The NFL has made no secret of its desire to increase its footprint internationally. Not content with dominating the domestic marketplace, commissioner Roger Goodell has been open about the importance of playing more games overseas.
The 2026 season will already feature nine international games, spread out in different countries around the world. Melbourne, Australia hosts a week one game between the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams. In week three, the Ravens and Cowboys will play in Rio De Janiero, Brazil. Then there are four straight weeks with games in Europe.
Colts-Commanders in London in week four, Eagles-Jaguars also in London in week five, Texans-Jaguars at Wembley in week six, and Steelers-Saints in Paris in week seven. Later weeks feature the Bengals-Falcons in Madrid, Patriots-Lions in Munich and Vikings-49ers in Mexico City.
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General view inside the stadium with flags of Great Britain,NFL and USA prior to the NFL match between New York Giants and Green Bay Packers at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 9, 2022 in London, England. (Vincent Mignott/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
While most years had eight international games, and this upcoming season features nine, there’s already been a vote to approve up to 10 non-US games starting in 2027. That vote also removed the ability of teams to prevent their home games from being moved to an international host.
All this is to say that the international expansion in the NFL is only growing. And Goodell took that a step further this week, saying in a new interview that there will be not just one but multiple teams, plural, based internationally.
“At some point, there will be NFL teams outside the USA,” Goodell said in an interview with former NFL player Markus Kuhn for German media outlet RTL/ntv. “I have no doubt that this will happen one day.”
While he didn’t specify a city, or cities, that would host these “teams,” he made an even more aggressive prediction: that the new international destination could potentially hold a Super Bowl.
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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell addresses the media during the Super Bowl Winning Team Head Coach and MVP Press Conference at the Mandalay Bay North Convention Center on Feb. 12, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
“There are definitely international cities that could host something like that,” Goodell said. “But we would like to see an NFL team in such a city first.”
Just imagine, a Super Bowl played outside the United States. Fans will be thrilled.
This isn’t the first time Goodell has said the NFL is serious about expanding internationally. There’s a nearly-limitless fountain of money available if the league is able to grow a serious permanent foothold in Europe, for example, and there is nothing the NFL cares more about than increasing its revenue.
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He’s also spoken of a desire to host games in Asia, and Mexico City was a frequent destination from 2016-2022. How this would work, however, still seems up for debate and discussion.
There are the obvious travel and logistical hurdles, especially if Europe is the ultimate choice, as seems likely. West coast teams would have 10-12 hour flights to London or Paris. Even East Coast teams would have to adjust to different travel schedules, time zones and jet lag.
A wide view of play in the first half during an NFL International Series game at Wembley Stadium. (Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images)
Then just imagine having a Super Bowl played at the Tottenham Stadium. Or Wembley. Or the Stade de France. How bizarre, off-putting and disconnected from the NFL would that be? Not to mention the difference in time zones leading to some, shall we say, interesting, scheduling questions.
The Super Bowl typically kicks off at 6:30pm Eastern, but 6:30pm Eastern is 11:30pm in London. Moving the game to say, 8pm in London would mean a 12pm kickoff time on the West Coast, and 3pm on the East Coast. That’s on Sunday, so it’s less worrisome to not be in prime time, but it’s hard to imagine the NFL upending tradition so thoroughly.
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Obviously, this is years, or even decades, away from happening. But the NFL and Goodell are clearly committed to putting teams, multiple teams, in other countries. Money comes first, last and always.