Atlanta Falcons Schedule 2026: Printable PDF, Times, TV Channels
The Atlanta Falcons Schedule 2026 begins Sunday, September 13 at Pittsburgh, 1:00 PM ET on FOX. Atlanta plays 17 games across 18 weeks: nine home dates, eight road trips and a bye in Week 11. One home game is not in Atlanta at all. The Falcons host the Cincinnati Bengals in Madrid on November 8.
Below you get every kickoff time in Eastern, the TV channel for each week, the preseason results and two free printables. Weeks 16 and 18 still show TBD because the league sets those dates late in the season.
Atlanta Falcons Schedule 2026: Season Quick Facts
| Season opener | Sun, Sep 13 at Pittsburgh Steelers, 1:00 PM ET, FOX |
| Home opener | Sun, Sep 20 vs Carolina Panthers, 1:00 PM ET, FOX |
| Home and road split | 9 home, 8 road (8 dates at Mercedes-Benz Stadium) |
| Bye week | Week 11, weekend of Nov 22 |
| International game | Sun, Nov 8 vs Cincinnati Bengals, Madrid, Spain |
| Prime time games | 3, all in Weeks 3, 4 and 5 |
| Head coach | Kevin Stefanski, first season |
| Preseason result | 2 wins, 1 loss |
| Season finale | Week 18 at Carolina Panthers, date TBD |
Atlanta Falcons Schedule 2026: Full Week by Week Guide
The season front loads the travel and saves the division for the finish. Weeks 16 and 18 carry no date yet. The NFL fixes Week 16 no later than after Week 14, and Week 18 only once Week 17 ends. Week 17 and the Sunday afternoon slots can also move under flexible scheduling.
| WEEK | DATE | OPPONENT | TIME (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sun, Sep 13 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | 1:00 PM | FOX |
| 2 | Sun, Sep 20 | vs Carolina Panthers | 1:00 PM | FOX |
| 3 | Thu, Sep 24 | at Green Bay Packers | 8:15 PM | Prime Video |
| 4 | Mon, Oct 5 | at New Orleans Saints | 8:15 PM | ESPN |
| 5 | Sun, Oct 11 | vs Baltimore Ravens | 8:20 PM | NBC |
| 6 | Sun, Oct 18 | vs Chicago Bears | 1:00 PM | FOX |
| 7 | Sun, Oct 25 | vs San Francisco 49ers | 1:00 PM | FOX |
| 8 | Sun, Nov 1 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1:00 PM | FOX |
| 9 | Sun, Nov 8 | vs Cincinnati Bengals (Madrid) | 9:30 AM | NFL Network |
| 10 | Sun, Nov 15 | vs Kansas City Chiefs | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| 11 | Weekend of Nov 22 | BYE WEEK | None | None |
| 12 | Sun, Nov 29 | at Minnesota Vikings | 1:00 PM | FOX |
| 13 | Sun, Dec 6 | vs Detroit Lions | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| 14 | Sun, Dec 13 | at Cleveland Browns | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| 15 | Sun, Dec 20 | at Washington Commanders | 1:00 PM | FOX |
| 16 | TBD | vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers | TBD | TBD |
| 17 | Sun, Jan 3 | vs New Orleans Saints | 1:00 PM | FOX |
| 18 | TBD | at Carolina Panthers | TBD | TBD |
Two things shape this slate. Atlanta draws the entire AFC North, meaning Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Cincinnati and Cleveland. And the last three weeks are all NFC South: Tampa Bay at home, New Orleans at home, then Carolina on the road. If the division is still live in January, the Falcons settle it themselves.
Falcons 2026 Preseason Results
Atlanta finished the preseason at 2 wins and 1 loss. All three games aired on FOX 5 Atlanta.
| DATE | OPPONENT | RESULT | VENUE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Aug 14 | vs Denver Broncos | Loss, 7 to 27 | Mercedes-Benz Stadium |
| Sat, Aug 22 | at Indianapolis Colts | Win, 34 to 6 | Lucas Oil Stadium |
| Fri, Aug 28 | at Miami Dolphins | Win, 17 to 12 | Hard Rock Stadium |
Falcons TV Schedule 2026: What Channel Is Each Game On
Six broadcasters carry Falcons football this season. FOX has the largest share because Atlanta is an NFC team facing mostly NFC opponents in the Sunday afternoon window.
