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Could NFL teams play one game abroad every season? Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn jokingly asked if there was a league representative in the league before he answered.
After a moment of consideration, he came back with a ‘why not?’ response. Sure, international games come with their challenges, but he and football know by now that this thing is only going to continue growing and passports are only going to continue getting stamped.
His Commanders make history this weekend when they face the Miami Dolphins at Real Madrid’s Bernabeu Stadium in the league’s first regular-season game to be played in Madrid.
“Good question,” he said. “We knew it hurts a little bit in the beginning of the week, but then as you get closer to game day, man, you’re ready to perform.
“If you could do it, yeah, I think there’s a way depending on where you go, I guess.”
Sunday’s match-up closes out a record slate of seven international games played during the 2025 season. The league began in Sao Paulo, Brazil in Week One, before heading to Dublin, playing three times in London, making its debut in Berlin and then pitching up in Spain.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has made no secret of his desire to reach 16 international games per season, with Melbourne, Australia and Rio de Janeiro gearing up to become the newest host cities during the 2026 campaign. Mexico City is meanwhile set to rejoin the schedule after its hiatus due to pre-World Cup stadium renovations, while both Paris and Asia are rumoured to be among the next destinations.
“I personally like getting the team together,” Quinn added. “I don’t know if there’s a science behind that, but I know what that energy can look like when you connect.”
“You have to be thoughtful about it, about when you go and when you don’t. But so far I liked this feeling and the idea of leaving on the Monday night. Tuesday, you arrive here in the morning, tried to keep the players up, had a workout, could do some things, so then go to bed Tuesday night to get into a normal routine.”
Teams have typically travelled in midweek for international games, though the Los Angeles Rams bucked the trend in October when they landed on Saturday, a day prior to their rampant 35-7 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Clubs are tinkering with their preparations to playing overseas, which comes with the challenge of setting up a makeshift headquarters.
“When you’re on a normal road trip, you practise at your own facility and then pack up and go play,” said Quinn. “When you do an extended trip, now there’s, ‘where do I go for treatment? Where do I go for the recovery work, the locker room?’
“Finding those spaces and getting into that vibe, it takes a few days. But if you have a few days of that, then you can find the routine. As any ball player would say, routine is very important.”
The Commanders arrive 3-7 and on a five-game losing streak as they take on the Dolphins without starting quarterback Jayden Daniels, who will be replaced by Marcus Mariota, and star wide receiver Terry McLaurin.
It comes as their first game overseas since their tie against the Cincinnati Bengals at Wembley in London back in 2016.
The Miami Dolphins face the Washington Commanders at the iconic Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, live on Sky Sports NFL from 2pm (kick-off, 2.30pm). Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW.
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