In 2025, the NFL played its first-ever game in Spain, featuring the Miami Dolphins and Washington Commanders. Following the initial success, the NFL is planning a second game, with only the Atlanta Falcons confirmed to play. However, the Kansas City Chiefs have made it clear they’re interested in being their opponent.
What Did Chiefs Team President Mark Donovan Say About Playing in Spain?
“We’ve been very open and aggressive with the league — as we have been since the beginning — that we want to play in Spain this year,” Chiefs team president Mark Donovan told The Kansas City Star. “We think it would be a great market, game (and) matchup.”
If the Chiefs were to take the field in Spain, they’d do so at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, home of the famed football club Real Madrid. It has a capacity of about 85,000 spectators – nearly 10,000 more than Arrowhead Stadium can seat.
Last year’s game in Spain sold out quickly, and the official attendance was 78,610 fans, basically a full house, given the slight seating reduction.
As far as a potential matchup goes, much depends on when the game is scheduled to be played, given Patrick Mahomes’ return from injury.
Mahomes’ Injury Outlook and Chiefs’ Quarterback Plans
In a week 15 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers, he tore his ACL and LCL while trying to help Kansas City make a late-season playoff push, finishing the season with a grade of 77.2 according to PFSN’s NFL QB Impact Grades, placing him 17th among his position.
Given how late in the season his injury occurred, his availability for the 2026 season remains unclear.
With Mahomes’ health uncertainties, the Chiefs had to bolster their quarterback room, and they did, trading a 2027 sixth-round draft pick in order to acquire New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields.
Fields had a turbulent year in New York, as his stats show. Over nine games, Fields passed for just 1,259 yards, though he did throw only one interception to seven touchdowns. Head coach Aaron Glenn would go on to bench Fields in favor of Tyrod Taylor in week 12.
On the potential Spain matchup, Donovan went on to say, “It’s perfect timing for us. And to play in Real Madrid, and for our fans to experience that stadium and city, I think it’d be amazing for our fans. So we’re all in.”
While Kansas City is making its Spanish ambitions clear, we likely won’t know whether they’ll play there until May, when the NFL releases its full 2026 season schedule.
