NFL Plans Record Nine Overseas Games
The NFL announced plans to stage a record nine overseas games next season, two more than in 2025, as part of its Global Markets Program expansion. For the first time, every one of the NFL's 32 teams has now played a regular-season game outside the United States, marking a major milestone in the league's international growth strategy.
- The nine games in 2026 will be held in seven different countries: three in London, and one each in Melbourne, Australia; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Munich, Germany; Madrid, Spain; Paris, France; and Mexico City, Mexico. - This marks the first-ever regular season game to be played in Paris, with the New Orleans Saints confirmed as a participating team. The game will be held at the Stade de France. - The Global Markets Program, initiated in 2022, grants NFL clubs international marketing rights for a five-year term to build their brand and fanbase in foreign markets. As of 2025, all 32 NFL teams are part of the program, covering 21 international markets. - The NFL has established multi-year agreements to continue playing games in both Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium and in Mexico City at the Estadio Banorte. - Mexico is considered the largest NFL fanbase outside of the United States with an estimated 40 million fans, and France has a fanbase of over 14 million. - NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has expressed a long-term vision of hosting as many as 16 international games per season. - The league values its international series rights at approximately $55 million per game and could generate an estimated $880 million in annual media income if the schedule expands to 16 overseas games. - For some teams, playing an international game can be more lucrative than a home game; for instance, the Jacksonville Jaguars reportedly generate tens of millions of dollars from their games in London.
