Dolphins will play home game outside the country next year. Details, potential opponents
For the second time in three years, the Dolphins have been assigned to play a game outside the United States in 2025, the team’s season ticket holders were informed Friday.
The date, opponent and location were not revealed, but Spain is considered a strong possibility. Earlier this year, Madrid recently was awarded a regular-season NFL game for 2025.
The Dolphins and the Chicago Bears have international marketing rights in Spain, as part of the NFL’s Global Markets Program, an initiative that grants global marketing rights to clubs in markets outside of the United States to build brand awareness and fandom. Twenty-one teams participate in the program and have rights across 14 markets.
This means the Dolphins will play only eight games at Hard Rock Stadium in 2025, while many other AFC teams will play nine games. The Dolphins also informed fans that they will play only one home preseason game in 2025.
Seven of the Dolphins nine home opponents are known for 2025: Buffalo, the Jets, New England, Baltimore, Cincinnati, New Orleans and Tampa Bay. One of those games will be played internationally.
In their history, the Dolphins have played five games in London and one in Germany, a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs last November.
This NFL has played more that 50 games internationally in an attempt to broaden the game’s appeal and raise revenue. This season, the NFL played one game in Brazil, three in London and one in Germany.
The first regular-season game in Spain will be played at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, home to Real Madrid C.F.
“Playing a game in Madrid in 2025 highlights the continued expansion of the league’s global footprint and the accelerated ambitions to take our game to more fans around the world,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in February.
“We are proud to partner with Real Madrid C.F., a global brand, together with the city of Madrid and Comunidad de Madrid, to bring a spectacular regular-season game to Spain at the world-class Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.”
This story was originally published October 25, 2024 at 9:38 AM.