| NETWORK | GAMES | WEEKS |
|---|---|---|
| FOX | 8 | 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 12, 15, 17 |
| CBS | 3 | 10, 13, 14 |
| NBC, Sunday Night Football | 1 | 5 |
| ESPN, Monday Night Football | 1 | 4 |
| Prime Video, Thursday Night Football | 1 | 3 |
| NFL Network | 1 | 9, Madrid |
| To be announced | 2 | 16, 18 |
In the Atlanta market, FOX games air on WAGA, FOX 5. CBS games air on WUPA, channel 69, which became the city’s CBS station in August 2025.
Outside Georgia, whether a FOX or CBS game reaches your local station depends on that week’s regional map. The three night games are national, so everyone gets them.
Falcons Kickoff Times by Time Zone
Atlanta sits in Eastern Time, so most of the schedule needs no conversion locally. Only four games land outside it: Green Bay, New Orleans and Minnesota are Central, and Madrid is six hours ahead in November. That 9:30 AM ET Madrid kickoff is the earliest of the year by a wide margin.
| EASTERN | CENTRAL | MOUNTAIN | PACIFIC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9:30 AM | 8:30 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:30 AM |
| 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM |
| 8:15 PM | 7:15 PM | 6:15 PM | 5:15 PM |
| 8:20 PM | 7:20 PM | 6:20 PM | 5:20 PM |
Daylight saving ends Sunday, November 1, 2026, the day of the Week 8 game at Tampa Bay. Every Falcons game from Week 8 onward is already on standard time. Arizona skips daylight saving, so Phoenix viewers follow the Pacific column through Week 7 and the Mountain column after that.
Printable Atlanta Falcons Schedule 2026 (Free PDF Download)
One US Letter page carrying the full Atlanta Falcons Schedule 2026: all 18 weeks, kickoff times in Eastern, TV channels and the Week 11 bye. Home games are bold and the Madrid date is flagged. It prints cleanly in black and white.
Want every team on one page? Get the full 2026 NFL schedule with all 32 teams, week by week.
Falcons 2026 Wall Calendar Printable (PDF)
The calendar version suits anyone who plans weekends around game days. Six month grids run from August 2026 to January 2027, with Mercedes-Benz Stadium dates in Falcons red and road trips outlined. Pin it up and November stands out immediately: Madrid, Kansas City at home and the bye all inside four weeks.
Week 9 in Madrid: A Home Game in Spain
Atlanta is the designated home team against Cincinnati on Sunday, November 8 at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, home of Real Madrid. Kickoff is 9:30 AM ET on NFL Network, 3:30 PM local.
Because it counts as a home game, season ticket memberships this year cover eight dates at Mercedes-Benz Stadium rather than nine, and Madrid seats sell only through the NFL’s Spanish ticketing portal.
The date carries a roster subplot. Rookie pass rusher James Pearce Jr., suspended eight games under the personal conduct policy, becomes eligible to return on November 2. That is Madrid week.
Quarterbacks, Captains and the Roster for Week 1
Atlanta has not reached the postseason since 2017, when it beat the Rams in the wild card round and lost in Philadelphia. Eight straight years outside, plus back to back 8-9 finishes in 2024 and 2025, triggered a full rebuild at the top. Kevin Stefanski became the 20th head coach in franchise history in January, Ian Cunningham arrived as general manager, and former quarterback Matt Ryan returned as President of Football.
The quarterback job is still open a week before the opener. Atlanta kept four passers on the initial 53, one of only a handful of clubs to do so: Michael Penix Jr., Tua Tagovailoa, Cooper Rush and rookie Jack Strand. Penix returned to full team drills in late August after tearing his left ACL last November and says he is ready. Stefanski has declined to name a Week 1 starter, telling reporters only that the decision would come when the depth chart is due.
The five captains for 2026 are Bijan Robinson, Chris Lindstrom, Jessie Bates III, Divine Deablo and kicker Nick Folk. Robinson signed an extension in August that runs through 2030. Drake London and Kyle Pitts Sr. both return on new deals.
The defense enters the season short handed. Outside linebacker Jalon Walker, the 15th overall pick in 2025, tore his ACL in practice on August 6 and is out for the year. Pearce is suspended into November.
