NFL announces historic first game in Spain: Miami Dolphins to play at Real Madrid's Bernabeu in 2025

The National Football League has announced a groundbreaking expansion into Spain, with the Miami Dolphins set to play a regular-season home game at Real Madrid's iconic Santiago Bernabeu stadium during the 2025 season.

"The exciting first-ever game in Spain underscores the NFL's continued commitment to expand its global footprint and reach new audiences around the world," NFL's senior vice-president Brett Gosper announced at a Madrid press conference alongside Real Madrid president Florentino Perez and city mayor Jose Almeida. "Bringing a historic franchise like the Dolphins to such a extraordinary and traditional ground like the Santiago Bernabeu stadium shows the global appeal of the NFL."

This historic matchup marks another milestone in the NFL's international expansion strategy, which has already seen 55 regular-season games played abroad. Madrid will become the fourth European city to host an NFL game, joining London, Munich, and Frankfurt, with Berlin also scheduled to debut in 2025.

The Dolphins, who share exclusive marketing rights in Spain with the Chicago Bears, had previously informed their season ticket holders in October about plans to play one of their nine home games outside the United States.

The announcement comes as the NFL prepares for a significant increase in its global presence, with teams recently approving an expansion from four to up to eight international games for the 2025 season. This Spanish debut represents the league's latest move into new markets, building on established success in London and Germany, while also expanding into Mexico and Brazil.

SportsLigue