In recent years Real Madrid have re-emerged as a dominant force in global club football, while international visitors to Spain are at an all time high. Here’s the key insights you need if you’re considering visiting Madrid’s Bernabeu Stadium.
Since 2021 Madrid has been welcoming more than 10 million visitors a year, and tourism is an ever growing sector of the Spanish economy. While high visitor numbers and Real Madrid’s successes are not exclusively linked, being home to one of the most popular teams in the world’s most played sport can only add to Spanish capital’s allure.
Los Blancos Return to Domination
In football few club names are bigger than Real Madrid. The 15-time European club competition champions and 36-time Spanish league victors are undoubtedly one of the all time great clubs.
Los Blancos are the only football club in the world with a billion dollar yearly revenue, and a lot of that is driven by their hugely passionate global fanbase. All of which makes Real Madrid game tickets a sought after purchase.
Recent events have only intensified that demand. Between 2017 and 2021 the club’s legendarily high standards were seen to slip a little. Although there were still a couple of trophies, it was nothing to rival the dominating seasons of old.
But, since 2021, they have been on a legendary run. Although they only won one trophy – the UEFA SuperCup – in 2025, Los Blancos’ highlights of the past five years include:
- Double victories in La Liga and The Champions League in 2022 and 2024
- The Spanish Super Cup and Club World Cup in 2023
- Back to back UEFA Supercup wins in 2023 and 2024
In total the club has won 10 domestic and international club trophies in four years. Despite legendary manager Carlo Ancelotti leaving in 2025, many see Real on a continued upswing under the exciting playstyle of new manager Xabi Alonso.
Record Visitor Numbers Impact Ticket Availability
According to the World Tourism and Travel Council, the total yearly tourist spend in Spain could hit more than $250 billion by the end of 2025. Tourism permanently employs some three million Spaniards.
11 million people visited Madrid alone in 2024, adding to the city’s 2.5 million full time residents.
Each week, during the La Liga season, some 70,000 fans pack out the club’s Santiago Bernabéu stadium, bringing in millions to the club from ticket sales. And many of those attendees will have been coming from abroad.
The Bernabeu is currently undergoing the last parts of a significant expansion, which will add another 5,000 or seats in the long run. However, in the short term the construction is causing some disruptions.
Much of the large stadium work was completed in late 2024. Despite that you’re still likely to see increased competition for not only Real Madrid tickets but also hotels, tourist attractions and transport connections in the city.
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Booking Strategies To Ensure You Get Your Seat
When it comes to booking your tickets, the earlier you book the lower the price. If you want to guarantee a ticket to a big game, you’ll have to book later and pay more. Your options include:
- Book a random match day before the fixtures are announced, for the cheapest price
- Book a specific match, but ticket prices will be higher
- Book a Wednesday UEFA Champions League game
- Booking a VIP experience is a guaranteed ticket to the game of your choice, but also the priciest
On the downside, booking too early means you might not know what match you’re going to see. The league fixtures for 25/26 have been announced and are available now, but cup games aren’t certain.
Real Madrid did qualify for the 2025/26 Champions League, so VIP bookings are available for Wednesday night group phase games.
As a tourist, however, good luck getting tickets for the El Clasico of Real Madrid vs Barcelona, or the local derby vs Atletico Madrid. Unless you’re willing to put down big money of course.
Another great option for a football-centric trip to Madrid, is a stadium tour. A guided walk through the Bernabeu offers a unique insight into one of the world’s most famous footballing venues.
Off The Field: Exploring Historic Madrid
The origins of Madrid go back to the 9th century, so the city is full of rich Spanish culture to enjoy outside of its world-famous football club.
To keep the football theme going, you could watch another match at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano Stadium, home of Real’s cross-city rivals Atletico Madrid, or visit the Legends: Home of Football exhibit.
Outside of Real Madrid matches, there are plenty of other experiences you can pre book before visiting Madrid. You could try a tour of the best tapas spots in the city or a crawl through the many bars and nightclubs in the party districts of La Latina or Chueca.
There are also calmer, more low-key activities for the more sophisticated Real Madrid fan. That includes Spain’s main national art museum Del Prado, the Reina Sofia Museum and the beautiful 1850s opera house at the Royal Theatre.
Although all of these attractions will be busier than they have been in the past, the historic Spanish capital has been keeping pace with the infrastructure upgrades to support the record number of visitors.
So it remains a fantastic place to visit, especially if you’re a big fan of football and Los Blancos. As you might hear in the stadium, “Hala Madrid!…y nada más!” or “Hail Madrid, and nothing else!”
