What Are the NFL’s Plans for International Expansion

Lamar Jackson at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, England (Photo Credit: Shawn Hubbard, Baltimore Ravens)The NFL started a successful international campaign in 2005, when the first NFL game was played outside of the United States in Mexico. Since 2007, the NFL has held regular-season games abroad each year, with the UK hosting a game every year. As the NFL looks to expand its international fanbase in 2026 and beyond, it is eyeing strategic markets such as France and Abu Dhabi. Expansion plans come off the back of successful regular-season outings to Brazil, which became the first South American Country to host an NFL game in 2024, with Ireland and Spain hosting their first games in 2025. With the organization gearing up to have its first game in Australia in 2026, teams are excitedly putting in bids for the rights to various countries around the world.

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