It's been in the rumors for over a year, now it's official. During a press conference at the Las Vegas Media Center, Peter O'Reilly (NFL Head of International) confirmed that the NFL will play a game in Madrid during the 2025 season.
We will play our first NFL match in Spain, in Madrid, in partnership with Real Madrid.
The city of Madrid makes sense thanks to its great sporting history.
NFL boss Roger Goodell also expressed his satisfaction through a press release.
Playing a match in Madrid in 2025 highlights the league's continued international expansion and accelerated ambitions to bring our game to more fans around the world. We are proud to partner with Real Madrid CF, a global brand, in collaboration with the City of Madrid and the Comunidad de Madrid, to host a spectacular regular season match in Spain at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
The meeting will therefore take place in the legendary Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, which can accommodate just over 84,000 people. The venue has undergone extensive renovations in recent years, so it should be ready just in time for the NFL. Videos of the work even featured a special pitch for American football.
The NFL in Madrid after Brazil, Germany and England
As a reminder, the number of international matches will increase from 4 to 8 next season. After the successful establishment in Germany, and after Brazil in 2024, the league continues its expansion in Europe.
Since the first match in London in 2007, Europe has always been a target market. If the choice of England, then Germany, seemed logical both logistically and historically, the opening to Spain opens a new chapter, with the NFL still seeking to reach new markets.