Atlanta answered by signing veteran edge rusher Za’Darius Smith in August and trading for Bears defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. on cutdown day. That group is coming off a franchise record 57 sacks in 2025 under coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, who was retained.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium and Getting There
The Falcons have played downtown at Mercedes-Benz Stadium since it opened in August 2017. It seats roughly 71,000 for football, and its eight panel roof slides open like a camera aperture in about eight minutes, so no home game is ever lost to weather. Whether the roof is open or closed is decided game by game.
The venue is also known for Fan First Pricing, the concession menu that still lists two dollar hot dogs, pretzels and sodas. Rail beats driving: MARTA’s Vine City station and SEC District station, renamed from GWCC/CNN Center at the start of 2026, both sit a short walk from the gates. A clear bag policy applies at every event.
When Is the Falcons Bye Week in 2026?
Week 11, the weekend of November 22. It lands right after the home game against Kansas City and two weeks after Madrid, useful timing for a squad returning from transatlantic travel. Atlanta then plays seven straight weeks to close, from Minnesota on November 29 through Week 18 at Carolina.
How to Get Atlanta Falcons Tickets
Single game and season tickets come from the club at atlantafalcons.com/tickets, with Ticketmaster as the official primary and resale partner. Resale also runs through SeatGeek, StubHub and Vivid Seats.
Demand sets price, so the Chiefs, Ravens and Lions dates sit at the top of the range while early season afternoon games are usually the cheapest way in.
Madrid is the exception. It sits outside the season ticket package and does not go through the Falcons box office. Tickets run on the NFL’s Ticketmaster Spain portal with a limit of six per account, and the club sells a separate Falcons Fan Travel package bundling flights, hotel and game day access.
Atlanta Falcons Schedule 2026 FAQ
When do the Atlanta Falcons play their first game in 2026?
The Falcons open Sunday, September 13, 2026 at the Pittsburgh Steelers, 1:00 PM ET on FOX. The home opener follows on Sunday, September 20 against Carolina at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Kevin Stefanski coaches his first regular season game for Atlanta in the opener.
Who is the Falcons starting quarterback for Week 1?
Not announced. Atlanta kept four quarterbacks on the initial 53 man roster: Michael Penix Jr., Tua Tagovailoa, Cooper Rush and rookie Jack Strand. Penix returned to full team drills in late August after ACL surgery. Kevin Stefanski has said the call comes when the depth chart is due.
What channel are Atlanta Falcons games on in 2026?
FOX carries eight games, CBS three, and NBC, ESPN, Prime Video and NFL Network one each. Weeks 16 and 18 have no network yet. In Atlanta, FOX games air on WAGA, FOX 5, and CBS games on WUPA, channel 69.
When is the Falcons bye week in 2026?
Week 11, the weekend of November 22, 2026. It comes one week after the home game against Kansas City and two weeks after the Madrid trip.
Where do the Falcons play their international game in 2026?
Atlanta hosts Cincinnati at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain on Sunday, November 8, 2026. Kickoff is 9:30 AM ET on NFL Network, 3:30 PM local. It counts as a Falcons home game but is not part of the season ticket package.
How did the Falcons do in the 2026 preseason?
Atlanta went 2 and 1. They lost 27 to 7 at home to Denver on August 14, beat Indianapolis 34 to 6 on August 22, then beat Miami 17 to 12 on August 28.
When did the Atlanta Falcons last make the playoffs?
The 2017 season, when they beat the Rams in the wild card round and lost to the Eagles in the divisional round. Atlanta has missed the postseason eight straight years, finishing 8-9 in both 2024 and 2025.
Is there a printable Falcons 2026 schedule?
Yes. This page has two free PDFs: a one page schedule sheet with every date, kickoff time and TV channel, and a six month wall calendar covering August 2026 to January 2027. Both print on US Letter paper and need no email.
The Atlanta Falcons Schedule 2026 asks for answers early. Three prime time games in Weeks 3, 4 and 5, a 9:30 AM kickoff in Madrid, and the whole AFC North on the card.
Then it hands the season back to the division, with Tampa Bay, New Orleans and Carolina in the final three weeks and an eight year playoff drought riding on it.
Bookmark this page for kickoff times and TV channels, and print the free PDF above to keep the full slate in front of you.
