NFL Continues Expansion with Spain Hosting a Game in 2025
Madrid will be the fourth European city to host a regular season game
Posted On: February 9, 2024 By :The National Football League will play its first-ever regular season game in Madrid in 2025 at the Santiago Bernabéu, home to world soccer superpower Real Madrid.
The league announced Friday at the Super Bowl that its international slate of games for the 2025 season will feature a game at Real Madrid’s iconic Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Madrid is the first new market to be confirmed for the 2025 International Games and will be the fourth European city to host a regular season game, joining London, Frankfurt, Munich.
“We could not be more excited to bring the best of the NFL, the best of our teams and star players to the more than 13 million passionate fans in Spain and partner with one of the greatest global soccer clubs in Real Madrid in a truly world class and innovative stadium,” said Peter O’Reilly, the NFL’s head of international affairs. “There’s not a lack of interest for teams playing in Madrid with our partner Real Madrid.”
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. São Paulo, Brazil, will stage a game in 2024 at the Corinthians Arena, the first in South America.
“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. “We are proud to partner with Real Madrid, 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 Bernabéu Stadium.”
In 2023, NFL clubs voted to increase league-operated international game inventory from four to up to eight games a season beginning in 2025. In addition to the game in São Paulo, Brazil, four other regular season games will be played as part of the 2024 NFL International Games. London will host three and the NFL will head to Munich for a third consecutive year, returning to the Allianz Arena, home of Bayern Munich, for one game.
“The National Football League’s arrival at the Santiago Bernabéu is a major event in sport history,” said Real Madrid President Florentino Pérez. “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 honor to embark on this journey together.”
The Miami Dolphins and the Chicago Bears have international marketing rights in Spain as part of the NFL’s Global Markets Program.
“We thank the NFL for having the trust in Madrid to host an unprecedented celebration in a legendary and renovated Santiago Bernabéu stadium,” said Madrid Mayor Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida. “The arrival of the NFL in Madrid will make us hosts of the most important league in the world, and the city will welcome our partners with open arms in 2025 and be ready to make history together.”
Posted in: Hosts & Suppliers, Latest News, NFL, Sites & Venues