The NFL – the professional American football league in the United States – will return with regular-season games being played at Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in 2026, after the league confirmed a new multi-year agreement on Monday.
The announcement follows the NFL’s first-ever regular-season game in Spain, played on 16 November at the home of Real Madrid, where the Miami Dolphins defeated the Washington Commanders.
‘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 CF,’ 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.’
Under the league’s global markets programme, the Chicago Bears, Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins currently hold marketing rights in Spain.
The NFL has estimated its Spanish fanbase at around 11 million and introduced its youth flag football programme in the country in 2024.
‘It is an honour 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,’ he said.
‘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,’ added Butragueño.
The NFL has already confirmed other international regular-season games for 2026, with matches scheduled to take place in Melbourne, Australia, Rio de Janeiro, Munich and London. The Los Angeles Rams are set to feature in the Melbourne game, while further team announcements, along with dates and kickoff times, will be revealed at a later stage.
More than 78,000 spectators attended the Dolphins’ victory over the Commanders at the Bernabeu.
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🏈 La presidenta @IdiazAyuso celebra el regreso de la @NFL a la Comunidad de Madrid por segundo año consecutivo, en el estadio Santiago Bernabéu.
▶️ “Madrid está preparada para todo”.
+Info: https://t.co/vwer4sHRzK pic.twitter.com/XPePXlfLUO
— Comunidad de Madrid (@ComunidadMadrid) February 2, 2026
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