Atlanta Falcons Head Overseas Into Uncharted Territory in 2026
For the second year in a row, the Atlanta Falcons are set to play a game overseas. The NFL announced on Tuesday morning that the Dirty Birds will travel overseas to play at the Bernabéu in Madrid, Spain. This will be the first time the franchise plays in the city of Madrid and the NFL’s second game in Spain. The first game hosted in Madrid came last year with a bout between the Washington Commanders and Miami Dolphins in which the Dolphins won the slogfest 16-13. The home stadium for Real Madrid can seat up to a maximum capacity of 84,000 fans in the stadium. The NFL has made it known how important the International Series is for expanding the product worldwide. “Spain is an important market globally,” the league stated when they reached a multiyear deal in February to continue the play of games in Madrid for years to come.
The last time Atlanta went overseas was during the 2025 season in a Week 10 game against the Indianapolis Colts. Between the poor quarterback play, poor clock management, and poor rush defense, Atlanta could not overcome Jonathan Taylor’s 244-yard, three-touchdown game in an overtime heartbreaker, losing the game 31-25. The game was played in Berlin, Germany, and marked the fourth game Atlanta has played overseas during the International Series. With the fifth international game looming over the horizon, head coach Kevin Stefanski hopes to right the ship, fix the woes of last year, and improve the Falcons' record in Europe to 2-3.
Atlanta Falcons president and CEO Greg Beadles stated during the announcement of the game, “We are incredibly proud to be part of an NFL regular season game in Madrid at the iconic Bernabéu.” Beadles also stated that Atlanta playing in the city of Madrid is a “perfect fit” for both cities. Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the Falcons' home turf, is set to host two of Spain’s matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This game in the Bernabéu will be part of a record nine total games played overseas for the NFL’s International Series in 2026, along with the new host cities in Australia, France, and Brazil.
