The NFL has confirmed that it will be returning to Madrid after it made its debut in the Spanish capital this past season.
The league announced that it is locked in to a new ‘multiyear’ deal with the City of Madrid and Comunidad de Madrid, which will begin in the 2026 season.
The partnership will see the NFL continue to play regular season games at the iconic Bernabéu Stadium – the home of European soccer giants Real Madrid.
‘The 2025 NFL Madrid game at the Bernabéu was a pivotal moment for the sport in Spain, and we are delighted to confirm that we will return to play a regular season game in 2026 in a multi-year partnership with the City of Madrid, Comunidad de Madrid and Real Madrid C.F.,’ said NFL Spain Country Manager Rafa De Los Santos.
‘This multi-year commitment to playing games in Madrid – a world-class global cultural and sporting destination – underlines our commitment to the market and enables us to continue to engage fans year-round and invest long-term in initiatives like NFL Flag and youth participation nationwide.’
The NFL hosted its first game in Madrid in November, when the Miami Dolphins beat the Washington Commanders in a dramatic overtime thriller in front of almost 80,000 Spanish fans.
The NFL announced a multiyear deal to host regular-season games in Madrid
And the league is now looking to replicate that feat through the next few seasons as Madrid joins the long list of international games.
The deal comes as the NFL continues its international expansion with seven regular-season games confirmed to be taking place abroad next season.
Melbourne, Rio De Janeiro, Munich and Madrid are all slated to host a game each, while London will continue its strong NFL turnout with three.
Many football fans welcomed the announcement on Monday as they hailed the addition of a Madrid game as a regular fixture as ‘wonderful.’
‘Smart expansion, calculated risk,’ one social media user wrote. ‘The National Football League locking in Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium signals Europe is no longer a novelty market, it’s core growth. Spain brings scale, tourism muscle, and a global brand venue.
‘This isn’t about one game. It’s about anchoring the NFL permanently in continental Europe.’
Another added: ‘NFL at the Bernabéu? That’s massive. Football meets fútbol in Madrid!’
‘This 2026 NFL season will be a superb hit,’ claimed a third.
The partnership will see the NFL continue to play games at the iconic Bernabéu Stadium
The Miami Dolphins beat the Washington Commanders in the Spanish capital this season
However, others weren’t so enthused about the string of international game as they claimed it was robbing American fans of the chance to see their teams.
‘Showing once again the NFL has ZERO integrity,’ one user fumed. ‘They will go anywhere, irrespective of political horrors. Surprised they have passed on Qatar. One day soon the fans in North America will say enough.’
It is unclear what political horrors the user was referring to in Spain.
‘stop taking home games away from local fans,’ another urged.
A third furiously posted: ‘Beyond ridiculous. Australia…. What the hell are we doing in the NATIONAL Football League……’
62 NFL games have been played around the world so far, with Frankfurt, Mexico City and Toronto also getting a taste of the sport.
It has yet to be decided which teams will play in Madrid next season but the Chicago Bears, Kansas City Chiefs and Dolphins all have marketing rights in Spain, suggesting that one of the three could be the home team for the matchup.