The Cincinnati Bengals head to Madrid for a historic clash with the Atlanta Falcons.
The Cincinnati Bengals will play an international game for the first time in seven years, and for the first time ever in Spain. The NFL announced Tuesday that the Bengals will face the Atlanta Falcons on November 8 at Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, with a 9:30 a.m. ET kickoff on NFL Network.
It will be the second NFL game ever played in Spain, following the Miami Dolphins’ 16-13 victory over the Washington Commanders in last year’s inaugural Madrid contest.
This marks the third international game in Bengals history and the first time they have played outside the United States since 2019. Their previous two appearances were both at London’s Wembley Stadium, a tie against Washington in 2016 and a 24-10 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Zac Taylor’s first season as head coach in 2019.
For Joe Burrow, who has been in the NFL since 2020, this will be his first international game.
When the announcement was made Tuesday, Burrow framed the opportunity in the context of the sport’s broader international growth.
“The game has a lot of room to grow, just like basketball did in the ’80s and ’90s,” Burrow said. “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.”
Burrow has been lobbying for one for some time. After being passed over for an international assignment in 2025, Burrow made his disappointment publicly known and it appears the NFL took notice.
In April, NFL vice president of broadcast planning Mike North told Bengals.com: “He’s been vocal about it. I remember he was pretty disappointed last year when you guys didn’t go. I think that’s a real possibility for the Bengals this year.”
North also cited Burrow’s global appeal as a direct factor in the selection: “They’ve got one of those fan bases, thanks in large part to the quarterback, that resonates in Europe and across the planet.”
He also made a personal request of the organization ahead of the trip: “I hope we go out early in the week so we can experience it a little bit. Get acclimated to the time zone, have some team bonding out there. Expand my horizons a little bit.”
Burrow also connected the Madrid game to the larger momentum surrounding this roster heading into 2026. “Certainly, the faces look a little different, the bodies look a little different around here. The vibes are high,” he said. “There’s energy emanating throughout. You can feel it. We still have to go out and execute, perform, keep getting better throughout the offseason. But with the guys we have in here, we have everything we need.”
The Bengals will be matched up against a Falcons team led by Bijan Robinson, coming off a first All-Pro season and a career-best 2,298 scrimmage yards, along with wide receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts. Atlanta finished 8-9 in 2025 and will play in their first season under new head coach Kevin Stefanski. It remains to be seen who will earn the nod at quarterback after the Falcons acquired Tua Tagovailoa, who will compete with Michael Penix Jr. for the starting job.
Burrow and Chase have faced Atlanta just once in their careers, a Week 7 win in 2022 in which Burrow threw for 481 yards with two of his three touchdowns going to Chase.
The 2026 international slate is the largest in NFL history, featuring nine games across four continents and seven countries, including the league’s first games in Australia, Rio de Janeiro, and France. Cincinnati’s Week 9 date at Bernabéu Stadium, one of the most recognized sporting venues on the planet, places the Bengals squarely at the center of the NFL’s global expansion ambitions.