The National Football League revealed Tuesday that the Cincinnati Bengals and Atlanta Falcons will clash at Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on November 8, 2026, marking the second NFL regular season contest held in Spain.
Real Madrid’s legendary home venue, which has stood for seven decades, previously hosted an NFL game last November when the Miami Dolphins defeated the Washington Commanders 16-13 in overtime, featuring quarterback Tua Tagovailoa who now plays for Atlanta.
This Week 9 matchup, scheduled for 9:30 a.m. and broadcast on NFL Network, represents part of the 2026 NFL International Games series. The announcement came two days before the complete NFL schedule release set for Thursday.
For Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, whose team struggled to a 6-11 record last season, this will mark his debut in an international NFL game.
“The game has a lot of room to grow. Just like basketball did in the ’80s and ’90s,” Burrow commented Tuesday following 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 participated in two previous international contests, both held in London, with their most recent appearance being a 24-10 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams at Wembley Stadium in 2019 during head coach Zac Taylor’s inaugural season.
New Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski brings extensive knowledge of the Bengals to his first season in Atlanta, having spent six years coaching the AFC North division rival Cleveland Browns.
The Falcons have competed in five prior regular season games on foreign soil, including four European contests. Atlanta’s international experience includes games in Toronto (2013), London (2014, 2021, 2023), and Berlin last season, where they fell 31-25 to the Indianapolis Colts before finishing 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,” stated Falcons president and CEO Greg Beadles 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.”
