What Time Is the Atlanta Falcons Game? Local Guide for Fans in Atlanta

If you’re in Atlanta, Georgia and searching for the time of the Atlanta Falcons game, you’re not alone. Game times shift week to week, and they can be different for home games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium versus national TV matchups. This guide explains how Falcons game times usually work, what to expect for Sunday, Monday, and Thursday games, and how Atlanta fans can quickly figure out when to head downtown or turn on the TV.

How NFL Game Times Work for the Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons’ game time depends on a few key factors:

  • Day of the week (Sunday, Monday, Thursday, or occasionally Saturday late in the season)
  • TV broadcast slot (local vs. national)
  • Home vs. away game
  • Time zone (all local references here are in Eastern Time, Atlanta’s time zone)

Most regular-season Falcons games are played on Sundays, with kickoff commonly around 1:00 p.m. Eastern. However, the team also appears in late-afternoon and prime-time slots, especially for nationally televised games.

Typical Atlanta Falcons Game Time Slots (Eastern Time)

Below is a simple overview of the most common NFL kickoff windows and what they mean for Atlanta fans.

DayCommon Kickoff Time (ET)What It Usually Means for Falcons Fans in Atlanta
Sunday1:00 p.m.Most regular-season games; standard local kickoff
Sunday4:05 / 4:25 p.m.National or regional late-afternoon TV window
Sunday8:20 p.m.Sunday Night Football (national prime-time)
Monday8:15 p.m.Monday Night Football, often a bigger spotlight
Thursday8:15 p.m.Thursday Night Football (short week, prime-time)
Occasional Sat.Late afternoon / eveningSpecial late-season or holiday games

All of these times are Eastern Time, so if you’re in Metro Atlanta (Midtown, Buckhead, Decatur, Marietta, etc.), you don’t have to do any time zone conversions.

How to Find Today’s Exact Atlanta Falcons Game Time

Because the exact time for the Falcons game changes each week, the safest approach is to:

  1. Check the official schedule
    Look up the current season’s Atlanta Falcons schedule and confirm:

    • Date
    • Kickoff time (ET)
    • Home or away
    • TV network

  2. Verify on game day
    NFL schedules can occasionally be flexed, especially late in the season, so it’s wise to:

    • Re-check the time the morning of the game
    • Confirm whether it’s a 1 p.m., 4:05/4:25 p.m., or prime-time kickoff

  3. Use local TV listings in Atlanta
    Local broadcast stations in Atlanta generally show game times clearly in their listings. If the Falcons are on a major network that week, the game time will usually be easy to spot in the program guide.

Home Game Times at Mercedes-Benz Stadium

When the Falcons play at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta, kickoff times follow the same NFL national windows, but your arrival time is what really changes.

Stadium Location

Mercedes-Benz Stadium
1 AMB Drive NW
Atlanta, GA 30313

This is just west of downtown, near the heart of the city, within walking distance of the Vine City and GWCC/CNN Center MARTA stations.

When You Should Arrive vs. Official Kickoff

Even though the game might kick off at 1:00 p.m., you usually don’t want to arrive at that exact time. For Atlanta home games:

  • For a 1:00 p.m. game
    • Aim to arrive in the 12:00–12:30 p.m. window.
    • If you’re driving and parking, 11:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. is more comfortable, especially for big divisional matchups.
  • For a 4:05 / 4:25 p.m. game
    • Plan for around 3:00–3:30 p.m. arrival.
  • For an 8:15 / 8:20 p.m. night game (Monday, Thursday, or Sunday night)
    • Consider arriving between 6:45–7:30 p.m., earlier if you’re meeting friends or exploring the stadium amenities.

Why arrive early?

  • Security screening and bag checks
  • Navigating stadium entry and finding your section
  • Grabbing food or drinks before kickoff
  • Enjoying pre-game activities, warmups, or team introductions

Watching the Falcons Game on TV in Atlanta

If you’re not going to the stadium, the time of the Falcons game still determines your whole viewing plan:

Typical TV Windows (Atlanta, Eastern Time)

  • 1:00 p.m. Sunday – Most Falcons regular-season games fall here.
  • 4:05 / 4:25 p.m. Sunday – Late-afternoon slot; the team may appear here when they’re part of a featured regional or national matchup.
  • Prime-time games (8:15–8:20 p.m.) – Monday Night Football, Thursday Night Football, and Sunday Night Football.

