NFL Madrid Game 2026 Announced in Video for Bernabeu Stadium After Agreeing to New Contract

The NFL will return to Madrid in 2026 as part of a multiyear agreement with the Spanish capital and Real Madrid.

Madrid's iconic Bernabéu ground will once again serve as the staging ground after hosting the Miami Dolphins' 16-13 win over the Washington Commanders in November.

"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.," said Rafa De Los Santos, the NFL's country manager for Spain.

"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."

The Bernabéu underwent massive renovations at a cost of more than €1 billion, and holding standalone events such as NFL games was part of the vision behind the project.

The improvements included an elaborate underground system for switching out the turf to preserve the surface that's typically used for soccer fixtures.

For the NFL, this is another sign of the league's longstanding ambitions to expand its footprint around the world. New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft recently reiterated the desire to have one international game in every week of the regular season.

This is the seventh confirmed game for the 2026 International Series. London will host three, while Madrid, Rio de Janeiro, Munich and Melbourne, Australia, have one apiece.

The NFL's collective bargaining agreement allows for up to 10 international games.