Following several months of wait since the Tampa Bay Buccaneers emerged victorious in the Super Bowl LV, football will be back with the beginning of the long-awaited 2021 NFL Preseason. Here, check out when the first game will be played, and what teams will face off in it.

Before the real competition begins, the preseason games always give us a glimpse of what we can expect for the following months of action. They also mean a useful opportunity for teams and players to test themselves and get ready for a demanding season in which they'll have to bring their A-game.

With this year's preseason weeks drawing nearer, it's a good time to check out which game will get the football action underway after six months and which teams will step into the field.

2021 NFL Preseason: Date, time and teams of the first game

The 2021 NFL Preseason will kick off with the Hall of Fame Game to be played between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday, August 5, at 8 PM (ET) at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.

This game was originally scheduled to kick off the 2020 Preseason but it was postponed due to the pandemic. Now, these two familiar foes will meet in the first NFL game since the Super Bowl LV in what will be the seventh Hall of Fame Game appearance for each other.

The Steelers will begin their way to a bounce-back year after coming up short last season falling in the Wild Card round against the Cleveland Browns, while the Cowboys will probably have to face this game without Dak Prescott