The Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Spain is well-known as the home of Real Madrid, one of the most famous soccer clubs on the planet. But this Sunday, the keys for the place were handed over to American football for an exciting matchup between the Miami Dolphins and the Washington Commanders.
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With an 83,186-seat capacity, the place has been filled to the brim as well. The colors, however, told the whole story, with the stands washed in aqua and marine blue. Dolphins fans showed up in full force. But why such a huge turnout for the Phins in the heart of Spain, of all places?
Well, this final international game of the 2025 season is actually a home game for the Miami Dolphins. It’s their first time playing in Spain, so the franchise was hoping the local crowd would lean their way. And it helps that Miami has strong cultural and linguistic ties to Spanish-speaking communities.
For those out of context, Spanish is widely spoken in Miami, making it one of the largest Spanish-speaking regions in the US. If you live there, you already know the city is full of Spanish street names, neighborhoods, media outlets, and businesses. The dialect may not match perfectly with Spain, but the shared history and cultural links are very strong. The Dolphins clearly want to tap into that and grow their fan base across the Atlantic.
And for their part, Dolphins fans turned this Week 11 game into a massive event. Before kickoff, fans were tailgating and bringing the party to the streets. Marching bands, crowds outside and inside hotels, celebrations everywhere.
The team might be 3-7, but the fan base never wavers. Not even across the seven seas, it seems. Take a look at journalist Omar Kelly’s experience in a hotel in Madrid:
Just in case you thought the Dolphins weren’t well represented in Madrid.
This is the breakfast crowd at my hotel. pic.twitter.com/3n5lnOaGuc
— Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly) November 16, 2025
With Jayden Daniels out for the matchup, it is time for Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa to represent the team in a big way and come out with a win. We’re not sure a win will turn their season around, but it might be enough to keep the international fans happy.
And with a whopping 10 games scheduled next year outside the US, maybe they get another trip down there in sunny España, and then, happy fans will fill The Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
