The 2026 Cincinnati Bengals schedule opens with a home game against Tampa Bay on September 13 and closes with a Battle of Ohio finale against Cleveland, with a trip to Madrid and a New Year’s Eve primetime game against Baltimore along the way.
Below you will find every preseason and regular season game with the date, kickoff time in Eastern Time and TV channel, plus the Week 6 bye, the streaming options for each network, and a free printable PDF you can keep on the fridge or your phone.
Free Printable Cincinnati Bengals Schedule PDF
The printable Cincinnati Bengals schedule puts the full season on one letter size page. Every row shows the opponent, date, start time in ET and TV channel, with space to write in scores and follow the AFC North race through Week 18.
Print it for the office wall, the classroom or a game day watch party. It is a faster way to check kickoff times than opening a schedule app every Sunday morning.
Just click and save the PDF. Then print it or share it with a fellow fan.
Free Download Bengals Printable Schedule
2026 Cincinnati Bengals Preseason Schedule
Cincinnati plays two preseason games at Paycor Stadium before a Friday night trip to Philadelphia. Detroit and Chicago both beat the Bengals during the 2025 regular season, and Philadelphia hosted last year’s preseason opener. The first two air on the Bengals Preseason TV Network, carried locally by Local 12 in Cincinnati, and the finale is on CBS.
| WEEK | DATE | OPPONENT | TIME (ET) | TV CHANNEL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thu, Aug 13 | vs Detroit Lions | 7:00 PM | Bengals Preseason TV Network |
| 2 | Sat, Aug 22 | vs Chicago Bears | 7:00 PM | Bengals Preseason TV Network |
| 3 | Fri, Aug 28 | at Philadelphia Eagles | 8:00 PM | CBS |
The August 28 game in Philadelphia lands two days before the August 30 roster cut deadline, so it is the last real audition for players on the bubble.
2026 Cincinnati Bengals Schedule: Full Regular Season
Here is the complete week by week slate with kickoff times in Eastern Time. Cincinnati plays eight home games at Paycor Stadium, eight true road games and one neutral site game in Spain. The bye comes early, in Week 6.
| WEEK | DATE | OPPONENT | TIME (ET) | TV CHANNEL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sun, Sep 13 | vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1:00 PM | FOX |
| 2 | Sun, Sep 20 | at Houston Texans | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| 3 | Sun, Sep 27 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| 4 | Sun, Oct 4 | vs Jacksonville Jaguars | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| 5 | Sun, Oct 11 | at Miami Dolphins | 1:00 PM | FOX |
| 6 | Sun, Oct 18 | BYE WEEK | None | None |
| 7 | Sun, Oct 25 | at Baltimore Ravens | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| 8 | Sun, Nov 1 | vs Tennessee Titans | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| 9 | Sun, Nov 8 | at Atlanta Falcons | 9:30 AM | NFL Network |
| 10 | Sun, Nov 15 | vs Pittsburgh Steelers | 8:20 PM | NBC |
| 11 | Mon, Nov 23 | at Washington Commanders | 8:15 PM | ESPN |
| 12 | Sun, Nov 29 | vs New Orleans Saints | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| 13 | Sun, Dec 6 | at Cleveland Browns | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| 14 | Sun, Dec 13 | vs Kansas City Chiefs | 4:25 PM | FOX |
| 15 | Sun, Dec 20 | at Carolina Panthers | 1:00 PM | FOX |
| 16 | Dec 26 or 27 | at Indianapolis Colts | TBD | TBD |
| 17 | Thu, Dec 31 | vs Baltimore Ravens | 8:15 PM | Prime Video |
| 18 | Jan 9 or 10 | vs Cleveland Browns | TBD | TBD |
The Week 9 game against Atlanta is played at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid, where the Falcons are the designated home team. Kickoff times and channels for Weeks 16 and 18 are set later in the season, and Sunday afternoon games remain eligible for flexible scheduling.
Key Matchups, Bye Week and the Madrid Game
Cincinnati faces its six AFC North games in a compressed stretch. The Bengals visit the Steelers in Week 3 and host them on Sunday Night Football in Week 10, travel to the Ravens in Week 7 and welcome them back on New Year’s Eve, then split the Battle of Ohio between Week 13 in Cleveland and the Week 18 finale at Paycor Stadium.
The most unusual date is Sunday, November 8. Cincinnati meets Atlanta at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid at 9:30 AM ET on NFL Network, the club’s first regular season game in Spain and the second NFL game staged in the Spanish capital. It follows an early bye in Week 6, which gives the coaching staff a long runway before the trip.
Three primetime windows are on the card, two of them against division rivals: Sunday night against Pittsburgh in Week 10, Monday night at Washington in Week 11, and Thursday night against Baltimore on December 31. The Week 14 visit from Kansas City in the late Sunday afternoon window is the widest national broadcast of the year for the Bengals.
