The 2026 Atlanta Falcons Schedule sends the team to Madrid, Spain for an international game against Cincinnati, delivers Sunday Night Football at home against Baltimore, and features a home slate at Mercedes-Benz Stadium that includes Carolina, the Ravens, Chicago, San Francisco, Kansas City, Detroit, Tampa Bay twice, and New Orleans. Three preseason games warm things up before a 17-game regular season that opens on the road in Pittsburgh and closes at Carolina.
2026 Atlanta Falcons Preseason Schedule
Atlanta opens at home before two road preseason games in Indianapolis and Miami.
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Aug 14 | vs Denver Broncos | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA | 7:00 pm | ESPN App |
| Sat, Aug 22 | at Indianapolis Colts | Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN | 1:00 pm | Local |
| Fri, Aug 28 | at Miami Dolphins | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL | 7:00 pm | Local |
The ESPN App home opener on August 14 gives Atlanta early streaming visibility before the regular season. The back-to-back road preseason trips — Indianapolis on Saturday afternoon and Miami the following Friday night — provide a solid cross-conference tune-up before roster decisions are finalized.
2026 Atlanta Falcons Regular Season Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, Sep 13 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA | 1:00 pm | FOX |
| Sun, Sep 20 | vs Carolina Panthers | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA | 1:00 pm | FOX |
| Thu, Sep 24 | at Green Bay Packers | Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI | 8:15 pm | Prime Video |
| Mon, Oct 5 | at New Orleans Saints | Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA | 8:15 pm | ESPN |
| Sun, Oct 11 | vs Baltimore Ravens | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA | 8:20 pm | NBC/Peacock |
| Sun, Oct 18 | vs Chicago Bears | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA | 1:00 pm | FOX |
| Sun, Oct 25 | vs San Francisco 49ers | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA | 1:00 pm | FOX |
| Sun, Nov 1 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL | 1:00 pm | FOX |
| Sun, Nov 8 | vs Cincinnati Bengals | Bernabéu Stadium, Madrid, Spain | 9:30 am | NFLN |
| Sun, Nov 15 | vs Kansas City Chiefs | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA | 1:00 pm | CBS |
| Sun, Nov 22 | BYE | — | — | — |
| Sun, Nov 29 | at Minnesota Vikings | U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN | 1:00 pm | FOX |
| Sun, Dec 6 | vs Detroit Lions | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA | 1:00 pm | CBS |
| Sun, Dec 13 | at Cleveland Browns | Huntington Bank Field, Cleveland, OH | 1:00 pm | CBS |
| Sun, Dec 20 | at Washington Commanders | Northwest Stadium, Landover, MD | 1:00 pm | FOX |
| Sat/Sun, Dec 26/27 | vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA | TBA | TBA |
| Sun, Jan 3 | vs New Orleans Saints | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA | 1:00 pm | FOX |
| Sat/Sun, Jan 9/10 | at Carolina Panthers | Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC | TBA | TBA |
MORE: 2026 NFL Schedule Every Week, Date, and Kickoff Time
Key Games on the 2026 Atlanta Falcons Schedule
Opening on the Road at Pittsburgh
Atlanta travels to Acrisure Stadium on September 13 to open the regular season against Pittsburgh at 1:00 pm ET on FOX. A road opener at a historically strong AFC program sets a tough early tone. Pittsburgh’s home crowd is loud and engaged from the opening snap, and the Falcons will need to be disciplined in what is essentially a road audition for how ready this team is heading into September.
Thursday Night at Lambeau — Week 3
Just nine days into the regular season, Atlanta travels to Lambeau Field for Thursday Night Football on September 24 at 8:15 pm ET on Prime Video. A short-week road game at one of the NFL’s most iconic venues in Week 3 is a genuinely difficult scheduling spot. Lambeau at night — even in September — brings an intensity that visiting teams feel from the moment they step off the bus. The Falcons need to be prepared for both the atmosphere and the compressed week.
Monday Night at New Orleans
Atlanta travels to the Caesars Superdome for Monday Night Football on October 5 at 8:15 pm ET on ESPN. The NFC South rivalry between Atlanta and New Orleans carries decades of weight, and a primetime road division game in the Superdome is exactly the kind of environment that separates competitive teams from pretenders early in the season. The crowd in New Orleans for a Monday night division game is electric and hostile. Atlanta needs a road win here.
