Dolphins to play NFL’s first game in Spain at home of Real Madrid next season

The Miami Dolphins will play in the NFL‘s first regular-season game in Spain when Real Madrid hosts a matchup next season at the iconic Bernabéu Stadium, the league announced Friday.

The Dolphins will be the designated “home” team at Madrid’s venue, which features a soccer pitch that retracts to make way for a field that can be used for American football. It has a capacity of just over 78,000.

“We are thrilled to play the NFL’s inaugural game in Spain, a country of rich history, tradition and passion and home to a vibrant Dolphins fan base,” said Tom Garfinkel, the Dolphins’ vice chairman, president and CEO.

The date of the game and Miami’s opponent will be announced this spring.

The Dolphins and the Chicago Bears hold marketing rights in Spain as part of the league’s Global Markets Program, which allows teams to hold events and sign commercial deals in those locations.

“The exciting first-ever game in Spain underlines the NFL’s continued commitment to expanding its global footprint and reaching new audiences across the world,” said Brett Gosper, the league’s head of Europe and APAC.

Miami missed the playoffs after going 8-9 this season.

The Dolphins are 2-5 in games played outside the United States and have lost their past four international games, mostly recently in Frankfurt, Germany in 2023, when they lost 21-14 to the Kansas City Chiefs. Miami has played five times in London and once in Toronto.

Miami’s 2025 schedule features home games against its AFC East rivals — the Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots and New York Jets — as well as the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Chargers, and Washington Commanders.

The NFL has been aggressively expanding its global footprint in search of new fans and revenue streams. Partnering with one of the most successful soccer clubs in the world is a branding bonanza.

“This partnership with the NFL will bring one of the world’s most prestigious sporting competitions to the Santiago Bernabéu, a stadium which has welcomed millions of passionate fans from around the globe to enjoy incredible sporting experiences,” said Real Madrid institutional relations director Emilio Butragueño.

Bernabéu, located in the heart of the Spanish capital, is the leading candidate to host the final of the 2030 World Cup.

As of the 2025 season, the NFL can schedule up to eight league-operated regular-season games internationally.

London will stage three games next season — two at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and one at Wembley Stadium. The Jets and Cleveland Browns are the home teams at Tottenham; and the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley.

Berlin will also host a regular-season game for the first time, with the Indianapolis Colts the home team at Olympic Stadium.

Last September, the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Green Bay Packers, 34-29, in São Paulo, Brazil in the NFL’s first game in South America.

League commissioner Roger Goodell said in October that Rio de Janeiro could also host a game, and he added that there’s “no doubt” that Ireland will get one soon.

The league said last year it is also looking at Australia as a potential host in the future.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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