NFL Really Going Global

When the NFL added the 17th game to the schedule three years ago, it seemed pretty obvious what the ultimate goal was.  They wanted to expand the number of international games, and adding a 17th game for each team was the easiest way to do it.  And the teams that have the ninth home game won't actually have an extra game at home.  Instead, they'll be the "home" team in an international game.

Sure enough, that's exactly what's happening.  The NFL has been gradually increasing the number of international games each season, and number will double from four to eight in 2025.  And, you'd also figure, that as the number of international games increases, more and more destinations will be introduced.  Sao Paulo, Brazil, will be the latest place added to the list next season, hosting one of the four games along with two in London and one in Munich.

The owners also passed a resolution requiring teams to play internationally at least once every four years.  That obviously fits with their desire to double the international inventory to eight games a year (that would mean everybody is the home team in an international game once during that four-year cycle).  They also won't be required to play outside of North America more than once per season, unless they specifically choose to (the Jaguars played back-to-back games in London this season).

It's also worth noting that the Jaguars' annual game at Wembley Stadium isn't included.  That's a completely separate contract between the team and the stadium.  So, as long as that contract remains in effect, there will be however many international games the NFL schedules plus the Jaguars' London game.  Which effectively means there will be nine international games each season starting in 2025.

They've established the two games at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London as a regular feature of the international schedule.  Will London potentially be getting a third (or, technically a fourth, if you include the Jaguars).  Likewise, I think the game in Germany is now an annual thing.  Last year, it was in Munich, while it was the Frankfurt this season.  Next season, it's back to Munich.  Will we see games in both German cities moving forward?

Sao Paulo, which will host the first-ever NFL game in South America, was chosen over Munich for the fourth international game in 2024.  You'd have to figure that Madrid will be on the docket for 2025.  And you know it won't be the last city added.  My question is where does the NFL go next?

Since 2022, the NFL has allowed teams to select an International Home Market (this does not include the Bills and Lions with Canada because of how close they are to the border).  That setup's currently in place in 14 different countries.  Not every team has taken advantage, while some have more than one International Home Market!  So, if you want an idea of where the NFL might be thinking and what teams would be playing in those countries, that's a good place to start.

I figured that the first game in South America would be in Brazil, but not in Sao Paulo.  I assumed it would be at the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro.  Don't be surprised if that one happens sooner rather than later.  With the flag being planted in South America, do they shoot for Australia or Asia?  Olympic Stadium in Tokyo?  The Bird's Nest in Beijing?  Stadium Australia in Sydney?  With flag football being played at the 2028 Olympics, maybe schedule a game in Brisbane in the leadup to the 2032 Games?  Would they be crazy enough to play in Doha?

There are also plenty of other European cities that, you would think, would want to open the door to a relationship with the NFL.  More specifically, European soccer teams that would love to establish a relationship with the NFL.  After the renovations at Camp Nou in Barcelona are done, don't be surprised to see an NFL game there (the Barcelona Dragons were one of the powerhouse teams in the early days of NFL Europe, too).  What about Berlin?  How about a game in Paris?  Or Milan?  I wouldn't be surprised to see other European markets emerge, too.  Maybe even another city in England (just imagine an NFL game at Old Trafford).

Let's not forget about the international markets much closer to home, either.  Mexico City has hosted five NFL games and will almost certainly rejoin the hosting rotation once the renovations they're making at Azteca for the World Cup are complete.  I'm curious to see if the NFL will go back to Canada, though.  The Bills played an annual game in Toronto for a few years, but that's no longer an option with the changes the Blue Jays are making to the stadium.  Do you try a game at Olympic Stadium in Montreal, though?  Or have the Seahawks host one in Vancouver, which is only 140 miles from Seattle?

But, as I said, I'd be very interested to know the NFL's level of interest in Canada.  Canadians already have access to Red Zone and Sunday Night Football, and plenty of Canadian fans cross the border every week already to attend Bills and Seahawks and Lions and Vikings games.  Plus, they really don't want to step on the CFL's toes, so any game in Canada would have to be after the Grey Cup.  Is there really a benefit to playing in Canada in late November/early December?  There might not be.

More European games obviously have one other major selling point that you know the NFL will gladly exploit.  Those games start at 9:30 am Eastern.  The Jaguars game was on ESPN+ this season, while the others were on NFL Network.  They obviously won't all be in Europe so they won't all be at 9:30, but it wouldn't be hard for the league to sell the international games as a separate TV package to the networks/streamers.  And, if they're smart, they'll schedule all non-European international games on Monday nights, which only increases the value of ESPN's package.

Requiring every team to play an international "home" game is a smart move, too.  It shows the NFL's commitment, and it's fair since teams won't be picked a disproportionate amount of times.  It's also the entire point of the 17th game, so it's not like the teams didn't see this coming.  They'll also each be allowed to choose two home opponents that can't be selected for their international game, so teams won't have to worry about a marquee matchup being moved out of their own stadium...unless of course they want it to be!

This phenomenon isn't exclusive to the NFL.  MLB has series scheduled in South Korea, Mexico and London next season, and the NHL just finished playing its "Global Games" in Stockholm.  The NBA has even gotten in on the act, playing one game in Mexico City with another coming up in Paris (they also had preseason games in Abu Dhabi).  And, with the success the NFL has seen since it started playing international games, you had to figure it was only a matter of time until it was expanded.