The NFL spent millions to transform Real Madrid’s stadium for a single game

New locker rooms. Rows of seats removed. Every last Real Madrid sign hidden from sight. These are just some of the measures the National Football League took to transform one of the world’s most iconic soccer stadiums for a matchup between the Miami Dolphins and the Washington Commanders. On November 16, the two teams will compete on the field of Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu, though the pitch won’t look anything like its usual self.

To get the field ready, the NFL spent $2.32 million on a series of temporary renovations. The most fundamental change was to the playing surface itself. Since soccer pitches are shorter than American football fields, the playing field had to be extended from 115 yards to the official NFL length of 120 yards. To make this happen, entire rows of seats in the stadium’s North and South Stands were physically removed.​

[Photos: Victor Carretero/Real Madrid/Getty Images, courtesy of the author]

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