Games worth circling:
- Week 1 vs Buccaneers, home opener on September 13
- Week 9 at Falcons in Madrid, 9:30 AM ET kickoff
- Week 10 vs Steelers, Sunday Night Football
- Week 14 vs Chiefs, national late window on FOX
- Week 17 vs Ravens, New Year’s Eve on Prime Video
- Week 18 vs Browns, Battle of Ohio finale
Home tickets are sold through the official Bengals ticket office and verified resale marketplaces such as Ticketmaster, StubHub, SeatGeek and Vivid Seats. Prices for the Steelers, Ravens, Browns and Chiefs games climb as kickoff nears, so early is usually cheaper.
How to Watch the 2026 Cincinnati Bengals Schedule on TV and Streaming
Most games on the Cincinnati Bengals schedule air on national broadcast television. CBS carries the bulk of the AFC slate, FOX has four, NBC has Sunday Night Football, ESPN has Monday Night Football, NFL Network has the Madrid game, and Prime Video has the New Year’s Eve meeting with Baltimore.
| PLATFORM | GAMES COVERED |
|---|---|
| Paramount+ | CBS games, seven in all, on either plan |
| FOX One and Fox Sports app | FOX games in Weeks 1, 5, 14 and 15 |
| Peacock | Sunday Night Football vs Pittsburgh, Week 10 |
| ESPN Unlimited and Disney+ | Monday Night Football at Washington, Week 11 |
| Prime Video | Thursday Night Football vs Baltimore, Week 17 |
| NFL+ | Madrid game plus local and primetime games on mobile |
| YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, DirecTV Stream | CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN and NFL Network live |
You can also watch free. An HD antenna pulls in local CBS, FOX and NBC broadcasts at no cost across Greater Cincinnati, Dayton and Northern Kentucky, Local 12 carries the first two preseason games, and most streaming services still offer a free trial you can time around a big matchup.
Bengals radio coverage runs on flagships 700 WLW, ESPN 1530 and 102.7 WEBN, with Dan Hoard and Dave Lapham on the call.
FAQ About the 2026 Cincinnati Bengals Season
When do the Bengals play their first game in 2026?
Cincinnati opens the regular season at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, September 13 at 1:00 PM ET on FOX. The preseason opener is Thursday, August 13 at Paycor Stadium against the Detroit Lions.
When is the Bengals bye week in 2026?
The Bengals have their bye in Week 6, on the weekend of October 18. It comes right before the AFC North stretch and the trip to Spain.
Do the Bengals play an international game in 2026?
Yes. Cincinnati faces the Atlanta Falcons at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid, Spain on Sunday, November 8 at 9:30 AM ET on NFL Network. Atlanta is the designated home team, so the game counts as a road game for the Bengals.
Who is the Bengals head coach and quarterback in 2026?
Zac Taylor returns for his eighth season as head coach after the Bengals retained him and personnel executive Duke Tobin. Joe Burrow is the starting quarterback, healthy again after the turf toe surgery that cost him nine games in 2025. Dan Pitcher is the offensive coordinator and Al Golden the defensive coordinator.
Where do the Bengals play their home games?
The Bengals play at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. Eight of their 17 regular season games are at Paycor Stadium in 2026.
What channel are Bengals games on in 2026?
CBS carries seven Bengals games and FOX has four. NBC has the Week 10 Sunday night game, ESPN has the Week 11 Monday night game, NFL Network has the Madrid game and Prime Video has the December 31 game against Baltimore. Channels for Weeks 16 and 18 are still to be announced.
When do the Bengals play the Steelers, Ravens and Browns in 2026?
Cincinnati visits Pittsburgh in Week 3 and hosts the Steelers in Week 10, visits Baltimore in Week 7 and hosts the Ravens in Week 17, and visits Cleveland in Week 13 before hosting the Browns in the Week 18 finale.
How many primetime games do the Bengals have in 2026?
Three. Sunday Night Football against Pittsburgh on November 15, Monday Night Football at Washington on November 23, and Thursday Night Football against Baltimore on December 31.
Do the Bengals play on Thanksgiving or Christmas in 2026?
No. Cincinnati is not on the Thanksgiving or Christmas Day slate in 2026. The closest holiday game is the New Year’s Eve meeting with Baltimore on Thursday, December 31.
How did the Bengals do in the 2025 season?
Cincinnati finished 6-11 and missed the playoffs for a third straight year. Joe Burrow was injured in Week 2 and missed nine games, with Jake Browning and then Joe Flacco starting in his place.
Can I watch Bengals games for free?
Yes. An HD antenna picks up local CBS, FOX and NBC broadcasts at no cost in the Cincinnati market, Local 12 airs the first two preseason games, and streaming services such as Peacock and Paramount+ run free trial offers you can time around a key game.
From the September home opener to a morning kickoff in Madrid and a New Year’s Eve rivalry night, the 2026 Cincinnati Bengals schedule gives fans plenty to plan around. Bookmark this page, download the free printable Bengals schedule, and check back as the NFL confirms times for Weeks 16 and 18.
For more, browse the full 2026 NFL schedule, the 2026 NFL preseason schedule and our printable list of NFL teams.