Sunday Night Football: Baltimore at Mercedes-Benz Stadium
The Baltimore Ravens visit Mercedes-Benz Stadium for Sunday Night Football on October 11 at 8:20 pm ET on NBC/Peacock. This is the marquee home game of the first half of Atlanta’s season. A nationally televised prime-time home game against one of the AFC’s most dangerous programs — in a building that generates real atmosphere — gives the Falcons a chance to make a genuine national statement in Week 6.
Madrid: Atlanta vs Cincinnati at Bernabéu Stadium
The most unique game on the 2026 Atlanta Falcons Schedule is the November 8 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals at Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, Spain at 9:30 am ET on NFL Network. Playing in one of the world’s most iconic sporting venues — home of Real Madrid — gives this game a setting unlike anything else on the NFL calendar. The early morning kickoff for American audiences is an adjustment, but international NFL games at historic European venues have consistently delivered strong viewership.
This game counts as an Atlanta home game in the regular season record.
Atlanta Falcons vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2026 — Twice
The NFC South rivalry with Tampa Bay runs twice. Atlanta travels to Raymond James Stadium on November 1 at 1:00 pm ET on FOX for the road leg. Then Tampa Bay returns the visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the December 26/27 window. Two meetings with the Buccaneers — both carrying division standing implications — define a significant portion of Atlanta’s second half of the season.
Kansas City at Mercedes-Benz Stadium
The Kansas City Chiefs visit Atlanta on November 15 at 1:00 pm ET on CBS. A home game against the reigning AFC’s premier program is a significant résumé opportunity. Kansas City travels well and brings a loud road following, but Mercedes-Benz Stadium is a formidable home environment when the Falcons are playing meaningful football in mid-November.
December Home Stretch at Mercedes-Benz
Atlanta hosts Detroit on December 6 and New Orleans on January 3 — two meaningful home games in the season’s final stretch. The New Orleans home game to close the regular season home slate is a divisional matchup that could carry wild-card tiebreaker implications depending on where both teams stand in early January.
Atlanta Falcons Home Games 2026
| Game | Date |
|---|---|
| vs Denver Broncos (Preseason) | Fri, Aug 14 |
| vs Carolina Panthers | Sun, Sep 20 |
| vs Baltimore Ravens (SNF) | Sun, Oct 11 |
| vs Chicago Bears | Sun, Oct 18 |
| vs San Francisco 49ers | Sun, Oct 25 |
| vs Cincinnati Bengals (Madrid — Home designation) | Sun, Nov 8 |
| vs Kansas City Chiefs | Sun, Nov 15 |
| vs Detroit Lions | Sun, Dec 6 |
| vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Sat/Sun, Dec 26/27 |
| vs New Orleans Saints | Sun, Jan 3 |
Eight regular season home games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium plus the Madrid international game designated as a home matchup. Sunday Night Football against Baltimore is the premier home window of the first half of the season.
Atlanta Falcons Bye Week 2026
The bye falls on Sunday, November 22 — arriving after a demanding stretch that includes the Madrid international game and the Kansas City home game on back-to-back weeks. The timing is well-placed. Atlanta gets a full week off before a road trip to Minnesota, then the Detroit home game, and a late-season schedule that includes Cleveland, Washington, Tampa Bay, New Orleans, and Carolina in the final seven weeks.
FAQ
Q: When do the Atlanta Falcons open the 2026 regular season?
A: The 2026 Atlanta Falcons Schedule regular season opens Sunday, September 13, with Atlanta traveling to Acrisure Stadium to face the Pittsburgh Steelers at 1:00 pm ET on FOX.
Q: What are the Atlanta Falcons home games in 2026?
A: Atlanta Falcons home games 2026 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium include Carolina (Sep 20), Baltimore (Oct 11), Chicago (Oct 18), San Francisco (Oct 25), Kansas City (Nov 15), Detroit (Dec 6), Tampa Bay (Dec 26/27), and New Orleans (Jan 3). The Madrid game against Cincinnati also counts as a home game.
Q: When do the Atlanta Falcons play in Madrid in 2026?
A: Atlanta faces the Cincinnati Bengals at Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, Spain on Sunday, November 8, at 9:30 am ET on NFL Network.
Q: When is the Atlanta Falcons bye week in 2026?
A: The bye week on the 2026 Atlanta Falcons Schedule falls on Sunday, November 22.
One thought on “2026 Atlanta Falcons Schedule: The Full Slate, Game by Game”