It Sounds Like the Chicago Bears Could Travel to Spain in the 2026 NFL Season

The Atlanta Falcons have a guaranteed 'home' game in Madrid, Spain, in the 2026 NFL Season. The Bears are one of only three teams on their home schedule, along with the Chiefs and Dolphins, to have marketing rights in Spain.

It feels safe to assume the Dolphins wouldn't have another matchup in Madrid since they played the Commanders there this season. That leaves the Bears and Chiefs as the only logical matchups for the international clash.

FWIW, the #Bears and #Chiefs both hold NFL marketing rights in Spain and both are on the Falcons’ home schedule in 2026. https://t.co/DfkaYeoGlK
— Adam Hoge (@AdamHoge) March 3, 2026

This would be a huge win for the Bears. The NFC already has an extra home game in 2026 (because the AFC did last season, and they alternate each year). While it would be a long flight overseas (albeit only slightly longer than Atlanta), playing one of their eight road games in a neutral territory would be beneficial.

Also, it's safe to say that the Bears have a bigger presence in Europe. They're one of the league's most popular teams in the UK. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Falcons don't have much of a fanbase overseas.

Furthermore, I honestly can't comment on just how well Falcons fans travel, but I know Bears fans travel extremely well. They took over Tottenham Hotspur Stadium during their clash against the Jaguars in 2024. If Chicago were to have a 'road' matchup with the Falcons in Madrid, it would have quite the home game atmosphere.

Now, it's still unclear whether the Bears or Chiefs will be the ones to cash in (the Chiefs are also one of the most popular teams overseas) on the 'road' game against Atlanta. However, there are a few reasons to believe the Bears would be the better pick for the NFL.

For starters, the clash will be a standalone game, and the Bears are due for a steady uptick in primetime matchups next season. They were one of the league's most exciting teams this season, and the NFL will probably want to give their international audience a show.

There are also better storylines between the Falcons and Bears than between the Chiefs and Falcons. Starting quarterbacks Caleb Williams and Michael Penix Jr. were both top 10 picks in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Falcons also poached their general manager, Ian Cunningham, from the Bears this offseason.

While we won't know for sure whether the Bears will be the opponent until the schedule is released in May, they seem to be the likely favorite.