NFL Inks Multi-Year Deal To Keep Playing In Madrid
Pack your bags and brush up on your Spanish, football fans—because the NFL isn’t done with Europe just yet. In fact, they’re just getting comfortable.
If you thought the league’s first trip to Spain in 2025 was a “one-and-done” experiment, think again. On Monday, the NFL dropped the news that everyone was hoping for: American football is returning to Madrid for the 2026 regular season. And this isn’t just a quick layover; the league has inked a multi-year partnership with the City of Madrid and Real Madrid C.F. to keep the pigskin flying at the legendary Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
A Historic Encore At the Bernabéu
For those who might have missed it, the NFL made history in 2025 by hosting its first-ever regular-season game in Spain. The Miami Dolphins scraped by with a 16-13 overtime win against the Washington Commanders. Was it a high-scoring offensive shootout? No. Did the 78,610 fans packed into the stadium care? Absolutely not.
The atmosphere was electric. We’re talking about a venue that usually hosts Champions League nights for Real Madrid—the “cathedral of sport.” Seeing 300-pound linemen battle it out on that hallowed turf was surreal, and the Spanish fans brought a level of intensity that rivals any Sunday night in Green Bay.
Rafa De Los Santos, the NFL Spain Country Manager, didn’t mince words about the impact of that game, calling it a “pivotal moment” for the sport in the country. By locking in this multi-year deal, the league is effectively planting a flag in Spanish soil. They aren’t just visiting anymore; they’re moving in.
Why the NFL Is Betting Big On Spain
You might be asking, “Why Madrid?” Aside from the excellent tapas and weather. It’s a numbers game, and the numbers look good. The league estimates there are roughly 11 million NFL fans in Spain. That is a massive, untapped market of people hungry for live action. We’ve already seen the Chicago Bears, Kansas City Chiefs, and Miami Dolphins snag marketing rights in the region through the Global Markets Program. They know that building a fanbase isn’t just about TV ratings; it’s about boots on the ground.
Real Madrid isn’t taking this lightly, either. Emilio Butragueño, a legend at the club and their Director of Institutional Relations, called it an “honor and a privilege” to host the league again. When you have one of the biggest soccer brands in the world shaking hands with the biggest football league in the world, everybody wins.
The 2026 International Slate Is Absolutely Stacked
While Madrid is stealing the headlines today, the rest of the 2026 international schedule is looking like a world tour for rock stars. The league confirmed on Monday that we are getting seven games outside the United States next season.
Here is where your favorite teams might be headed:
- Madrid, Spain: 1 game (Santiago Bernabéu)
- London, U.K.: 3 games
- Munich, Germany: 1 game (FC Bayern Munich Arena)
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: 1 game (Maracanã Stadium)
- Melbourne, Australia: 1 game (MCG)
The biggest surprise on that list? Australia. The league is swapping out Dublin for Melbourne, sending the Los Angeles Rams down under to the Melbourne Cricket Ground. If you thought the jet lag to London was rough, just wait until coaches have to plan for a trip to the Southern Hemisphere.
Growing the Game Beyond Sundays
It is easy to get caught up in the ticket sales and the spectacle, but there is a deeper strategy here. The NFL isn’t just trying to sell jerseys; they are trying to secure the future of the sport.
With Flag Football officially set to debut as an Olympic sport in Los Angeles in 2028, the international push is more critical than ever. The league has already launched NFL Flag programs in schools across Madrid, Barcelona, and Zaragoza. They aren’t just looking for new fans; they’re looking for the next generation of athletes who might choose a pigskin over a soccer ball.
