Oregon Lightning face Albany Firebirds in home opener
Matthew Draxton
REDMOND, Ore. – The Oregon Lightning will host the defending Arena Football One champions, the Albany Firebirds, this Saturday, April 25, 2026, for their 2026 home opener. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time at the First Interstate Bank Center.
This matchup marks Oregon’s second game of the 2026 AF1 season and the first opportunity for Central Oregon fans to see the Lightning on their home turf this year. The Lightning opened their season on the road two weeks ago in Everett and now focus on an Albany team known for its physical style of play and explosive scoring ability. Saturday’s contest is the first meeting between the two franchises in AF1 competition.
Fans unable to attend the game can stream the action live on The Home Team Network, through the Oregon Lightning website and with the team’s local streaming partner, KTVZ+. Four partner locations across Central Oregon will also stream the game. These include The Moontower at 329 SW 6th St in Redmond, Bangers & Brews Westside at 1288 SW Simpson Ave in Bend, Upp Liquids at 550 SW Industrial Way #185 in Bend and New Basin Distilling Company at 2063 NW St. Andrews Dr in Madras.
After Saturday’s home opener, the Lightning will play two consecutive road games. They will face the Michigan Arsenal on Saturday, May 2 at 4:00 p.m. and the Nashville Kats on Saturday, May 9 at 2:00 p.m. Both games will be available on KTVZ+ and The Home Team Network. The Lightning will return home on Saturday, May 16 to play the Washington Wolfpack at 6:00 p.m.
Other scheduled games include home matchups against the Michigan Arsenal on Saturday, May 23 at 6:00 p.m. and the Washington Wolfpack on Saturday, May 30 at 6:00 p.m. The team will play the Kentucky Barrels at home on Sunday, June 7 at 3:00 p.m. and on the road on Saturday, June 13 at 3:00 p.m. Their final regular season road games are against the Washington Wolfpack on Saturday, June 20 at 6:00 p.m., the Beaumont Renegades on Sunday, July 5 at 3:00 p.m. and the Oceanside Bombers on Friday, July 10 at 7:00 p.m.
The AF1 Quarterfinal Playoffs are scheduled for July 24-26, with the AF1 Semifinal Playoffs on Aug. 1. The AF1 League Crown Championship will take place on Aug. 8. Broadcast partners for playoff games include VICE-TV and KTVZ+.