AffPapa adds Bernabéu stadium tour to Madrid conference

• AffPapa has added an exclusive guided tour of the Santiago Bernábeu Stadium to its Madrid 2026 conference programme.
• The tour runs on 18 May from 15:00 to 18:00, covering restricted areas and the Real Madrid Museum.
• The three-day event takes place 18–20 May at Novotel Madrid Center, with over 1,500 delegates expected.

AffPapa is offering conference-goers a behind-the-scenes visit to the Santiago Bernábeu Stadium on 18 May, adding one of football’s most recognisable venues to the pre-conference programme for its Madrid 2026 edition.

Organised in partnership with JoinAff, the tour runs from 15:00 to 18:00 and is restricted to a limited number of registered attendees.

Behind the scenes

Visitors will be taken through sections of the ground that are closed to regular match-day crowds. The itinerary covers VIP areas with elevated pitch views, the home team dressing room, the players’ tunnel, and pitchside access points ordinarily reserved for squad members and club personnel. A visit to the Real Madrid Museum is also part of the experience, taking in the club’s medal haul and broader footballing legacy.

Capacity is capped, and AffPapa is directing interested attendees to register ahead of time.

Levon Nikoghosyan, Founder and CEO of AffPapa, said:

“We didn’t want Madrid to be just another conference on the calendar. So we thought, why not give our attendees a chance to step out of the usual setting and experience something iconic? The Bernábeu tour is part of that.”

Side events line-up

The stadium visit sits alongside two other pre-conference activities on 18 May. A padel tournament, backed by Bazoom, and a morning run led by Shahar Attias through central Madrid, put together by The Walking Spread and Hybrid Interaction, complete the opening day’s schedule before an evening networking event kicks off the main programme.

The Madrid edition marks a step up from previous instalments, which were held in Málaga. Organisers moved to the capital to accommodate a larger delegate count and a broader conference footprint.

The main sessions on 19 and 20 May at Novotel Madrid Center will span panel discussions on affiliate marketing and iGaming trends, speed-dating networking rounds, and an AI-focused workshop delivered by createIT. The conference wraps on 20 May with the AffPapa iGaming Awards 2026, themed “The Test of Time” and featuring four newly introduced categories, followed by a closing party.

More than 1,500 delegates are expected across the three days, split between affiliates (40%), operators (40%), and B2B providers (20%).

Outlook for attendees

The Bernábeu tour reflects a wider push by affiliate conference organisers to build programmes that extend beyond the main floor, competing for attention in an increasingly crowded events calendar.

For affiliates and operators attending Madrid, the experiential layer adds a tangible draw alongside the commercial sessions. With the iGaming Awards providing a formal close to proceedings, the 2026 edition positions itself as both a deal-making forum and an industry recognition moment, a combination that strengthens the case for attendance across seniority levels.