The Washington Commanders are going to be one of the NFL’s hottest draws in 2025.
The league is proving that with the slow drip of schedule announcements, including the announcement that the Commanders will play in the NFL’s first-ever game in Spain against the Miami Dolphins on Nov. 16.
Washington, led by Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels, had a renaissance 2024 season where it went 12-5 and reached the NFC Championship Game. The combination of Daniels, first-year coach Dan Quinn, plus new ownership spearheaded by Josh Harris, made the Commanders one of the league’s feel-good stories.
Washington wasted no time getting fans lined up to trek across the Atlantic for the first game in Spain. The team started accepting deposits for tickets and experiences for the game at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, home of Real Madrid — starting at $500 apiece.
The Dolphins had been announced as the home team in January — in what will be their eighth international game since the league started going abroad in 2007. Miami will play in its fifth different country, including the United States.
This will be Washington’s first international game since 2016, when its Week 8 game at Wembley Stadium in London against the Cincinnati Bengals ended in a 27-27 tie.
In Demand
The NFL schedule will not be fully unveiled until Wednesday night, when NFL Network airs its schedule-release special. But we already know two of Washington’s games, which means it will be one of the league’s marquee teams this year.
The NFL announced Monday that Washington’s home game against the reigning Super Bowl-champion Eagles will be December 20 as part of a special Saturday doubleheader on FOX. Experts have pontificated that that would also open the door for Washington to play on Christmas Day, since the league has beefed up its games played on that holiday and the fact it falls on a Thursday this year.
But the Commanders also will not be the home team in the game in Spain, since the Dolphins earned that distinction. That will leave eight home games at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland for Washington, a further sign of the team’s resurgence in its home market.
More Good News
Washington is having a huge off-season as well, since marquee players have made it a destination so they can play with Daniels and for Quinn.
The Commanders picked up two wideout weapons for Daniels, Michael Gallup and Deebo Samuel. Samuel was acquired via trade with the San Francisco 49ers, and Gallup signed a free agent deal.
Gallup was so excited to join Daniels and return to the NFC East that he cut his retirement short to sign a one-year contract with Washington. Plus, the Commanders received a B+ draft grade from Pro Football Focus, while also adding wideout Jaylin Lane from Virginia Tech.
Even the ownership group is having a great offseason, since Harris and Co. group received good news from the NFL, that it would be able to develop the current RFK Stadium site into a new home for the Commanders, scheduled to open in 2030.
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