Bengals, Falcons to square off in 2026 Madrid game

The Atlanta Falcons will face the Cincinnati Bengals when the NFL plays its second regular-season game in Madrid, Spain, on Nov. 8 at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, the league announced on Tuesday.

The NFL also played a game at the 70-year home of soccer power Real Madrid last November, when the Washington Commanders lost 16-13 in overtime to the Miami Dolphins and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, now on the Falcons.

The Week 9 contest, part of the 2026 NFL International Games, is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. (NFL Network) and was announced two days ahead of the full NFL schedule reveal on Thursday.

Quarterback Joe Burrow, whose Bengals went 6-11 last season, will be playing in his first overseas contest.

"The game has a lot of room to grow. Just like basketball did in the '80s and '90s," Burrow said Tuesday after the announcement. "The Bulls kind of spearheaded that. Made it global and, hopefully, the Bengals can do the same thing over the next couple of years for the NFL."

Cincinnati has played two international games, both in London -- the most recent a 24-10 loss to the Los Angeles Rams at Wembley Stadium in 2019 in head coach Zac Taylor's first season.

Kevin Stefanski is entering his first season as the Falcons' head coach after becoming very familiar with the Bengals while at the helm of the AFC North-rival Cleveland Browns for the past six years.

Atlanta has played five previous regular-season games outside of the United States, with four in Europe. The Falcons played in Toronto (2013), London (2014, 2021, 2023) and Berlin last season, when they lost 31-25 to the Indianapolis Colts and finished 8-9.

"We are truly honored and deeply grateful for the opportunity to host the Cincinnati Bengals at the Bernabeu, one of the world's most iconic venues," Falcons president and CEO Greg Beadles said in a statement on Tuesday. "This matchup represents a unique opportunity to connect with fans in Spain, and we sincerely appreciate the NFL's continued commitment to growing the game on a global stage. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup on the horizon, we are thankful for the opportunity to begin building meaningful connections with Spanish supporters who will also experience our great city of Atlanta on the world stage."

--Field Level Media