The 2026 Cincinnati Bengals schedule is locked in, and the wait is nearly over. Cincinnati swept the preseason at 3-0, trimmed to its 53 man roster, and opens the regular season at home against Tampa Bay on Sunday, September 13. The year ends where it always feels right, with a Battle of Ohio finale against Cleveland.
Below is every regular season game with the date, kickoff time in Eastern Time and TV channel, plus preseason results, the Week 6 bye, the Madrid trip, where to stream each network, and a free printable PDF for the fridge or your phone.
Free Printable Cincinnati Bengals Schedule PDF
The printable Cincinnati Bengals schedule fits the full season on one letter size page. Each row shows the opponent, date, start time in ET and TV channel, with room to write in scores and track the AFC North race through Week 18.
Print it for the office wall, the classroom or a game day watch party. It beats 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 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 lands 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 (Madrid) | 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 |
Week 9 is played at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid, where Atlanta is the designated home team. Kickoff times and channels for Weeks 16 and 18 are announced later in the season. Sunday afternoon games can also move between the 1:00 PM and 4:25 PM windows, Sunday night flex applies from Week 5 through Week 17, and Monday and Thursday night games become flex eligible from Weeks 12 and 13.
2026 Bengals Preseason Results and Week 1 Status
Cincinnati went 3-0 in August, its first unbeaten preseason since 2006. Zac Taylor pointed to the rebuilt defensive line as the roster’s biggest improvement, and all seven draft picks made the initial 53 man roster.
| GAME | DATE | OPPONENT | RESULT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thu, Aug 13 | vs Detroit Lions | Won 16-14 |
| 2 | Sat, Aug 22 | vs Chicago Bears | Won 27-9 |
| 3 | Fri, Aug 28 | at Philadelphia Eagles | Won 30-13 |
Heading into the opener, Tee Higgins is managing a heel contusion but is expected to play, and Dax Hill is back from a hamstring injury. Cornerback Ja’Sir Taylor and rookie lineman Brian Parker Jr. hold the two injured reserve return spots, so they cannot play in the first four games.
What Changed on the Bengals Roster for 2026
This is a different roster from the one that went 6-11 last year. Cincinnati rebuilt the defensive front and, for the first time in franchise history, traded away a top ten draft pick to do it.
- Dexter Lawrence arrives. The Bengals sent the No. 10 overall pick to the Giants for the defensive tackle, then added a year to his deal through 2028 worth 28 million dollars.
- More help up front and in the secondary. Edge rusher Boye Mafe and defensive tackle Jonathan Allen joined the line, with safeties Bryan Cook and Kyle Dugger added behind them.
- Key pieces stayed. Tackle Orlando Brown Jr. signed a two year extension through 2028, and Joe Flacco re-signed for another season as the backup quarterback.
- Hendrickson went to Baltimore. Trey Hendrickson signed with the Ravens, so Cincinnati faces its former sack leader twice, in Week 7 and again on New Year’s Eve. Joseph Ossai joined the Jets and tight end Noah Fant the Saints.
- Burrow is healthy. Grade 3 turf toe and September surgery cost him nine games in 2025. He returned on Thanksgiving, started eight more games and still made his third Pro Bowl in six seasons.
- Staff intact. Zac Taylor enters year eight with Dan Pitcher calling the offense, Al Golden running the defense and Darrin Simmons on special teams.
Key Matchups, Bye Week and the Madrid Game
The AFC North games are spread across the season rather than bunched. Cincinnati visits the Steelers in Week 3 and hosts them on Sunday Night Football in Week 10, travels to the Ravens in Week 7 and welcomes them back on New Year’s Eve, then splits the Battle of Ohio between Week 13 in Cleveland and the Week 18 finale at Paycor Stadium.
The strangest date is Sunday, November 8. Cincinnati meets Atlanta at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid at 9:30 AM ET on NFL Network. It is the club’s first regular season game in Spain and the second NFL game staged in Madrid, after Washington and Miami met at the Bernabeu in November 2025. The early Week 6 bye gives the staff a long runway to plan the trip.
Games worth circling:
- Week 1 vs Buccaneers, home opener on September 13
- Week 7 at Ravens, first look at Trey Hendrickson in purple
- 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 buying early usually costs less.
How to Watch the Cincinnati Bengals Schedule on TV and Streaming
Most games air on national broadcast television. CBS carries seven, 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 |
| FOX One and Fox Sports app | FOX games in Weeks 1, 5, 14 and 15 |
| Peacock | Sunday Night Football vs Pittsburgh, Week 10 |
| ESPN app | Monday Night Football at Washington, Week 11, with a qualifying ESPN plan or TV provider login |
| Prime Video | Thursday Night Football vs Baltimore, Week 17 |
| NFL+ | Madrid game plus local and primetime games on mobile |
| NFL Sunday Ticket | Out of market Sunday afternoon games, on YouTube TV and YouTube Primetime Channels |
| 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, and most streaming services still run a free trial you can time around a big matchup. Radio coverage runs on flagships 700 WLW, ESPN 1530 and 102.7 WEBN, with Dan Hoard on play by play alongside analysts Dave Lapham and Tony Pike.
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.
When is the Bengals bye week in 2026?
The Bengals have their bye in Week 6, on the weekend of October 18. It falls right before the trip to Spain.
How did the Bengals do in the 2026 preseason?
Cincinnati finished 3-0, beating Detroit 16-14, Chicago 27-9 and Philadelphia 30-13. It was the first unbeaten Bengals preseason since 2006.
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 it counts as a road game for the Bengals.
What channel are Bengals games on in 2026?
CBS carries seven 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. 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.
Who is the Bengals quarterback and head coach in 2026?
Joe Burrow is the starting quarterback. Grade 3 turf toe and September surgery cost him nine games in 2025, but he returned on Thanksgiving and made his third Pro Bowl in six seasons. Joe Flacco is the backup. Zac Taylor returns for his eighth season as head coach with coordinators Dan Pitcher and Al Golden.
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, 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 once 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.