Some unaware citizens who approach the Santiago Bernabéu stadium next Sunday might doubt, for a few seconds, whether they are in Madrid or in a city in the United States. The Madrid stadium will host an American football match between the Miami Dolphins and the Washington Commanders. One of the many international matches that the NFL has organized in cities such as London, Berlin or Sao Paulo.
The event adds to other sporting events, such as the Formula 1 championship in September 2026, which are expected to provide a cash injection into various economic sectors in the region, particularly tourism. The NFL game, in particular, is expected to have a tourism-related economic impact of €5 million. This is what emerges from an analysis carried out exclusively for CinqueGiorni from the technological company Mabrian, born in Menorca as a specialist in data intelligence for the tourism sector and acquired at the end of 2023 by the Italian Datta Appeal, in which it ensures that 53% of this outlay will be allocated to catering (2.7 million), 29% to accommodation (1.5 million) and 18% to transport and mobility (824,600 euros).
The estimates in this analysis refer only to tourism services, without including other consequences such as ticket sales, sponsorships, advertising or related revenues. “The economic tourism impact expected for Madrid for this sporting event is at the level of Champions League football matches, according to our analysis of these matches in the final phase of the competition in Spain, Italy and Germany. Indeed, the clash between the Dolphins and the Commanders is expected to leave the city with 700,000 euros more than the Real Madrid – Manchester City match, which will be played on December 10”, assures Carlos Cendra, partner of Mabrian.
The analysis also shows that hotel prices, based on the rates available in online travel agencies, will increase by 12.6% compared to the same week in 2024, reaching an average of 257.8 euros. This figure also represents an increase of 13.4% compared to the week before the event.
Likewise, flight prices from the United States increase by 40% year-on-year between November 13 and 18. When considering the cities of the teams facing each other, the cost of flying from Washington-Dulles increases by 56% year-on-year, from where seat capacity has increased by 12%. Departing from Miami, direct flight fares increased by 2.5 times compared to the same days in 2025, while capacity decreased by 9% year-over-year.
Image abroad
Mirko Lalli, CEO and founder of The Data Appeal Company, which in turn was acquired by Almawawe Group, argues that the study’s data are indicators of the value of events as drivers of non-seasonal demand. “More than half of the planned spending will remain in food-related businesses, many of which are located around the stadium, which are part of the fan experience,” he adds.
For her part, Alba López, director of the Unisport Management School, a business school specialized in the sports sector, highlights, in addition to the economic impact, a “deeper effect, linked to the image and reputation” of both the city and the brands associated with the event. The former projects itself as a “modern capital, capable of offering the world a sporting experience of the highest level and demonstrating its ability to generate economic opportunities and international collaborations”. Although, he acknowledges, “on a logistical level it is an enormous challenge”, which can create “a certain level of saturation” and inconvenience for neighbors.
For companies “it is a great opportunity” to get in touch with “an audience that seeks experiences that last, rather than advertising messages”. As well as to “generate relationships and reputation” with partners or customers, who can be invited to experience the match from exclusive areas.
VIP Experiences
Among the trends that dominate the tourism sector in recent years, experiences have stood out. It is no longer enough for tourists to arrive in a place, see the most important monuments, take a couple of photographs and continue on their way. Now you want to experience the destination and do some activities outside of your usual routine. And they also plan their vacations, or short getaways, around a specific experience.
In a Skyscanner report compiling traveler trends for this year, 33% of Spanish respondents planned to travel to a local or international destination to watch a sporting event, a figure that rose to 38% among respondents aged 25 to 34. These types of appointments, Cendra argues, also serve “to position destinations in major tourism markets, such as the NFL” and American travelers. Last year, a US tourist spent an average of 2,113 euros in Spain, compared to 1,345 euros for all travelers, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics.
This increased spending power means that luxury tourism has set its sights on Americans. The NFL was a perfect excuse for VP Plaza de España to attract these high-impact travelers. The five-star hotel offers a two-night package (15 and 16 November) with breakfast included for two people, which includes two VIP tickets for the match, to which the guest will arrive in a luxury car, and during which catering will be available. Furthermore, it includes, among other services, dinner on the hotel terrace and access to the spa with a treatment. The price starts from 7,500 euros for two nights in a suite or from 15,600 in the presidential suite.
Three other luxury hotels in the city have been chosen by On Location, a tour operator selected by the NFL, as official fan facilities. Dolphins fans are offered a four-night package with admission and pre-party, among other amenities, at The Thompson. The price for a double room per person is 6.9956 dollars, approximately 6,050 euros. Commanders fans are invited to stay at the Gran Meliá Palazzo dei Duchi. In this case, return tickets from Washington and similar services to the other package are added to the four-night stay. The price per person is 5,485 dollars, approximately 4,700 euros. For those who prefer to travel to Madrid on their own, there is a two-night package at the Hyatt Centric Gran Vía for $3,775 (3,263 euros) per person in a double room.
The NFL also offers American football fans several catered VIP tickets, a detail worth considering as the game is played at 3.30pm. Prices range from 770 euros at the KO at 99 Sushi Bar, to 1,195 euros in one of the box areas, to 970 euros at the Puerta 57 restaurant.
