On Super Bowl week, the NFL officially announced that the first-ever regular season NFL game in Spain would be played in Real Madrid's stadium, the Santiago Bernabeu. Many rumors started as soon as the Real Madrid renovation of the Bernabeu started. Spain joins countries like Mexico, England, and Germany as countries hosting regular season NFL games.
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Five games were played abroad last year. The Atlanta Falcons and the Jacksonville Jaguars played each other in Wembley Stadium for Week 4 of the NFL season. Week 5, the Jaguars played the Buffalo Bills in the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The Tottenham Hotspur stadium hosted the Baltimore Ravens and the Tennesse Titans the week after. Frankfurt Stadium in Germany hosts two NFL games in two weeks. The Miami Dolphins played the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 9, while the Indianapolis Colts played the New England Patriots in Week 10.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell spoke about the announcement of the NFL hosting a game in Spain. Goodell said, "Playing a game in Madrid in 2025 highlights the continued expansion of the league's global footprint and the accelerated ambitions to take our game to more fans around the world. We are proud to partner with Real Madrid C.F., a global brand, together with the City of Madrid and Comunidad de Madrid, to bring a spectacular regular season game to Spain at the world-class Santiago Bernabéu Stadium."
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez spoke about the announcement as well, saying, "The National Football League's arrival at the Santiago Bernabeu is a major event in sports history. This strategic alliance between Real Madrid and an organization of the NFL's prestige will boost our brands globally. It will be enthusiastically welcomed by millions of people on all continents, and it is an honor to embark on this journey together."
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The Miami Dolphins and the Chicago Bears could play at the Santiago Bernabeu
NFL insider Johnathan Jones reports that the Miami Dolphins and the Chicago Bears have marketing rights in Spain. It is expected one of them will ‘host’ the NFL game at the Santiago Bernabeu next year.
