3-1 all-time record in Hall of Fame Games. The Carolina Panthers finished the 2025 regular season with an 8-9 record.

The Carolina Panthers won the NFC South in 2025. The Carolina Panthers lost to the Los Angeles Rams 34-31 in the 2025 Wild Card round.

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales stated that Kenny Pickett will start the Hall of Fame Game. "Kenny [Pickett] will start the game off," head coach Dave Canales said.

Dave he stated that no expected starters will play in the Hall of Fame Game. "Some of the guys we're expecting to be out there right off the bat, I think we won't play those guys in this game," he said.

Kenny Pickett joined the Panthers on a one-year contract in the spring of 2026. Haynes King is an undrafted rookie signee for the Carolina Panthers.

Haynes King was the 2025 ACC Offensive Player of the Year. Haynes King played for Texas A&M from 2020 to 2022 and Georgia Tech from 2023 to 2025.

The Carolina Panthers will play the Buffalo Bills on Aug. 15, the Jacksonville Jaguars on Aug. 21, and the Houston Texans on Aug.

28 in the 2026 preseason. Will Grier retired from the Carolina Panthers shortly before training camp began in 2026.

Kyle Trask worked out with the Carolina Panthers but had not been signed as of early August 2026. Dave Canales cited roster needs at offensive line and tight end as reasons for not signing a fourth quarterback.

"Yeah, just general needs for our roster right now," he stated regarding the quarterback position. "We just didn't really feel like we had the luxury," he said.

Bryce Young is the starting quarterback for the Carolina Panthers. Kenny Pickett has made 27 regular-season starts over 36 games in his NFL career.

The Hall of Fame Game has been held annually since 1962. The Hall of Fame Game does not count toward either team's preseason record. The Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals will each play four preseason games in 2026.

The 1995 Hall of Fame Game between the Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars drew a crowd of 24,625, one of the largest in the game’s history, according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Carolina Panthers entered the 2026 Hall of Fame Game as an expansion franchise that debuted in 1995, having previously played their first NFL game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 1995 Hall of Fame Game.

The Carolina Panthers played in the Hall of Fame Game in 1995 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, winning 20-14. The Carolina Panthers have a 1-0 record in the Hall of Fame Game, with their only appearance being in 1995 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The 1995 Hall of Fame Game between the Panthers and Jaguars marked the only time the Panthers have appeared in the event since their 1995 debut, with the game ending in a 20-14 victory for Carolina. Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young passed for 3,000+ yards and 23 touchdowns in the 2025 regular season, including seven touchdowns to wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, the 2025 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride set an NFL single-season record with 126 receptions in 2025, earning first-team All-Pro recognition. Tickets for the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game are available from Vivid Seats starting at $42 in section 111.

Carolina Panthers is a National Football League franchise in Charlotte, North Carolina. Arizona Cardinals is National Football League franchise in Glendale, Arizona. Carolina Panthers was established in 1993.

Why It Matters

The Hall of Fame Game serves as the annual preseason opener without affecting team records, allowing coaches to evaluate roster depth while resting expected starters. This matchup marks the Carolina Panthers' second appearance in the event since their 1995 debut, contrasting with the Arizona Cardinals' sixth entry into a game where they hold a 1-3-1 all-time record. The contest also coincides with the enshrinement of multiple legends, including former players Luke Kuechly and Larry Fitzgerald.