Rivalry Hub
Vikings vs Lions
Same division. Bigger stories. The Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions have shared the NFC North since it was created in 2002, and the Vikings-Lions series stretches back to Detroit's earliest matchups with Minnesota's 1961 expansion franchise. Every season brings two more chapters, and this hub is the permanent home for the head-to-head record, the upcoming home-and-away meetings, and the games that have defined the rivalry.
All-time series
Vikings lead 82-45-2
Total meetings
129
Last meeting
Nov 2, 2025, Vikings 27-24
2026 meetings
Nov 1 (at Detroit) & Dec 20 (home)
Series overview
A built-in NFC North rivalry
The Vikings and Lions play twice every regular season because they share the NFC North, a division built around Minnesota, Detroit, Green Bay and Chicago. That structure means the rivalry never really pauses: whatever else is happening in either team's season, a home game and a road game against the other are already locked into the schedule, usually with divisional standings and tiebreakers riding on the results.
The two franchises have met well over a hundred times going back to the early 1960s, long before either team wore its current uniform. Detroit has generally been the more successful franchise in the earliest decades of the series, but Minnesota has won the large majority of meetings overall, including a stretch of dominance through the 1970s, 1990s and 2000s. Recent seasons have been tighter, with both teams fielding playoff-calibre rosters and the division race frequently coming down to their two head-to-head games.
This hub is a permanent reference for the rivalry. It is not tied to a single season: the sections below cover the next scheduled home-and-away meetings, the most recently completed game, and the all-time record, and they will be updated as new games are played.
Upcoming games
Both 2026 meetings
Per Minnesota's officially released 2026 regular-season schedule, the Vikings and Lions meet twice: once in Detroit, once in Minneapolis.
Minnesota Vikings
Home
Detroit Lions
Away
Minnesota Vikings
Away
Detroit Lions
Home
Kickoff times for late-season games can still move for national broadcast flex scheduling. Check the full schedule for the current confirmed time before travelling or planning a watch party.
All-time record
Rivalry by the numbers
Regular-season meetings only; the Vikings and Lions have never met in the playoffs. Figures are current through the most recent meeting, November 2, 2025.
129 meetings, Vikings lead 82-45-2
Minnesota has won roughly two out of every three games in the series. The two teams have shared a division continuously since the NFC North was formed in 2002, and before that shared the old NFC Central, so nearly every meeting has carried standings weight.
| Total meetings | 129 |
|---|---|
| Vikings wins (all-time) | 82 |
| Lions wins (all-time) | 45 |
| Ties | 2 |
| Playoff meetings | 0 (never met in the postseason) |
| Most recent meeting | Nov 2, 2025 • Vikings 27, Lions 24 |
Latest completed meeting
Last meeting: 2025 Week 9
Minnesota Vikings 27, Detroit Lions 24
Sunday, November 2, 2025 • Ford Field, Detroit, MI
Vikings
27–24
Final
Lions
Minnesota led 14-7 after the first quarter and held on despite Detroit outgaining them through the air. It was Minnesota's second win of the season over a divisional opponent and moved the Vikings to 4-4; Detroit fell to 5-3.
Vikings passing
J.J. McCarthy: 14/25, 143 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Vikings rushing
Aaron Jones Sr.: 9 car, 78 yds
Lions passing
Jared Goff: 25/37, 284 yds, 2 TD
Full per-player passing, rushing, receiving and defensive statistics for this game, plus the quarter-by-quarter line score, are archived on the dedicated game page. Read the full Week 9 box score →
Where the rivalry lives
Notable games in the series
A closer look at a few of the games that have shaped the Vikings-Lions rivalry over more than six decades.
Oct 25, 1998Pontiac Silverdome
Vikings 34, Lions 13
A road blowout during Minnesota's historic 1998 season, in which the Vikings finished the regular season 15-1 behind rookie receiver Randy Moss. The Vikings had already beaten Detroit 29-6 at home earlier that season, sweeping the season series.
Nov 11, 2012Mall of America Field, Minneapolis
Vikings 34, Lions 24
Adrian Peterson rushed for 171 yards on 27 carries and a touchdown, one of his biggest games during a 2012 season in which he finished with 2,097 rushing yards and was named NFL MVP.
Jan 3, 2021Ford Field, Detroit
Vikings 37, Lions 35
A high-scoring, back-and-forth finale to the 2020 season, decided by a Dan Bailey field goal for Minnesota. It remains one of the highest-scoring games in the series.
Not an exhaustive list of all 129 meetings. See the sources below for how these figures were verified.
Who to watch
Key players and how to watch
Players who showed up in the last meeting
Based on players who recorded meaningful snaps in the November 2, 2025 meeting. See the full Vikings roster for current depth.
Viewing guide
Network, streaming and radio options are confirmed closer to each kickoff, once flex-scheduling windows close.
- Where to watch Vikings vs Lions — TV, streaming and radio for both 2026 meetings.
- All Vikings viewing guides — every game on the 2026 schedule.
- Tickets — official ticket information for home games at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Keep exploring
Related coverage
Sources: all-time series record and historic-game results cross-checked via StatMuse's NFL game database (retrieved September 2026); 2025 Week 9 result and player statistics per this site's Week 9 game page, sourced from ESPN's public NFL data; 2026 schedule dates per this site's schedule page.