NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE (NFL) will return to Madrid to stage regular-season games at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium under a multi-year partnership with the City of Madrid and the Comunidad de Madrid, starting with the 2026 NFL season.
The move forms part of the league’s broader, long-term strategy to expand American football in Spain. Alongside the Madrid games, the NFL will intensify year-round development programmes, with a particular focus on NFL Flag, the non-contact version of the sport. Flag football is set to make its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
NFL Flag, the league’s official youth participation programme, was launched in Spain in 2024 and is already active in schools across Madrid, Barcelona and Zaragoza. Further expansion is planned in collaboration with the Federación Española de Fútbol Americano (FEFA), according to a media release.
As part of the NFL’s Global Markets Program, the Chicago Bears, Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins hold marketing rights in Spain. The initiative allows clubs to grow their international fan bases through local activations, events and commercial partnerships beyond the United States.
The NFL has also confirmed its slate of international regular-season games for 2026, with more fixtures expected to be announced in due course. The confirmed games include:
* One game in Melbourne, Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
* One game in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil at the Maracanã Stadium
* One game in Munich, Germany at FC Bayern Munich Arena
* One game in Mexico City, Mexico at Estadio Banorte
* Three games in London, U.K.
* One game in Madrid, Spain at the Bernabéu Stadium
To date, 62 NFL regular-season games have been played internationally, with cities including London, Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Madrid, Dublin, São Paulo, Mexico City and Toronto having previously hosted league fixtures.
NFL Spain country manager Rafa De Los Santos said, “The 2025 NFL Madrid game at the Bernabéu 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 C.F. 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.”
Real Madrid director of institutional relations Emilio Butragueño added, “It is an honor and a privilege for Real Madrid to host the NFL once again at the Bernabéu stadium. 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. The transformation of the Bernabéu stadium is a major boost for sport to continue to be a unifying force for millions of fans across all continents.”
