Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images, Ana Beltran
The **Atlanta Falcons** and the **Cincinnati Bengals** played the second-ever regular-season **NFL** game at **Bernabeu Stadium** in **Spain** on Sunday. They were forced to navigate unusual **field conditions** with a visible decline in the **turf** in the **end zone**.
It was a significant hazard for player safety.
Unfortunately, this kind of thing continues to happen with [NFL](https://brobible.com/tag/nfl/) games played outside of the United States. The league does not seem particularly worried.
Santiago Bernabeu Stadium opened 78 years ago in 1947. It has served as the home stadium for Real Madrid ever since.
The 83,000-capacity stadium underwent renovations in 1982, 2001 and 2024, in addition to significant expansions in 1952, 1992, 1994 and 2011. The most recent renovation was completed at the end of 2024 at a total cost of more than $1 billion.
Although it may not be the oldest or the nicest venue in the world, Bernabeu is one of the most innovative. The natural grass field is divided into six longitudinal sections known as trays. The six trays are mechanically lifted and moved on specialized rails that submerge into a 25-meter-deep, multi-level subterranean hypogeum. In other words, an underground greenhouse.
While the six trays are stored below the surface, the grass is maintained using artificial UV lighting, controlled irrigation and ventilation. It is a meticulous system!