Despite its name, the National Football League is no longer just American. In 2024 alone, the NFL played five international games, followed by seven games abroad the year after In 2026, a record of 9 international games is scheduled, and judging by the plans set in motion, that’s only the beginning.
Commissioner Roger Goodell has envisioned that up to 16 international games will be played annually going forward. It’s all part of the global expansion plans and creating a second home for the quintessential American sport even outside US borders.
But before that happens, let’s see what the 2026 season has in store for international fans.
2026 Global Roadmap: Four Continents, Seven Countries, Eight Stadiums
In 2026, the NFL flag will be planted in seven countries across four continents. For the first time ever, the league will touch down in France and Australia. It will also return to London, Munich and Mexico City. Here’s an overview of all games that will be played this year abroad, with confirmed information about venues and home teams.
- Melbourne, Australia: This will be the first-ever regular-season NFL game played in this country. The event will take place at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), the largest national stadium with a capacity of over 100,000 visitors. The match is scheduled for September 11, pitting the San Francisco 49ers against the Los Angeles Rams.
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: On September 27, the Dallas Cowboys will take on the Baltimore Ravens at the legendary Maracanã Stadium. The Week 3 matchup will be the league’s first time in Rio, following successful matches in Sao Paolo in previous seasons.
- London, the UK: This October, three NFL games will take place in London, the most experienced international market with over 40 regular-season matches under its belt. The Jacksonville Jaguars will be the home team at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Wembley Stadium. The other participating team will be the Washington Commanders, who will also play a home game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
- Paris, France: The long-anticipated debut in France will see the New Orleans Saints as a home team at the Stade de France on October 25. While the opponent is yet to be announced, the host already has a massive local fan base, fueled by the deep-rooted cultural and historical ties between France and Louisiana.
- Munich, Germany: The Detroit Lions will host a regular-season NFL game at the Allianz Arena in November. After 2022 and 2024, this will be the third regular-season game played in Munich as part of the NFL expansion strategy.
- Madrid, Spain: After the 2025 debut, Spain’s capital will solidify its place as a top-tier host. The Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, home to Real Madrid C.F., will be the venue where the Atlanta Falcons will host a game.
- Mexico City, Mexico: American football is returning to Mexico, with the San Francisco 49ers hosting the game at the iconic Estadio Banorte and its opponent still to be announced. According to the global expansion plan, Mexico is the team’s priority market, and they have already played in Mexico City in 2005 and 2022.
Securing Long-Term Presence
More than simply choosing cities on a map, building a global sports empire requires an approach that takes into account long-term positioning. Much like in a solitaire game where patience and vision are needed to clear the board, the NFL is methodically solving issues by placing franchises in the right spots.
There is little doubt, therefore, that NFL has strategically selected its hosts. Sending the New Orleans Saints to Paris, the San Francisco 49ers to Mexico City, or the Dallas Cowboys to Rio is done on purpose in order to tap into the cultural ties that connect these cities and venues. At the same time, the NFL is obliged by its Global Markets Program to grant all 32 clubs international marketing rights. These should enable the teams to boost global fandom through local events and youth flag football. For instance, the Saints are the first and only team to be awarded marketing rights in France under the NFL’s Global Markets Program.
Masterclass in Logistics
The 2026 season has been the most ambitious so far. With nine international games scheduled, it will be the ultimate test for schedule makers to make room for the proposed 18-game regular season, which, as things stand should include 16 international games.
Right now, each team plays 17 games. By adding an 18th game, teams will get an extra game, which is the mandatory international game. After some mental math, we come to the conclusion that this would allow the league to play a total of 16 games abroad, without taking anything away from US fans.
For sure, organizing 16 international games will be a masterclass in schedule logistics for the league, given all the factors to be managed. Still, the biggest challenge is the toll that travel may take on players. To manage long flights and time zone differences, the league will fly teams early and add a second bye week. This extra week of rest was called “the mechanical necessity” by Commissioner Goodell, as it should ensure that players are as fresh in the Maracanã as they are in Dallas.
The World Becomes a Gridiron
The NFL is gradually expanding its worldwide footing, making sure that the league is no longer a visitor but a permanent resident of the world stage. With the 2026 season approaching, millions of fans across seven countries can finally watch top-tier matches on their home turf and witness why NFL captivates audiences in the US.
However, the global expansion of the US professional American football league should not just fill stadiums worldwide. It should also create a new identity for the sport, no longer seen just as an American game played abroad but a global game that happened to originate in the US. It will become a global event for local fans as much as for the traveling teams, and with such a vision, the whole world becomes a gridiron.
The kickoff is just around the corner. Are you ready?