The exact channel can change week to week, but the time window (1 p.m., 4:05/4:25 p.m., or prime-time) generally stays consistent once it’s announced for that game.

If you’re planning watch parties at home, in Midtown bars, or at restaurants in areas like Inman Park, Old Fourth Ward, or West Midtown, confirm the kickoff time ahead of time so everyone knows when to show up.

Getting to the Falcons Game on Time: Transportation Tips for Atlanta

Knowing what time the Falcons game starts is only part of the story—Atlanta traffic and parking can affect how early you need to leave.

MARTA Timing Tips

For big home games, using MARTA can be one of the easiest ways to arrive closer to kickoff without parking stress.

Closest stations to Mercedes-Benz Stadium:

  • GWCC/CNN Center Station (Blue/Green Line)
  • Vine City Station (Blue/Green Line)

If kickoff is at 1:00 p.m.:

  • Plan to be on a train by around 11:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m., depending on where you’re coming from (Brookhaven, Sandy Springs, College Park, Decatur, etc.).
  • Check that your Breeze Card is loaded before you head out to avoid lines.

If it’s a night game (around 8:15 p.m.):

  • Account for heavier crowds after work and allow extra time, especially if traveling from Perimeter, Dunwoody, or airport-area hotels.

Driving and Parking Timing

If you’re driving to a Falcons game:

  • For a 1:00 p.m. kickoff:
    • Leaving by 11:00–11:30 a.m. from most in-town neighborhoods (Grant Park, West End, East Atlanta) is usually more comfortable.
    • Coming from farther suburbs like Alpharetta, Kennesaw, McDonough, or Lawrenceville may require leaving even earlier to avoid delays.
  • For late-afternoon or evening kickoffs:
    • Expect heavier traffic if the game overlaps with typical rush hour windows (especially Monday and Thursday prime-time games).

Securing parking in advance and checking your route for road closures can help you match your arrival time to the listed game time without last-minute stress.

Preseason, Regular Season, and Playoffs: Do Game Times Change?

From an Atlanta fan’s perspective, game timing patterns are similar, but there are a few differences worth noting:

Preseason

  • Falcons preseason games are often in the evening, especially on weekdays.
  • Friday or Saturday preseason games may kick off in early evening or prime-time.
  • Times can be a bit more variable, so double-check close to the date.

Regular Season

  • Most games are Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET.
  • A handful of games might be:
    • 4:05 / 4:25 p.m. Sunday
    • Monday night
    • Thursday night
    • Occasionally special holiday or Saturday games.

Playoffs

If the Falcons make the postseason:

  • Game times follow NFL playoff broadcast windows, often in:
    • Early afternoon
    • Late afternoon
    • Prime-time
  • Exact times may be finalized closer to the game date, so times can shift more than in the regular season.

Quick Checklist: Figuring Out Today’s Atlanta Falcons Game Time

Use this simple checklist if you’re in Atlanta and need to know when the Falcons play today:

  1. Confirm the date

    • Is the Falcons game actually today or later in the week?

  2. Check the kickoff time in Eastern Time

    • Look for 1:00 p.m., 4:05/4:25 p.m., or 8:15–8:20 p.m. windows.

  3. Note home vs. away

    • Home game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium: Plan arrival 60–90 minutes before kickoff.
    • Away game: Plan TV or watch-party start time around kickoff.

  4. Plan your transportation

    • MARTA: Aim to board early enough to reach GWCC/CNN Center or Vine City with time to spare.
    • Driving: Add extra time for traffic, especially from outside the city core.

  5. Re-check on game day

    • Verify there have been no time changes or flex scheduling.

Key Takeaways for Atlanta Fans

  • Most Atlanta Falcons games kick off at 1:00 p.m. Eastern on Sundays, but late-afternoon and prime-time slots are also common.
  • All times for Falcons games are in Eastern Time, which matches Atlanta’s local time, so no conversion is needed if you’re in the city or Metro Atlanta.
  • For home games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, aim to arrive well before the listed kickoff time to handle security, find your seat, and avoid traffic delays.
  • For TV viewing in Atlanta, focus on whether the game is in the 1 p.m., 4:05/4:25 p.m., or prime-time window, then plan your gathering around that.

By checking the current schedule and planning your travel or watch plans around the kickoff window, you can be sure you’re ready right when the Atlanta Falcons game starts.