Bengals to Play Falcons in Madrid Sunday
Cincinnati, riding a three-game win streak, leaves Tuesday for its international matchup against Atlanta in Spain.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Football
The Cincinnati Bengals (5-2) will travel to Madrid, Spain, to face the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Nov. 8. The team leaves Cincinnati on Tuesday and has already won three straight games after a 43-36 overtime victory over the Tennessee Titans.
Why it matters
The Bengals chose to travel two days earlier than they did for their 2019 London trip, aiming to get players acclimated and fresh for the game. The schedule shift underscores how the franchise is managing the logistics of playing a road game overseas mid-season.
The Bengals have rallied from 13-point first-half deficits in consecutive weeks, the first team since New Orleans in 2020 to do so. Opponents have scored on their first possession in five of seven games, a trend the Bengals will face against Atlanta.
The players
Joe Burrow
Joe Burrow is the Bengals' quarterback and the fourth passer in league history with at least four touchdown passes and a passer rating of at least 115 in three consecutive games.
The details
The Bengals will practice in Cincinnati before leaving Tuesday and have Wednesday off. They will then practice Thursday and Friday at the Spanish National Team Training Facility ahead of Sunday's game against the Falcons.
Timeline
Nov. 1: Bengals beat Titans 43-36 in overtime.
Tuesday (Nov. 3): Bengals depart Cincinnati for Madrid.
Thursday and Friday: Bengals practice at the Spanish National Team Training Facility.
Sunday (Nov. 8): Bengals play Falcons in Madrid.
Nov. 15: Bengals host Pittsburgh in a prime-time rematch.
Season Trajectory
The Bengals' Madrid trip comes as they seek to extend a three-game win streak and build on their 5-2 start. Their travel decision mirrors the earlier-departure approach they used for the 2019 London game, when they were also playing overseas mid-season.
The Bengals will not play at home for this matchup, so fans following the team will need to tune in from abroad or on broadcast coverage. Fantasy managers should note Mike Gesicki has recorded a receiving touchdown in five consecutive games.
The takeaway
The Bengals' decision to travel early for Madrid shows how teams are adapting logistics for international games. Monitoring how the team responds to its first-possession defensive struggles will be key to Sunday's result.
What happens next
The Bengals host the Pittsburgh Steelers in a prime-time rematch on Nov. 15.
Further reading
For more on the team's season, see our Football coverage.
