Real Madrid as an institution is not only about the football team. The Merengues are a global superpower in the world of sport, with intensive diversification across multiple disciplines.

Furthermore, Real Madrid is a brand in itself, and in the process, one of Spain’s most famous institutions. It thus did not come as a surprise when Los Blancos were a part of the discussion when the topic of the NFL’s expansion in the country came up.

The NFL will arrive in Spain for the first time in 2025, and the representatives of the league were in the country to finalise the location where the exhibition game will be played.

In the end, it boiled down to two options in the Spanish capital – Santiago Bernabeu and Civitas Metropolitano with Real Madrid’s Stadium winning the chance.

Sergio Santos brings out the full story of how Florentino Perez defeated Los Rojiblancos in yet another race.

As revealed by the Spanish journalist, Atleti’s Metropolitano was always the favourite to host the game owing to one reason – the location.

The Bernabeu is located in the middle of Paseo de la Castellana, one of Spain’s busiest areas encompassing some of the most regularly used roadways.

Hosting such a big event at the Stadium will thus disrupt normal life for the public, especially considering that the NFL plan a week full of festivities before the game on Sunday.

The Metropolitano, meanwhile, is relatively away from the bustle of the city and has free space around its location.

With parks and esplanades galore, it gave the organisers sufficient space to plan events around the game itself without disrupting the life of the public.

Florentino Perez & Co. were aware of the thought process running in the organiser’s mind, but instead of backing down, opted to turn it into an opportunity.

Real Madrid thus projected a proposal that hosting such events in the centre of the city would attract more attention and generate more publicity.

The NFL can thus open a fan zone where fans can interact and take part in events related to the teams.

As it stands, the Nuevo Bernabeu is set to land the deal, although a lot still remains to be finalized.