If you’re refreshing your feed today, Saturday, January 17, 2026, looking for a kickoff time, I’ve got some bad news. The Atlanta Falcons aren't playing. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not next week.
While the NFL playoffs are currently in full swing—with the Buffalo Bills and Denver Broncos duking it out right now and the 49ers heading to Seattle later tonight—the Dirty Birds are officially on vacation. Atlanta finished the 2025 season with an 8-9 record. It was a messy, frustrating year that ended in a three-way tie for the NFC South crown, but thanks to the NFL’s convoluted tiebreaker rules, the Falcons tumbled to third place.
That means no Wild Card, no Divisional round, and no Super Bowl run this year.
So, when do the Atlanta Falcons play next? Basically, you're looking at a long wait until August 2026. Unless the NFL makes a massive change to the calendar, the Falcons won't take the field again until the preseason starts in late summer. The actual regular season won't kick off until roughly September 10, 2026.
The Long Wait for the 2026 Schedule
Even though the guys aren't suiting up this weekend, we actually know exactly who they are playing. We just don't know when yet. The NFL usually drops the full schedule—dates, times, and those crucial primetime slots—sometime in mid-May.
📖 Related: Jake Paul Mike Tyson Tattoo: What Most People Get Wrong
Since they finished third in the division, the Falcons got a bit of a mixed bag for their 2026 opponents. They’ll be facing the NFC North and the AFC North in their entirety. That’s a brutal draw. You've got road trips to Lambeau Field and the "Black and Gold" territory in Pittsburgh.
Here is what the 2026 slate looks like:
Home Games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium:
- Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (The usual divisional suspects)
- Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions
- Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals
- San Francisco 49ers (The NFC West "same-place" finisher)
- Kansas City Chiefs (The AFC West "same-place" finisher)
Away Games:
👉 See also: What Place Is The Phillies In: The Real Story Behind the NL East Standings
- Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings
- Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers
- Washington Commanders (The NFC East "same-place" finisher)
That Weird International Game Rumor
One thing you should keep an eye on: the Falcons are slated to host an international game in 2026. The league confirmed back in December that Atlanta was granted a home game abroad. We don't know if it’s London, Munich, or maybe somewhere new, but one of those nine home games listed above won't actually be in Georgia.
Honestly, it’s probably going to be one of the non-divisional matchups. Imagine the Ravens or the Chiefs in London. It’s a logistical nightmare for the team, but a cool experience for fans who like to travel.
Why the 8-9 Finish Matters
It's easy to look at 8-9 and think, "Hey, they were close." And they were. A 19-17 win over the Saints in Week 18 felt like a moral victory, but because the Panthers and Bucs also hovered around that .500 mark, the Falcons got the short end of the tiebreaker stick.
This third-place finish is why they have to play the 49ers and the Chiefs next year. If they had won the division, they would be playing the first-place teams from the other conferences (likely the Seahawks and Raiders/Broncos equivalent). In a weird way, finishing third might have given them a slightly harder schedule than the division winner.
✨ Don't miss: Huskers vs Michigan State: What Most People Get Wrong About This Big Ten Rivalry
What Happens Now?
Since there is no game next week, the focus shifts to the front office. Raheem Morris and the coaching staff are likely already deep into tape. The 2026 NFL Draft in April is the next "big event" for the franchise.
If you're looking for football to watch right now, you’ve got plenty of options, just none involving a red and black jersey. Tomorrow, January 18, features the Texans at the Patriots and the Rams at the Bears. Then you've got the Conference Championships on January 25 and Super Bowl LX on February 8 in Santa Clara.
Actionable Insights for Falcons Fans:
- Don't buy "season tickets" from unofficial sources yet. The schedule isn't out. Anyone selling specific dates for 2026 right now is a scammer.
- Watch the Senior Bowl. It happens in early February. That's where the Falcons will start scouting the talent to fix that 8-9 defense.
- Mark your calendar for May 14-16. This is the typical window for the NFL Schedule Release. That is when we will finally have a real answer for "when do the Atlanta Falcons play next."
- Check your passport. If you plan on following the team to their international home game, you'll want to be ready before the location is announced this spring.
The season is over, but the cycle never really stops. Keep an eye on the free agency period in March; that's when we'll see if this team is serious about breaking that .500 ceiling in 2026.