Lights go out mid-play during Bengals-Falcons game in Madrid

In the latest international game of the 2026 season, the Bengals’ 34-17 victory over the Falcons was interrupted by a brief blackout at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, Spain.With a minute and 58 seconds remaining in the game, as the Bengals were attempting to run out the clock with Samaje Perine, the field went dark as the stadium lights malfunctioned.Officials ruled the play did not count, despite the limited time remaining in the contest. The floodlights on the stadium’s pitch have not experienced a mishap like this in some time; the last time the lights went out was in 2012, during the 61st minute of a La Liga matchup between Real Madrid and Racing Santander.

The game was paused for a couple of minutes.Stadium lights going dark is a rare occurrence in professional football, but not unheard of.Super Bowl 47 in 2013 famously went dark for 34 minutes at the Superdome in New Orleans.

The disruption came during the third quarter of the Baltimore Ravens defeating the San Francisco 49ers, 34-31.The NFL has faced a few issues during this year’s slate of international games, with the Week 6 game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints in Paris facing civil unrest and protests in the city that threatened to derail the game. Cincinnati’s 17-point victory snaps a three-game stretch of one-score games overseas.The Bengals offense also played lights out behind their lethal passing attack.Joe Burrow lit up the Falcons defense, completing 24 of 29 passes for three touchdowns while wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins both caught touchdown passes.

Chase had another marquee performance with 155 receiving yards on 10 catches.The Bengals advance to 6-2 and are tied with the Steelers for first in the AFC North after this international beatdown....