By Harshit | MADRID, Nov. 16, 2025 | 21:30 CET
The Miami Dolphins and Washington Commanders made history today 🇪🇸 as the NFL hosted its first-ever regular season game in Spain, played at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid. While both teams entered at 3–7 and well outside playoff contention, the atmosphere was electric — and the game did not disappoint.
After a chaotic fourth quarter full of turnovers, injuries, and missed kicks, the Dolphins escaped with a nail-biting 16–13 win, powered by a late defensive stand and a clutch field goal attempt that sealed the historic victory in Europe.
🏁 Final Score — Dolphins 16, Commanders 13
Miami held off a late Washington surge to win their second straight game and climb to 4–7. The Commanders, meanwhile, dropped their sixth consecutive game, continuing a brutal midseason skid.
💥 Commanders Miss 56-Yard FG with 10 Seconds Left
Washington had a shot to tie it in the final seconds, but Joey Slye’s 56-yard attempt drifted wide right. The Dolphins took over at midfield and knelt to close it out. Relief — and celebration — for Miami fans in Madrid.
🚫 Dolphins Stuffed on 4th Down (1:40 Left)
With a chance to take the lead earlier, Miami gambled on fourth down inside the 5-yard line. Rookie Ollie Gordon was stuffed by Jamin Davis for no gain — a huge stop for the Commanders that briefly gave them hope.
🤕 De’Von Achane Injured Near Goal Line
Star running back De’Von Achane was slow to get up after being stopped short on third down. Trainers helped him to the sideline; initial reports suggested an ankle tweak.
😱 Dolphins Recover Muffed Punt (4:11 Left)
Disaster for Washington — Mike Sainristil muffed a Jake Bailey punt near midfield, and Ethan Bonner fell on it to set Miami up at the Commanders’ 42. That recovery led to the game-winning drive.
🧱 Goal Line Stand Keeps Game Tied
With the game even at 13, Miami’s defense came up huge. On third-and-goal, Chris Rodriguez was denied at the 1-yard line, and Marcus Mariota’s fourth-down pass to Zach Ertz fell incomplete. The Dolphins took over and flipped the momentum.
🔥 Ollie Gordon Powers In — 13-13 Tie (9:20 4Q)
Miami tied the game with a 1-yard run from Gordon, following a clutch screen pass to Achane that brought them to the doorstep. The crowd in Madrid erupted — neutral fans loving every minute of the late-game drama.
🦵 Commanders Strike First in 2nd Half
Opening the third quarter, Washington went 75 yards behind Chris Rodriguez and Marcus Mariota, capping it off with a 20-yard catch-and-run by Deebo Samuel. It gave the Commanders their first lead at 13-6.
⏸️ Halftime — 6-6 Tie
Both teams traded field goals in a defensive grind of a first half. Miami’s Riley Patterson hit two kicks from 46 and 39 yards, while Washington answered with two short-range conversions of their own.
⚠️ Controversial PI Call on Miami
In the second quarter, cornerback Jack Jones was flagged for a questionable pass interference that bailed Washington out of a third-and-long deep in their own territory. The Bernabéu crowd voiced its displeasure loudly.
💥 Dolphins Defense Starts Hot
Miami began strong, with Tyrel Dodson recording a key sack on Mariota to stall a Commanders drive. Washington’s 51-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right, keeping the score level early.
🚑 Injuries Pile Up
- Jordan Colbert (MIA) — left with a concussion in Q2.
- Benito Jones (MIA) — exited with an ankle injury on Washington’s opening drive.
- Marcus Mariota (WAS) — briefly left after nearly being sacked for a safety but returned later.
🎯 First Points — Dolphins 3, Commanders 0
Miami opened the game aggressively, gaining 48 yards on their first three plays. Though a delay-of-game negated a 4th-down attempt, Riley Patterson nailed a 46-yard FG to put the Dolphins ahead early.
📺 What Channel Is Dolphins vs. Commanders On?
- TV: NFL Network
- Streaming: Fubo (Free Trial)
- Local Broadcast: CBS Miami
📅 Game Information
- Date: Sunday, November 16, 2025
- Time: 9:30 a.m. ET (3:30 p.m. CET)
- Venue: Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Madrid, Spain
This marks the first-ever NFL game in Spain, and the crowd of over 75,000 fans gave it the atmosphere of a Super Bowl.
💰 Odds & Prediction (Pre-Game Recap)
- Spread: Dolphins -3.5
- Over/Under: 44.0
- Prediction (Hit): Dolphins 20, Commanders 13 ✅