The NFL is aggressively expanding internationally. Multiple regular season games are now played outside the United States every season. Here is where things stand.
Current international games (Source: NFL International):
- London: 3+ games per year at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Wembley Stadium. Established since 2007.
- Germany: Regular games in Munich and Frankfurt. Growing rapidly since 2022.
- Brazil: Sao Paulo hosted its first regular season game in 2024. Sold out immediately.
- Mexico City: Annual game at Estadio Azteca. Consistently the most-attended NFL game of the year (87,000+).
The growth numbers:
- NFL viewership in the UK has grown over 60% in the past decade. Source: NFL UK media reports.
- Germany is the fastest-growing NFL market in Europe. Over 20 million Germans watched at least one NFL game in the 2024 season.
- NFL Game Pass (international streaming) subscribers have grown significantly year over year.
Where it goes next:
- Spain: Madrid is reportedly in discussions for regular season games. The NFL has a growing fanbase in Spain, partly driven by F1-style Netflix content.
- Australia: Sydney has been discussed. The time zone is brutal for US broadcasting but the market potential is large.
- India: The ultimate long-term play. 1.4 billion people, growing middle class, appetite for American entertainment. The NFL has opened development offices in India.
The controversy:
- Home teams lose a home game. Fans who pay for season tickets lose one of 8-9 home games.
- Competitive disadvantage. Teams traveling internationally lose practice time and deal with jet lag.
- Quality of play. International games have historically featured more sloppy play (fatigue, unfamiliarity with turf).
Sources:
- NFL International — game schedule and market data
- NFL UK — viewership statistics
- ESPN — international expansion reporting
- Estadio Azteca — attendance records