The Cincinnati Bengals are heading to Spain! According to multiple reports from May 12, the Bengals will take on the Atlanta Falcons in Madrid during the 2026 NFL season. This international showdown marks another exciting chapter in the league's global expansion, bringing the energy of American football to European fans.
Mark your calendars: the full Bengals schedule drops on Thursday, May 14, at 8 p.m. Eastern. But the international action doesn't stop there—the NFL is set to announce its complete slate of overseas games one day earlier, on Wednesday, May 13.
NFL.com's Eric Edholm has already circled one Bengals matchup as a must-watch: their home game against the Baltimore Ravens, which he named among the 10 most anticipated games of the 2026 season. That's high praise for what promises to be a thrilling divisional battle.
The Falcons, listed as a Bengals road opponent for 2026, announced back in March that they'd be playing in Madrid. With an extra road game on their schedule, it was always expected Cincinnati would be the visiting team in any international matchup. Another potential overseas option? The Washington Commanders, who are hosting a game in London—a city that's become a regular stop for NFL action.
This international news doesn't come out of nowhere. Back in February, star receiver Ja'Marr Chase took to Twitter to ask if the Bengals were getting a 2026 international game. And executive vice president Katie Blackburn hinted in 2025 that Cincinnati would host an international game in 2027. Rumors also swirled last year about a potential Bengals-Miami Dolphins game in Madrid, but despite quarterback Joe Burrow's Instagram plea, that matchup never came to be.
The Bengals-Falcons game is just one piece of a massive international schedule. The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams will make history at Melbourne Cricket Ground in the first regular-season NFL game in Australia (airing in the U.S. on the night of Sept. 10). The Dallas Cowboys face the Ravens at Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Sept. 27. The New Orleans Saints will play a TBD opponent in Paris, France. And London hosts three regular-season games, with the Commanders as the home team for one and the Jacksonville Jaguars playing in the other two.
Whether you're a Bengals fan dreaming of a trip to Spain or just love seeing the game go global, 2026 is shaping up to be an unforgettable season. Stay tuned for the full schedule reveal!