Commanders vs Dolphins: An NFL game changer in Madrid

The countdown that began nearly two years ago - when Madrid was officially announced as the NFL’s newest international host city - has finally hit zero. Starting this Sunday, the arrival of the world’s most lucrative sports league in Spain becomes a reality, and it’s certain to mark a turning point for the popularity of gridiron football in the country. The Miami Dolphins and Washington Commanders will have the honor of rewriting history today with the first-ever official NFL game on Spanish soil. It promises to be a spectacular celebration of football in a truly iconic setting: the Bernabéu, fully primed for the occasion.

“Blown away”

In truth, the NFL party has been underway for days in Spain’s capital, which has rolled out the red carpet for the league with a first-class welcome. “They’re thrilled - blown away,” sources told AS when asked about the reaction from the game’s powers-that-be. Impressing the biggest powerhouse in global sports is no easy feat. Sunday’s game is the grand finale, the cherry on top of a week in which Madrid has been intoxicated by football fever. On Saturday, strolling through the city center, it was impossible to look around without spotting people in NFL merch.

Something is changing in Spain. What was once seen as a distant league is slowly starting to move the masses. For the skeptics: more than 80,000 fans will pack the Bernabéu today, and the economic impact of this event on Madrid is projected to hover around $80 million.

Will the NFL return to Spain?

Officially, the NFL has only locked in this one game in Spain, but after Sunday, conversations will continue about what the future holds. It’s an open secret that the Dolphins vs the Commanders won’t be the last regular-season clash here. League insiders talk about a “long-term” relationship with the country, an NFL Spain office has opened, and franchises like the Kansas City Chiefs aren’t shy about their desire to land here. Let me repeat: something is changing.

Miami momentum, Washington woes

To cap off the week, the Dolphins and the Commanders are set to deliver a hard-fought battle - both teams are desperate for a win (each sitting at 3-7). On paper, Miami holds the edge, riding momentum after knocking off the Buffalo Bills last week and winning two of their last three.

The Floridians seem to have flipped the switch and now have a golden opportunity to turn their season around. A win at the Bernabéu would move them to 4-7, and after their bye week, they’ll face the New Orleans Saints and New York Jets - two beatable opponents.

While the Dolphins see light at the end of the tunnel, things look far darker for Washington. The Commanders landed in Madrid on a five-game skid, the last four losses by 21 points or more. Their defense has been porous, and without Jayden Daniels - their star quarterback has bee sidelined by injury - the offense has sputtered. Marcus Mariota will step in, setting up a duel of Hawaiian QBs against Tua Tagovailoa.

Still, in the grand scheme of what this game means for the NFL in Spain, the scoreline will be secondary. Expect a full spectacle, complete with national anthems and a halftime show featuring Bizarrap and Daddy Yankee. What matters most is this: history will be made at the Bernabéu on Sunday.

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