The Surprising Reason Real Madrid Are Skipping the United States This Summer

Real Madrid's preseason preparations are in full swing.

The record 15-time European champions faced Ferencváros in Budapest on Saturday, having previously taken on Alcorcón and Leganés at their home ground this summer, along with a clash against Fiorentina in Austria the weekend before.

After their brief Central European tour, Los Blancos will head back to Spain to face newly promoted RC Deportivo before wrapping up their preseason in Germany against Schalke 04 on Aug. 16, with the La Liga campaign set to begin one week after that.

Preseason holds significance for any club, but it carries even greater weight for Madrid this summer as new head coach José Mourinho looks to evaluate his players before the season gets underway.

Mourinho, making his return to Madrid after a 13-year absence, will use these warm-up fixtures to assess his squad, implement his tactical approach, and build the team's physical condition.

Preseason at major clubs is also viewed as a valuable commercial opportunity, with many of Europe's elite sides using the summer months to embark on profitable tours across the globe.

American supporters have grown used to seeing Real Madrid spend their summers stateside, with eight of the ten preseasons before 2026 including matches in the country as part of a deliberate effort to grow their presence in one of soccer's most rapidly developing markets.

In fact, the only recent summers when Los Blancos bypassed a U.S. visit were during the COVID-affected periods of 2020 and 2021.

Last summer, Xabi Alonso's side took part in the Club World Cup held on American soil, while ahead of the 2024–25 season, Madrid featured in exhibition games as part of the Soccer Champions Tour in Chicago, New Jersey, and Charlotte.

Why Aren't Real Madrid Playing in the U.S.?

This year, therefore, marks a notable departure from recent trends.

All five preseason fixtures are being held in Europe, with Real Madrid choosing not to venture beyond the continent, using their own Valdebebas training facility as the base for their summer preparations.

AS reported that the decision to skip a trip to the United States this year is linked to the impact of this summer's World Cup, with a large portion of Mourinho's first-team squad having participated in the tournament across North America throughout June and July.

The lighter preseason travel schedule this summer is intended to offer players a more manageable workload following their demanding summer commitments, while those who featured at the World Cup have been granted extended time off, with their return to training phased based on how deep their respective national teams progressed in the competition.

Notably, back in 2018—following the previous summer World Cup—Real Madrid still chose to tour the United States, with Julen Lopetegui's squad playing three matches in Miami, Washington, D.C., and New Jersey.

How to Watch Real Madrid on Preseason

For supporters in the United States looking to follow Real Madrid's preseason, television remains the most reliable option.

Real Madrid's fixture against Ferencváros on Saturday, August 8 will be broadcast for U.S. viewers on CBS Sports Network and fuboTV.