The Miami Dolphins beat the Washington Commanders in the first NFL game played in Spain on Nov. 16 at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid. Photo by Juanjo Martin/EPA
NFL regular-season games will return to Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in 2026 as part of a multi-year partnership, the league announced Monday.
The league played its first game in Spain — at the home of the Spanish La Liga power — on Nov. 16, when the Miami Dolphins beat the Washington Commanders in Madrid.
“The 2025 NFL Madrid game at the Bernabeu 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.,” NFL Spain country manager Rafa De Los Santos said in a news release.
“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 Chicago Bears and Kansas City Chiefs, along with the Dolphins, maintain marketing rights in Spain as part of the NFL’s global markets program. The NFL, which said that 11 million fans live in Spain, launched its youth flag football program in the country in 2024.
“It is an honor and a privilege for Real Madrid to host the NFL once again at the Bernabeu stadium,” Real Madrid director of institutional relations Emilio Butragueño said. “We experienced a historic first NFL Madrid game a few months ago, and this new agreement will allow the alliance between our club, the community of Madrid, the city Council and the NFL to continue, strengthening the image of our capital and the Spanish brand around the world.
“The transformation of the Bernabeu stadium is a major boost for sport to continue to be a unifying force for millions of fans across all continents.”
The NFL previously announced additional 2026 regular-season contests in Melbourne, Australia, Rio de Janeiro, Munich and London. The Los Angeles Rams will participate in the Melbourne matchup. Additional participants — and dates and times for the meetings — will be announced later.
More than 78,000 fans attended the Dolphins-Commanders matchup at the Bernabeu.
UPI Pictures of the Year 2025: Winning moments in Sports
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (C) celebrates with teammates after the Dodgers defeat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 in 11 innings in Game 7 to win the World Series in Toronto on November 1, 2025. Photo by Aaron Josefczyk/UPI | License Photo
