NFL Caps 7-Game International Slate With Spain Debut—Plans for More

The NFL’s record seven-game international slate this season will conclude Sunday with the league’s debut contest in Spain.

The Commanders and Dolphins will square off in Madrid at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, which now has a capacity of more than 83,000 after completing a $1.5 billion renovation in 2024. Miami is the designated home team; it is also one of three NFL franchises with activation rights in Spain through the league’s Global Markets Program (along with the Bears and Chiefs).

Like other international matchups this season, Sunday’s game will include a larger-than-normal halftime show, with Bizarrap and Daddy Yankee taking the stage in Madrid.

Spain is the fourth European nation to host a regular-season NFL game (along with England, Germany, and Ireland), and will likely be in line to host more in the future, as the league continues chasing its international expansion goals of one day playing 16 games per season outside the U.S.

This season’s seven games abroad are two more than the previous high of five in each of the previous three seasons:

• São Paulo: Chiefs-Chargers
• Dublin: Vikings-Steelers
• London: Vikings-Browns (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium)
• London: Broncos-Jets (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium)
• London: Rams-Jaguars (Wembley Stadium)
• Berlin: Falcons-Colts
• Madrid: Commanders-Dolphins

In 2026, the NFL will make its debut in Australia, as the Rams host a to-be-determined opponent in Melbourne. The league is also hopeful it will return to Mexico City for the first time since 2022, as renovations at Azteca Stadium will finally be completed.

Rio de Janeiro will host its first NFL game as the league plays in Brazil for a third consecutive year. Frankfurt or Munich, which have both previously hosted NFL games, will likely host Germany’s now-annual matchup (Berlin, which debuted this month, will host again in 2027).

The NFL is expected to return to Ireland after September’s successful regular-season debut at Croke Park.

There could be as many as nine games outside the U.S. next season, since the league is allowed to schedule up to eight, and the Jaguars’ annual “home” game at Wembley Stadium does not count as one of those eight.