Bengals Unveil 2026 Schedule With Madrid Game and 3 Primetime Matchups

11 articles · Updated · ESPN · May 15

Nov. 8 will send Cincinnati to Madrid to face Atlanta, the franchise's third international game and its first outside England after a tie and a loss at Wembley.
Three primetime slots highlight the slate: Pittsburgh visits for Sunday Night Football in Week 10, Washington hosts Monday Night Football in Week 11, and Baltimore comes to Cincinnati on Dec. 31 for Thursday Night Football.
A .450 opponent winning percentage gives the Bengals the NFL's third-easiest schedule, with DraftKings setting their win total at 9.5 and ESPN's Mike Clay projecting 10.6 wins.
Pressure remains high after three straight seasons without a playoff berth, making a November stretch of Madrid, Pittsburgh and Washington central to Cincinnati's push to rebound.

Will the Bengals' 'easy' schedule finally end their playoff drought, or will international travel derail their season?

Is the NFL's record nine-game global schedule a brilliant expansion or a logistical nightmare for teams?

Can a revamped defense and a healthy Joe Burrow finally conquer the Bengals' top AFC rivals?