Real Madrid’s Bernabeu to hold NFL game in 2025 season

Fifty regular season NFL games have been played internationally through the league’s history, with London, Munich, Frankfurt, Mexico City and Toronto all hosting games to date.

The iconic Bernabeu has undergone a significant redevelopment and now has a retractable roof. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

The NFL will play a regular season game at Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu Stadium during the 2025 season, the league said on Friday.

The first-ever NFL game in Spain follows European games held in England and Germany.

“Playing a game in Madrid in 2025 highlights the continued expansion of the league’s global footprint and the accelerated ambitions to take our game to more fans around the world,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in a statement.

“We are proud to partner with Real Madrid C.F., a global brand, together with the City of Madrid and Comunidad de Madrid, to bring a spectacular regular season game to Spain at the world-class Santiago Bernabeu Stadium,” he added.

Fifty regular season NFL games have been played internationally through the league’s history, with London, Munich, Frankfurt, Mexico City and Toronto all hosting games to date.

Sao Paulo, Brazil, will stage a game in 2024 at the Corinthians Arena — home to Brazilian football team Corinthians — the first NFL game in South America.

The iconic Bernabeu has undergone a significant redevelopment and now has a retractable roof.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez hailed the move as a win for both his club and the NFL.

“The National Football League’s arrival at the Santiago Bernabeu is a major event in sports history. This strategic alliance between Real Madrid and an organization of the NFL’s prestige will boost our brands globally. It will be enthusiastically welcomed by millions of people on all continents, and it is an honour to embark on this journey together.”

The announcement came ahead of Sunday’s Super Bowl in Las Vegas between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs.