Marc RaimondiMar 3, 2026, 08:32 AM ET
- Marc Raimondi's first year covering the Falcons was 2024, but it wasn't his first year at ESPN. He joined the company in 2019 and was a top combat sports reporter. He also covered professional wrestling and wrote the book "Say Hello to the Bad Guys: How Pro Wrestling's New World Order Changed America," which was published by Simon & Schuster in 2025. Raimondi also worked for the New York Post and Newsday, beginning in 2009, covering high school and college sports, plus the NFL, NFL, MLB and NHL.
The Atlanta Falcons will play a game in Madrid this coming season, the NFL announced Tuesday morning.
The game will be played at the Bernabéu, the home of Real Madrid, and is part of a multiyear partnership with the city of Madrid and Comunidad de Madrid.
It was not stated whether the Falcons will be the home team or the away team, though it had been previously announced that the Falcons would host an international game in 2026. Atlanta's opponent was not announced.
This will be part of a record nine international games in the NFL this coming season.
Falcons president and CEO Greg Beadles noted that the team playing in Madrid is a "perfect fit" because Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, the Falcons' home field, will host two Spain games during the upcoming World Cup.
The Falcons were the road team against the Indianapolis Colts last season in Berlin.
This will be the NFL's second game in Madrid. The Miami Dolphins played the Washington Commanders last season at the Bernabéu. It is the sixth Falcons regular-season game internationally and fifth in Europe.
