NFL Madrid Game: How to Get to the Bernabéu from the Airport

Take Metro Line 8 from Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport to Nuevos Ministerios, then Line 10 two stops to Santiago Bernabéu: about 30 to 35 minutes for €4.50–5.00, dropping you at the stadium door. Kickoff for the Atlanta Falcons vs Cincinnati Bengals game is 15:30 on Sunday 8 November 2026, and the Metro beats a taxi on game day, when roads around the stadium close to traffic.

When and where is the NFL Madrid Game?

The game is at the Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday 8 November 2026, kickoff 15:30 local time (9:30 a.m. ET), with the Falcons hosting the Bengals in Week 9. The NFL confirmed the fixture in May 2026. The stadium stands on Paseo de la Castellana, 12 km south of the airport and inside the M-30 ring road. That ring sets your taxi budget: any trip ending inside it falls under the city flat fare, and the Bernabéu qualifies.

Fastest route from MAD to the stadium

Line 8 (pink) runs from the airport station to Nuevos Ministerios, where you cross the platform to Line 10 (blue) for two stops north to Santiago Bernabéu, exiting into the stadium plaza. Trains come every 5 to 7 minutes and the ride is 30 to 35 minutes. The single fare is €4.50–5.00, since a €3 airport supplement sits on top of a normal ticket (Metro de Madrid).

Landing at Terminal 4 makes the Cercanías C-1 train a couple of euros cheaper into the same Line 10 connection. From Terminals 1, 2 and 3, the Metro is the simpler pick.

When should you leave the airport for a 15:30 kickoff?

Give yourself a three-hour cushion between landing and kickoff to arrive relaxed. The transit runs only 35 minutes, but stadium security takes time, the Bernabéu is huge, and the Line 10 platform toward the ground fills from around 13:00. A workable plan: clear passport control and baggage by 12:00, board the Metro by 12:30, reach the plaza near 13:15, then find your gate before the pre-game crush.

Flying in the same morning works only if your flight lands on time, with no room for a border queue (non-EU arrivals can wait over an hour at peak). Arriving the day before removes that risk and suits anyone chasing an early-afternoon kickoff.

Taxi on match day: fare and drop-off

The regulated flat fare is €33, raised from €30 on 1 January 2024 and held for the 2026 tariff (Madrid City Council). It covers any address inside the M-30, so a driver should not run the meter to the stadium. One game-day limit applies: from roughly two hours before kickoff, vehicles cannot reach the streets within about 500 metres of the ground. Ask your driver for Cuzco or Lima Metro station and walk the last stretch. Official guidance steers fans onto the Metro and drop-off points rather than driving, because the security perimeter cancels on-site parking.

What bag can you bring into the stadium?

The event runs on the NFL clear-bag policy, stricter than a normal Bernabéu match. Permitted bags: a clear plastic or vinyl bag up to 30.5 × 15.25 × 30.5 cm (12″ × 6″ × 12″), a one-gallon clear zip bag, or a small non-clear bag up to 11.5 × 16.5 cm. Backpacks, fanny packs, camera bags and luggage of any kind get turned away (NFL clear-bag policy).

Suitcases are therefore a non-starter, so do not plan to walk from arrivals to the stadium with your bags. Store them at the airport left-luggage office (Terminals 1, 2 and 4, from about €9 for two hours) or drop them at your hotel first. Packing light also spares you a jammed Line 10 carriage.

Finding your gate at the Bernabéu

The Metro leaves you in the plaza on the west side, but the doors are numbered and spread all the way around the building, so check the door number on your ticket before arriving. Far-side doors can mean a 400-metre walk around the perimeter. Fan information booths sit near Door 5 and Door 38, and stewards direct the flow once the crowd builds.

Getting back to the airport after the game

Reverse the Metro: Line 10 south to Nuevos Ministerios, then Line 8 to the airport. Timing is the one real snag, since roughly 70,000 people leave at once and the Bernabéu platform can take 15 minutes to clear at peak. With a flight to catch, walk one stop north to Cuzco and board an emptier train upstream, or pre-book a taxi to meet you outside the restricted zone. The Metro runs until 01:30, so an evening flight is comfortable, while a tight same-night connection after a 15:30 kickoff is not worth the gamble.

Frequently asked questions

Does the €33 fixed taxi fare cover the Bernabéu? Yes. The stadium sits inside the M-30, so the flat fare applies from any airport terminal, with no meter and no luggage surcharge.

Can I take my suitcase to the game? No. Luggage of any size is banned under the clear-bag policy. Use the airport left-luggage office or your hotel first.

Can I drive and park at the stadium? No. The game-day security perimeter removes on-site parking, and fans are sent to the Metro, taxis and official drop-off zones.

Is the Metro accessible with reduced mobility? Yes. Both Line 10 exits at Santiago Bernabéu have lifts and step-free access to street level, though game-day crowds slow the platforms.