The National Football League (NFL) has announced that the Santiago Bernabéu stadium will host another regular-season game this year as part of a multi-year agreement with the Madrid City Council and the Community of Madrid. The NFL's director in Spain, Rafa De los Santos, stated that the 2025 NFL Madrid Game at the Bernabéu was a key moment for this sport in Spain, and the organization is delighted to confirm it will return for a regular-season game in 2026. According to the executive, the commitment to hold multiple games highlights the NFL's bet on the Spanish market to «keep connecting with fans year-round». In addition to the Spanish capital, regular-season games will also be held this year in Melbourne (Australia), with the Los Angeles Rams as the designated home team; at the Maracanã stadium in Rio de Janeiro; at the Allianz Arena in Munich (Germany); and in London. Madrid's mayor, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, stated that the NFL's return is «good news for the city of Madrid» due to the economic and media benefits and to reaffirm its capacity to attract major international sporting events. The mayor referred to the signing of the agreement with the American football league in media statements after a visit to the A-5 burial works and before the presentation of the new game. Emilio Butragueño highlighted that for Real Madrid, «it is an honor and a privilege» that the Bernabéu will once again host the NFL spectacle. «We experienced a historic event a few months ago, and this new agreement will allow the alliance between our club, the Community of Madrid, the City Council, and the NFL to continue strengthening the image of our capital and the Spain brand before the world,» emphasized the club's director of Institutional Relations, according to the league's press release. To date, 62 regular-season NFL games have been played worldwide, with London, Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Madrid, Dublin, São Paulo, Mexico City, and Toronto as host venues. The NFL's agreement with Madrid includes initiatives to promote flag football among young people, a contactless sport very similar to American football that will debut as an Olympic discipline at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. The Chicago Bears, Kansas City Chiefs, and Miami Dolphins are the three NFL teams with marketing rights in Spain as part of the league's Global Markets Program to boost brand awareness among fans.
