© Hal Habib / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The NFL is heading to Spain for the first time for this weekend’s Dolphins-Commanders game, and we’re getting the first amazing images of the legendary Santiago Bernabéu Stadium being transformed for NFL football.
In the last few years, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has spearheaded a push to make NFL football a global game, which now features 7 games being played abroad this year.
“I am convinced that this game is going to be a global sport,” Goodell said, “We could’ve sold over our two games in Germany 4.5 million tickets. They sold out in minutes. And it’s literally the same with the U.K. I think you’re going to see a very global NFL, not necessarily with franchises, but maybe like have one playing games on a global basis. And I see that happening in the next five to 10 years.”
NFL execs are very excited about this weekend’s game in Spain.
“This is going to be like a mini Super Bowl,” Rafael De Los Santos, NFL Spain Country Manager, told Sky Sports NFL.
“NFL is in Spain to stay. We’re really working closely with not only the region, but the country to make sure that we keep it here on a regular basis.”
On Friday, we began getting the first images of the Bernabeu, the home of Real Madrid, being transformed into an NFL stadium.
Arrived at Santiago Bernabeu. OK, this place is all it’s cracked up to be. pic.twitter.com/tdwMUqrNPt
— Hal Habib (@gunnerhal) November 14, 2025
Sunday in Spain 👀🇪🇸 @MundoNFL @realmadrid pic.twitter.com/5nhlvpkG5k
— NFL (@NFL) November 13, 2025
was at a loss for words for a second today https://t.co/nssN1jKgIR pic.twitter.com/0yp4q7DCnV
— Marcel Louis-Jacques (@Marcel_LJ) November 14, 2025
Spain is the latest stop for Goodell’s global expansion plans.
“I think our next step after Australia would be probably moving into Asia,” said Goodell”That’s a continent we’d like to be playing in. We are serious about being a global sport. We would like to get to 16 games so everyone is playing one game a year internationally.”