The National Football League (NFL) plans to return to the Santiago Bernabéu stadium in Madrid for a regular season game in 2026 as part of a multi-year agreement, the league said on Monday, continuing its growing commitment to international expansion.
Sources have confirmed that the deal also includes a match at the stadium in 2027, which has not yet been officially announced.
“This multi-year commitment to games in Madrid, a world-class cultural and sporting destination, reinforces our commitment to this market,” said Rafa De los Santos, director of the NFL in Spain, in a statement.
“It allows us to continue to connect with fans throughout the year and invest in long-term initiatives… and the participation of young people across the country.”
The stadium, home of Real Madrid, hosted its first NFL game in November 2025, when the Miami Dolphins defeated the Washington Commanders 16-13 in overtime.
The game was part of a seven-game international series in 2025, with further games held in London, Berlin, Dublin and São Paulo.
Aiming to expand its global presence and attract untapped markets, the NFL plans to increase its international calendar to nine games in 2026, with matches already confirmed in Melbourne, Rio de Janeiro, Mexico City, Munich, London and, now, Madrid.
The league aims to expand its presence into new regions, with Australia set to host its first game in Melbourne, with the Los Angeles Rams as the home team.
The league has also committed to holding three regular season games over five years at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, starting in 2026.
Since 2013, the Jacksonville Jaguars have played an annual “home” game in London, with the exception of 2020, under a separate agreement with the United Kingdom, outside of the NFL’s main international series.
NFL owners voted in December 2024 to increase the number of overseas games, with Commissioner Roger Goodell expressing a desire for up to 16 international games to be played annually in the near future.
