For years now, the NFL has continually expanded its international reach. After the folding of the NFL Europe League, the American football organization began holding official NFL regular season games overseas in London.
At least one game has been held in London every year (except 2020) since 2007. The NFL also held games in Mexico beginning in 2016 and debuted in Germany in 2022. In 2023, Frankfurt will host two games, while London gets three.
We’re on to Spain
Considering the success and widespread appeal of the NFL’s international series, it appears the league will be expanding to another country beginning in 2024. The destination? Madrid, Spain.
According to Football Zebras, “a game in Madrid is all but locked in for 2024“. There are two venues that are being discussed to host the game.
One is the Estadio Metropolitano, Atletico Madrid‘s home stadium which holds a bit over 70,000 spectators.
The Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid.
The second is the Santiago Bernabeu, the legendary yet newly renovated ground of Real Madrid. That stadium now holds 83,186 people. Real Madrid recently showcased how their new retractable field works and it’s incredible.
Real Madrid’s retractable pitch at the Santiago Bernabeu
Both options would be great and provide the proper spectacle that an NFL international game merits.