Atmosphere at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium looking a lot different ahead of 1st NFL game in Spain

MADRID (AP) — The scene at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium looked a lot different Sunday, with troves of fans wearing NFL jerseys instead of the white Real Madrid shirts usually seen on a regular soccer gameday.

The Miami Dolphins will take on the Washington Commanders at the Bernabeu for the NFL’s first regular-season game in Spain. It will be the seventh — and final — international game of the season, the most ever in one year for the NFL as it continues to expand globally.

“What we are seeing here today is a lot different than when Real Madrid plays, you can tell that the American culture is a lot different from the European culture,” said Antonio Navas, a 32-year-old Real Madrid fan who lives in the Spanish capital. “It’s nice to see all those different jerseys and the people getting ready to enjoy the event.”

Navas, one of the few fans wearing a Real Madrid soccer shirt, said it was a much more relaxed atmosphere, with the local fans not having to worry too much about what happens on the field.

“I think today it’s more about enjoying the event. There’s no tension about trying to get a win, it’s nice,” he said. “In the end, we are proud that the NFL chose Real Madrid to host this game, it’s good for the club’s brand abroad.”

Instead of the usual Real Madrid chants heard outside the stadium before games, there were small bands and team mascots wandering around. The line for the megastore inside the stadium, which sold both NFL and Real Madrid products, was much longer than usual.

The inside of the stadium looked a lot different as well, with the colors of the Dolphins and the Commanders taking over the venue. Some seating at both ends of the stadium had to be removed to fit in the longer playing field required for American football.

The NFL game will be one of the main events at the Bernabeu since it underwent a major renovation.

The initial batch of tickets for the first regular-season NFL game in Madrid was gone in a matter of hours, with nearly 700,000 people trying to get a seat to watch the game. There were fans still trying to buy tickets outside the stadium on Sunday.

Many foreigners were in town for the match.

“We love the experience, we are taking eight days to do this,” said Michael Mahan, who traveled from Florida with his family to watch the game and do some sightseeing. “It’s fun. This is our home game, we have to enjoy it.”

The Dolphins are the designated home team for the Week 11 game.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl