With the NFL taking significant steps towards global expansion, the Kansas City Chiefs eagerly await their opportunity to showcase their talent on the international stage. Since 2005, the NFL has gradually increased its quota of games outside the USA, hosting a record-breaking seven international games. For the upcoming season, the Chiefs have openly expressed interest in playing in a sports-crazy nation that hosted its first regular-season NFL game last year.

“We’ve been very open and aggressive with the league – as we have been since the beginning – that we want to play in Spain this year,” Chiefs team president Mark Donovan told The Star on Thursday. “We think it would be a great market, game (and) matchup. It’s perfect timing for us to play in Real Madrid, and for our fans to experience that stadium and city. I think it’d be amazing for our fans. So we’re all in.”

Last season, the Kansas City Chiefs traveled to Brazil to face the Los Angeles Chargers, marking the franchise’s fourth international game. They’ve played in London (2015), Mexico City (2019), and Frankfurt, Germany (2023). However, these comments about playing in Spain come after the Chiefs added the European nation “as one of their international rights markets last year through the NFL’s global markets program (GMP).”

The report by Sam McDowell further revealed that the game in Spain is expected to be scheduled for November, just like the NFL’s first game in the country last year, when the Miami Dolphins took down the Washington Commanders 16-13 in overtime at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in the Spanish capital.

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Furthermore, the Atlanta Falcons have been designated to play a contest in Madrid against an as-yet-unidentified opponent. The Chiefs, who are already expected to play against the NFC South powerhouse, could take up that spot, especially after these statements about playing in Spain.

While these plans of playing in Spain certainly fit the “world’s team” motto of the Chiefs’ president, Mark Donovan, there is a far more pressing concern at hand. Chiefs owner Clark Hunt’s comments have cast significant doubt over the team featuring in the season opener against the Seattle Seahawks, and it all comes down to the health of QB1 Patrick Mahomes.

The Chiefs don’t want to play the season opener because of Patrick Mahomes’ injury

With the NFL starting the 2026 season unprecedentedly, with the first game scheduled for Wednesday instead of a traditional Thursday night start, Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt believes his team won’t be part of this year’s season opener. Hunt explained his rationale behind the statement by talking about how the league may not risk pushing QB1 Patrick Mahomes for an early return.

“I don’t think that’s on the table anymore for us to be in Seattle [for the opener],” the Chiefs chairman and CEO told Front Office Sports. “From a league standpoint, I think there would be some concern whether our quarterback will be ready to go. My guess is the league won’t want to take that risk.”

Mahomes suffered a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee against the Los Angeles Chargers on December 14. Since then, the 30-year-old has been rehabbing in Kansas City with Chiefs physical therapist Julie Frymyer. Additionally, he is traveling to Dallas for checkups with Dr. Dan Cooper (who performed his surgery) and his team.

Rushing his recovery process can lead to the risk of reaggravation of the injury. On the other hand, new backup quarterback Justin Fields doesn’t seem ready to handle the pressure of the season opener for the Chiefs at the moment. As a result, the Chiefs may not feature in the season opener of the 2026 season against the defending Super Bowl champions. This will allow Patrick Mahomes to come back stronger and help grow the game internationally, with Kansas City expected to play in Spain.