Madrid prepares to host its first American football match

The Santiago Bernabéu will host the first NFL game in Spain in 2025, with the Miami Dolphins as host and a renowned opponent vying for a historic clash.

The history of the NFL in Europe will take a major turning point in 2025, with the holding of a match at the Santiago Bernabéu, one of the temples of world football. An American football match could see the Miami Dolphins host a renowned opponent.

It will be the first time that a match of the famous American football league will be played in Spain. Although the event is still far away, some details are starting to emerge, already getting fans excited.

Since the announcement made by Relief A year ago, the possibility of seeing an NFL game take place in Spain took shape. In January 2024, confirmation came: the Miami Dolphins would be the host team for the first NFL match in Spain, in the legendary Real Madrid stadium. Details regarding the Dolphins’ opponent remain unclear, but the question of which team will challenge Miami at the Santiago Bernabéu is on everyone’s lips.

Nine teams vying to face the Miami Dolphins in Madrid

Currently, nine teams remain in the race to get on the scoresheet alongside the Dolphins. Among these contenders are renowned teams such as the New England Patriots, true giants of the NFL for two decades, the Buffalo Bills, currently one of the big favorites for the Super Bowl, and the Baltimore Ravens, also considered contenders serious about the title this season.

Other teams likely to travel to Madrid include the New York Jets, the Cincinnati Bengals, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New Orleans Saints. Although the final list has not yet been finalized, the competition to accompany the Dolphins to Madrid is already well underway.

Also read: Details of the Santiago Bernabéu operating contract

A meeting at the Santiago Bernabéu planned for October or November 2025

The match at the Santiago Bernabéu, although scheduled for 2025, could take place on a fairly specific date: the months of October or November, probably in November, during an international break. Sources close to the NFL say that this period seems the most appropriate, and Real Madrid will do everything possible to have the stadium ready to host this historic meeting.

This match, which is part of an NFL internationalization projectwill not be the only one outside the United States. In 2025, the league plans to host up to eight matches around the world, including Mexico, Brazil, England, Germany and potentially Ireland. This program demonstrates the NFL’s ambition to strengthen its international presence and increase the number of events outside the United States.

For Spain, it will be a landmark moment in the history of sport. An event which will not only allow us to discover American football in a new light, but also bring Spanish fans closer to a legendary competition which increasingly extends beyond American borders.

Thibaud