4th February 2026
February 3 – The National Football League (NFL) is returning to Spain and the home of Real Madrid, the Santiago Bernabéu, in 2026. Once a novelty, now par for the course, NFL regular-season worldwide expansion is one of the smartest plays in sports marketing and publicity.
The city of Madrid is thinking long-term by partnering with the NFL under a multi-year agreement that also involves the regional government bringing political clout to the table.
Since the billion-euro renovations, the Bernabéu has placed itself at the centre of entertainment. No longer just a cathedral worshipping Los Blancos, but a destination that can attract some of the most exciting talent in music and sports.
When Real president Florentino Perez imagined the new Bernabéu, he saw a venue that could be more than football, and his vision is being vindicated. It’s now an asset that can flip surfaces, reconfigure sightlines, and host multiple global TV products designed for prime-time audiences thousands of miles away.
The Miami Dolphins’ win over Washington in November 2025 was the proof of concept. It was slick, well-produced, and eaten up by madrileños.
The contrast with Europe’s biggest football properties is stark.
For all the talk of global fandom, top European leagues remain protective of their domestic ecosystems. League games abroad are still treated as a mission to Mars, and for all the talk about expansion, remain off the table. Tradition, sporting integrity, and fan backlash are all the excuses used to prevent the other football’s export to a new set of eyes.
The NFL has never pretended sentimentality comes first and has the advantage when going overseas that their sport is barely played outside the US. This enables the NFL to go where the audience is, bring the real thing, and tell fans that this game counts as opposed to a glorified friendly.
Hence cities worldwide have been rolling out the red carpet for the NFL, and why public institutions are happy to frame these games as statements of global relevance, as Isabel Díaz Ayuso and José Luis Martínez-Almeida did at the Bernabéu announcement.
“Madrid is an NFL city because it loves sport. Hosting one of the world’s most prestigious sports competitions strengthens Madrid’s position as a leading global sports capital,” said Martínez-Almeida
Emilio Butragueño, Director of Institutional Relations at Real Madrid, added: “For Real Madrid, it is an honour for the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium to host the NFL again. This agreement strengthens the alliance between the club, public institutions and the NFL, and reinforces the global image of Madrid and Spain.”
Rafa de los Santos, NFL Director in Spain, commented: “The 2025 game at the Bernabéu was a key moment for American football in Spain. Confirming another regular season game in 2026 under this multi-year agreement demonstrates our commitment to the Spanish market and allows us to continue connecting with fans throughout the year.”
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