The Minnesota Vikings will host the Baltimore Ravens at noon CT on Saturday, Aug. 22, in their lone 2026 preseason game at U.S. Bank Stadium. It is also the Vikings’ only exhibition contest this season at that venue, which makes this one the main public game action for fans heading into the final stretch of the preseason.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell said Kyler Murray will not play in the game, and J.J. McCarthy is likely to start for the Vikings. That gives the matchup a little extra interest beyond the usual preseason setting, especially after the teams spent Wednesday and Thursday going through joint practices at the Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center.
What the joint practices added
The Vikings and Ravens used those joint sessions to prioritize practice reps for starters vs. starters, which often gives coaches a better evaluation than a preseason game alone. Saturday’s game now serves as the follow-up, even if the workload for key players remains limited.
For Minnesota, the likely McCarthy start is the clearest quarterback detail to watch. It is a useful checkpoint in a game that matters less for the final score than for who gets on the field, how long they stay there, and what kind of rhythm the offense can build before the regular season approach becomes even more serious.
How to follow the game
The Vikings are framing the matchup as a guide for how to watch, listen to, and stream the preseason game. Viewers in the Twin Cities can follow along on FOX 9, while fans can also use NFL Network, NFL+, the NFL app, Vikings.com, Vikings app, Vikings Radio Network, and Vikings Audio Network. The game is also set to be available through Vikings GameDay Live.
Across the broadcast footprint, the game will air on 11 markets and 70 affiliates, giving fans across the Upper Midwest and beyond multiple ways to tune in. That includes coverage options for areas such as Duluth-Superior, Rochester, Fargo, Bismarck, Sioux Falls, Des Moines-Ames, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Iowa City, Dubuque, La Crosse, Eau Claire, Omaha, Anchorage, and Fairbanks, along with United Kingdom and Canada availability through the listed platforms.
For fans who want a streaming option, NFL+ is available at $6.99 per month or $49.99 per year, while NFL+ Premium is listed at $14.99 per month or $99.99 per year. There is also a $39.99 per year NFL+ option and a $79.99 per year NFL+ Premium option, both marked as 20% off.
In a preseason game like this, the headline is not just the opponent. It is the combination of location, timing and quarterback usage. With McCarthy likely to start and Murray not playing, the Vikings Game at U.S. Bank Stadium becomes the best chance to see Minnesota’s quarterback plan in a live setting before the preseason closes.
