Bengals Schedule Release Predictions: International return, new holiday game day, and setting things right with divisional showdown
The Cincinnati Bengals’ 2026 schedule is just days from being fully revealed. A potential return to Europe is on the table, as is a national broadcast on a special day of the week. Here are a few predictions for what the schedule may look like.
The 2026 NFL regular season schedule release is set for Thursday evening. Before then, we’ll learn about marquee matchups, rivalries in primetime, and maybe a nugget or two about what the Cincinnati Bengals have in store for them.
Everything about the NFL has to be a spectacle, of course.
Before we see the full 18-week slate, let’s take a crack at a few Bengals schedule predictions.
Return to London for familiar matchup
Cincinnati is eligible to play in one of two international games this fall. The club may be traveling to Madrid for the first time ever to face the Atlanta Falcons, or play in London for the third time ever and face the Washington Commanders.
I’m going with history here and predict a return to the United Kingdom. It’s been seven years since the Bengals went across the pond to play in England, and 10 years since their first trip. They tied Washington in front of a crowd accustomed to draws back in 2016. I think the league will highlight this matchup again, using the Joe Burrow vs. Jayden Daniels quarterback duel to its advantage.
Not another short week road game in Baltimore
The last time Cincinnati played on the road against the Baltimore Ravens on a Sunday was in 2021! The last four times this AFC North rivalry was played in Baltimore have been Thursday night games.That’s almost impossible to believe. Burrow even called this out last year following the 2025 schedule release.
Does Burrow have actual influence on the schedule? Maybe to inspire primetime scheduling, but not to get his exact way. The Bengals would’ve already been overseas with him by now if that were the case. I do think his outcry is answered this time around and we see a true weekend or Monday night tilt. Any day later than Thursday will do unless it happen to be coming off the bye week.
Black Friday debut
It wasn’t too long ago the Bengals lobbied to host a game every year on Black Friday. Not only did that effort fall on deaf ears, Cincinnati has yet to even play on the day of Thanksgiving since it became a new tradition in 2023.
This may be the least likely to come true, but why not give it a shout? The Bengals were fun to watch on Thanksgiving night last season in Burrow’s first game back from his turf toe injury. They have an all-black alternate they can wear for the occasion.
I ask again: why not? Let’s see it happen.