The NFL has experienced significant expansion and is now expanding its reach to include Madrid, Spain in its international lineup. In 2025, the league will hold its inaugural game in the capital city, as announced in a news conference at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas on Friday 9th February 2024. The game will be hosted at the newly refurbished Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, which is known for being the home of the renowned La Liga soccer team, Real Madrid.
This collaboration between the NFL and Real Madrid aims to further promote American football in a global setting.
In a short span of two months, the NFL has rapidly extended its global reach, adding Spain as its fifth country to host the NFL's International Games. This places Spain alongside the United Kingdom, Mexico, Germany, and Brazil as international hosts. Furthermore, Spain becomes the third European nation to be included in this lineup.
*Benefits listed above are based on inclusions from last year's packages. Package details for this year's tournament are TBC. This page will be updated as soon as hospitality inclusions have been confirmed.
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The eagerly anticipated first game in Madrid, marked by the unveiling of a new logo featuring the 'Madrid Game' on the 9th of February, will now be held in 2025 instead of 2024.
One of the notable features of the renovated Bernabéu Stadium is its retractable playing surface. This innovative design allows for the seamless transformation of the football pitch into an NFL-quality field, eliminating the challenge of preparing the facility for an American football game. Following the footsteps of England's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which was purpose-built to cater to both the Premier League club and international NFL games, Bernabéu Stadium now joins the ranks of versatile venues. Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has successfully hosted eight NFL games to date, including two in the 2023 season, and in September, the NFL extended its partnership with the club until the 2029-2030 season.
If all goes as planned, Madrid has the potential to become a consistent feature in the NFL's international lineup, joining other established locations, such as:
The NFL has been organising games in London as part of its international series since 2007. These games are usually held at Wembley Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The first game to be considered part of the American Bowl was held in 1986 at Wembley Stadium. The Chicago Bears defeated the Dallas Cowboys 17-6 in the first of eight games played in London, all at Wembley.
Since 2007, when the NFL's international series began, there have been numerous games played in London. The series has three sub-series: the NFL London Games in the United Kingdom, the NFL Germany Games in multiple cities, and the NFL Brazil game. The games played in London have featured various NFL teams, giving fans in London the opportunity to see their favourite teams and players in action.
In recent years, the NFL has been intent on establishing a presence in London, with the league sending teams to play there to build a stronger fan base. This initiative has been successful in generating interest and support for the NFL in the United Kingdom.
Overall, the NFL games in London have helped to expand the popularity of the sport internationally and provide fans in London and other parts of the world the opportunity to experience live NFL games.
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