NFL Game at Bernabéu Boosts Madrid's Economy by €170 Million!

Last Sunday, Spain hosted its first-ever National Football League (NFL) game between the Miami Dolphins and the Washington Commanders at the Bernabéu stadium. Initial estimates indicate that the event generated an economic impact of €170 million in the capital, Madrid.

The social impact of the event surpassed the NFL's own expectations, leading the league to suggest the possibility of holding additional games in Spain. These figures also exceeded the Madrid City Council's previous projections, which had estimated the economic impact at approximately €100 million.

According to estimates, spending in restaurants and cafes alone contributed €21 million in revenue. The match at Real Madrid's stadium was attended by 78,610 spectators, including approximately 42,000 international tourists. These visitors primarily came from the United States and neighboring European countries, with an average stay of four days in Madrid. This influx helped the Madrid City Council record an economic impact of €170 million. Ticket prices for the game ranged from €80 to €5,000.

These figures are comparable to those recorded for previous NFL games held in other European cities, such as Munich, Germany, in 2022; London, England, in 2023; and Dublin, Ireland, in 2025, where the economic impact of these events reached approximately €200 million.

Spain's National Institute of Statistics (INE) reported that the country welcomed over 2.9 million international tourists in 2023, with attending or participating in sporting events being one of the main motivations for their visits. This represented a 17% increase compared to 2022. The average spending of these visitors exceeded €1,400, compared to €1,200 for the average tourist. Overall, the sports tourism sector is projected to generate over €8.3 billion in Spain during 2024, according to a report by the Spanish Sports Observatory.