CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 21: Michael Penix Jr. #9 of the Atlanta Falcons looks to pass during the first quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on September 21, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant …
ATLANTA - The National Football League announced that the Atlanta Falcons will be one of the participating teams in the 2026 NFL Madrid game, marking another step in the league’s global expansion.
What we know:
The game will be played at the Bernabéu, home of Real Madrid C.F., as part of a multi-year partnership with the City of Madrid and Comunidad de Madrid. The Madrid contest is one of a record nine international games scheduled for 2026 across four continents, seven countries and eight stadiums.
What they're saying:
"The passion for the NFL in Spain is at an all-time high, and welcoming the Atlanta Falcons to Madrid for a regular-season game is a historic moment for our growing fanbase," NFL Country Manager Rafa de los Santos said. "I’m sure the Falcons will enjoy competing in such an iconic stadium as the Bernabéu, in one of the world’s great sporting capitals, Madrid, and that fans will once again experience firsthand the intensity, speed, and talent that make the NFL unique."
Falcons President and CEO Greg Beadles said the organization is proud to be part of the event.
"We are incredibly proud to be part of an NFL regular season game in Madrid at the iconic Bernabéu," Beadles said. "Atlanta and Madrid are a fitting match as we will host two of Spain’s group stage matches in the upcoming FIFA World Cup at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. This opportunity reflects the continued global growth of both the NFL and the Atlanta Falcons, and we look forward to deepening our connection with our European community by hosting another sporting contest here at home and returning to Europe for the fourth time in six seasons."
The Falcons’ opponent, along with the date and kickoff time, will be announced when the full 2026 schedule is released this spring.
Spain represents a significant international market for the NFL, with an estimated 11 million fans. As part of a broader multi-year commitment to grow the sport at every level in Spain, the league will continue expanding NFL Flag, its official youth flag football program, which launched in Spain in 2024 and has reached schools in Madrid, Barcelona and Zaragoza in partnership with Federación Española de Fútbol Americano.
The 2026 international slate also includes games in London, Melbourne, Mexico City, Munich, Paris and Rio de Janeiro. Since the league began staging regular-season games outside the United States, 62 have been played internationally, with cities including London, Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Madrid, Dublin, São Paulo, Mexico City and Toronto hosting contests.
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