After the NFL officially confirmed its return to the Santiago Bernabéu for the 2026 and 2027 seasons, Rafa de los Santos, director of NFL Spain, shared his thoughts in an interview with OkDiario. He explained how the agreement came together and highlighted the shared desire of all parties to finalize the deal as quickly as possible.

“Returning to the Bernabéu is a prize we’re extremely excited about,” de los Santos said, underlining not only Madrid and Real Madrid’s commitment to hosting the world’s top American football league again, but also the NFL’s strong desire to return to what it considers the best stadium in the world. While the teams and exact dates will not be confirmed until spring, the enthusiasm surrounding the event is already clear.

Another key point from the interview was de los Santos’ assessment of the league’s satisfaction with the previous game held in Madrid. “I think they were absolutely delighted with the city. They were truly impressed by the lifestyle, the social atmosphere, the infrastructure, the stadium, which looked spectacular, and the overall environment during the game,” he explained. These comments reflect the high level of preparation not only at the Bernabéu, but across the city as a whole.

Finally, the NFL Spain director confirmed that the league aims to go even further next time. “Our intention is to improve. The November game was spectacular and hugely enjoyable, but we’ve analyzed it in detail and know there are aspects we can improve for the next one,” he said, making it clear that the goal is to surpass last year’s event.

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