The National Football League will play at Madrid's Santiago Bernabéu stadium on 8 November, marking the second consecutive year the city has hosted an NFL game after what organisers called a successful first edition. That earlier game generated 70 million euros for the city of Madrid.
This year's fixture pits the Cincinnati Bengals against the Atlanta Falcons, one of nine international games on the NFL's schedule this season. For many fans, the bigger question is not the score but who will perform during the halftime break.
Madrid mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida said the game would be one of the year's great international sporting events and a historic match for the city.
NFL Flag brings accessible sport to schools
The NFL has partnered with the Spanish American Football Federation, known as FEFA, to bring flag football into Madrid schools throughout the year. Flag football is a non-contact version of American football that is also set to feature in the Olympic programme at the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
Organisers say the initiative is meant to promote accessible, educational sport, encourage healthy habits among children and young people, and introduce American football to new generations.
Who will perform at halftime?
The NFL halftime show is one of the league's biggest draws: a musical performance lasting roughly 11 to 15 minutes that runs during the game's break and draws millions of television viewers every year.
Super Bowl halftime shows have featured artists including Michael Jackson, Coldplay, Madonna, Bruno Mars and Bad Bunny, who performed at Super Bowl 2026 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
The NFL has been expanding the halftime spectacle beyond the Super Bowl final to its international games. Madrid got a taste of it last year at the Bernabéu, when Bizarrap and Daddy Yankee performed. That show was not free of controversy, drawing complaints from residents living near the stadium after noise levels exceeded the permitted decibel limits.
Since news broke that the NFL would return to Madrid, speculation and betting over which artist would headline the halftime show has quickly picked up again.
Jonas Brothers, Ricky Martin: what we know so far
The NFL has not yet announced who will perform during the halftime break of the 8 November game at the Bernabéu. But looking at what is happening in the rest of the cities on this international tour, two names being mentioned often are the Jonas Brothers and Ricky Martin.
In Rio de Janeiro, the halftime show will be handled by Brazilian artist Pedro Sampaio and Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin. Nigerian singer Ayra Starr is set to perform in London, while Cage The Elephant and The Warning will provide the halftime entertainment in Munich and Mexico respectively.
Madrid, for now, remains a mystery. If the NFL keeps up the same commitment to music at its international games, another major halftime show could follow at the Bernabéu, though who will actually take the stage is still unknown.
