Falcons Play Sunday in Madrid
The NFL team will use the 83,000-seat Bernabéu stadium, which recently underwent a billion-euro renovation.
By Ryan Carter ·
The Atlanta Falcons will kick off their game against the Cincinnati Bengals at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time Sunday in a stadium with a capacity of a little over 83,000. The venue is the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid, Spain, home of the soccer club Real Madrid. This is the first time the Falcons have played in this specific location.
The Bernabéu has hosted major international soccer events, including the 1982 World Cup final. It also hosted the NFL's first game in Spain last year. That match featured the Miami Dolphins and the Washington Commanders. The Dolphins won 16-13 in overtime. The stadium also held concerts for the Taylor Swift Eras Tour.
Real Madrid has played at the facility since 1947. The current roster includes Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé, and Vinicius Junior. The building was named after Santiago Bernabéu, a former player who became club president. In the early 1940s, following the Spanish Civil War, he pushed for a larger venue. The recent renovation project concluded in late 2024. It cost north of a billion euros.
The stadium features a retractable roof and a metallic exterior. The playing surface is a mix of real grass and synthetic material. It is divided into six separate panels. When not in use, these panels are lowered into a climate-controlled basement. The New York Times described the renovated space as fun and futuristic.
Ken Sugiura of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution visited the stadium with Falcons beat reporter Daniel Flick. Sugiura noted the premium seating, multiple decks, and halo video board. He said the design resembles a modern NFL stadium. Sugiura added that if he did not know its history, he would believe it was built in the last five years.
The NFL sent two of its most celebrated teams to Madrid for this matchup. The Falcons are currently facing the Bengals. The game will air on NFL Network and Atlanta News First. The venue stands as a neutral site for this international contest.
The Bernabéu remains a primary home for Real Madrid soccer. It continues to host league and European title games for the club. The structure also accommodates other large-scale sporting and entertainment events when the soccer team is not playing.
