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In 2025, the NFL will host their first-ever regular season game in Spain at the iconic Santiago Bernabeu, the newly refurbished home stadium of Real Madrid. The announcement about the NFL’s overseas market expansion was made during a ceremony held at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas, two days before the Super Bowl LVIII goes down in the city.
Notably, just a few days prior, the NFL confirmed the news about hosting their first-ever game in the South American continent later this year, at the Corinthians Arena, the home to the top Brazilian club football team. Over the years, fifty regular season games of the NFL have been played internationally, at venues in Toronto, London, Munich, Frankfurt, and Mexico City in particular.
The NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell spoke about the latest development and said, “Playing a game in Madrid in 2025 demonstrates La Liga's continued expansion of its global footprint and ambition to bring our game to more fans around the world. We are proud to partner up with Real Madrid, a global brand, along with the City of Madrid and the Madrid Regional Government, to bring a spectacular regular season game to Spain in a world-class Santiago Bernabeu setting.”
The Real Madrid legend Emilio Butragueno shared his thoughts about welcoming NFL to Santiago Bernabeu and remarked, “I would like to express our deepest gratitude to you and to let you know that it is a great honour for Real Madrid to host this international event with the NFL over the next few years in our stadium. For us, you are a model of management and a great travelling companion with whom to share our dreams.”
This exceptional event, marking the NFL's maiden voyage to Spain, not only promises an unforgettable experience for football fans but also represents a golden opportunity for enthusiasts seeking to engage in sports betting. FanDuel Sportsbook, one of the top-rated and most trusted sports betting platforms, will surely offer exciting promotions and odds for this historic game at Santiago Bernabeu.
Which NFL teams will play at Santiago Bernabeu?
After the NFL announced their first-ever regular season game in Spain in 2025, rumours have emerged regarding which teams might compete at the Santiago Bernabeu. As per the reports, the Miami Dolphins or Chicago Bears are in line to play their home game in Madrid, although the NFL 2025 schedule is yet to be ascertained.
The NFL executive vice president, Peter O'Reilly, was quoted as saying to the media, as per Marca, “We are spending time in those markets. Building relationships and looking at the stadiums there. Brazil and Spain are two strong markets and two important markets.”
