National Football League

NFL to host first regular-season game in Spain at Real Madrid stadium in 2025

Published Feb. 9, 2024 2:16 p.m. ET

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The NFL is headed to Spain in 2025 for the first regular-season game ever in that country.

The league announced Friday that its international slate of games for the 2025 season will feature a game at Real Madrid's iconic Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

"We could not be more excited to bring the best of the NFL, the best of our teams and star players to the more than 13 million passionate fans in Spain and partner with one of the greatest global soccer clubs in Real Madrid in a truly world class and innovative stadium," said Peter O'Reilly, the NFL's head of international affairs.

The teams that will play in that game will be announced at a later date but O'Reilly said the host team would likely be an AFC team because teams in that conference will have an extra home game that season.

"There’s not a lack of interest for teams playing in Madrid with our partner Real Madrid," O'Reilly said.

The NFL has been expanding its international presence in recent years with owners voting in December to authorize the league to host eight games internationally each season.

In 2024, the NFL will have three games in London — including a home game for the Jacksonville Jaguars — along with one in Germany and the first game ever in Brazil.

The NFL has also hosted several games in Mexico City and plans to return there in 2026 following the World Cup that year after renovations are finished at Azteca Stadium.

O'Reilly said the league is looking at other potential countries to host a game in the future, including France.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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