NFL Plans Its International Future: More Games Yes, Super Bowl London No
Thursday, October 2, 2025 at 03:40PM 
By Barry Janoff
October 2, 2025: With the NFL flexing its international muscles more than ever, the league continues to build its agenda for global play over the next few years.
According to league commissioner Roger Goodell, the league plans to return to Mexico City in 2026, adding to an International schedule that also includes a return to Rio de Janeiro and the first game in Australia; with Asia on the agenda farther down the road.
“We’ll be back in Mexico City next year, which we’re thrilled about,” Goodell said during a Leaders in Sport conference in Twickenham Stadium in London ahead of Sunday’s game between the Minnesota Vikings and Cleveland Browns, he first of three games in London.
The league has played in Azteca Stadium but was unable to in recent seasons due to now-completed renovations ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
He also confirmed earlier comments that Asia would be the next region of NFL growth, In a prior interview Goodell said. “That's a continent we'd like to be playing in. We are serious about being a global sport.”
“If you’re going to be global, you have to do it beyond Europe, beyond the Americas,” he said during the Leaders in Sport conference. “You need to reach into other areas and territories, and next year we’re going to Australia. We have plans to go to Asia shortly thereafter.”
Goodell said the league's current goal is to play 16 international games per year.
In the midst of its first official trip to Dublin, Ireland, the NFL unveiled a multiyear commitment to play a minimum of three regular season games over five years in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil beginning in 2026,
According to the NFL, “with more than 36 million NFL fans across the country,” the league in 2026 will play its first regular season game in Rio in Maracanã Stadium, which seats nearly 79,000.
“Building on the success of the games in São Paulo, we could not be more excited to play in one of the world’s most iconic cities — Rio de Janeiro,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said via the league. “We look forward to working closely with our city and state partners in Rio along with the historic Maracanã Stadium to deepen our ties to the tens of millions of fans in Brazil and across South America.”
With the addition of the 2026 NFL Rio game, Brazil will have hosted three regular-season NFL games (2024: São Paulo, 2025: São Paulo; 2026: Rio).
While London has become a NFL hot spot, the city becoming a Super Bowl destination, as has been suggested since the league began to play on a regular basis, seems to be off the board, Although the Jacksonville Jaguars play in London on an annual basis, the city does not have a permanent NFL franchise, a major prerequisite for hosting the Big Game.
“Maybe it’s an indication of how far we’ve come, that it’s even being discussed,” Goodell said during the Leaders in Sport. “It’s hard for me to look down the path, but I would say the major focus for us is to play the Super Bowl in markets where we have franchises.
“If you’re going to be global, you have to do it beyond Europe, beyond the Americas. You need to reach into other areas and territories."
“It’s a huge economic impact. Super Bowl LIX (this past February) in New Orleans was over a $1 billion economic impact, and that’s not including all of the additional exposure and all the other things that I would say are non-quantifiable.
“That’s a significant investment that we feel our communities where we’re playing deserve.”
The NFL’s Global Markets Program, launched in 2022, now for the first time includes all 32 teams. It awards NFL clubs international marketing rights to build brand awareness and fandom beyond the U.S., through fan engagement, events, commercial opportunities and NFL Flag development.
In Asia, the Los Angeles Rams have marketing rights in Japan and China.
London will host three games in 2025, starting with the Minnesota Vikings and Cleveland Browns (Oct. 5), the New York Jets and Denver Broncos (Oct. 12), and the Jacksonville Jaguars and Los Angeles Rams (Oct. 19).
The first NFL game played in Dublin (Sept. 28) averaged 7.9 million people on NFL Network to watch the Pittsburgh Steelers play he Minnesota Vikings, the second most-watched NFL Network international game. The only game to surpass that figure came in 2023, when the Miami Dolphins faced the Kansas City Chiefs in Germany (9.18 million).
According to the NFL, 17 NFL partners (both global brands and local Irish brands) activated at and around the first game in Dublin in league history. More than 74,510 people attended the sold-out game in Croke Park, with 35% of ticket holders were from the U.S., 30% from Ireland and 35% from the rest of the world.
Over 40,000 fans attended free NFL events held in Dublin across the weekend, including NFL Experience Dublin presented by EA Sports Madden NFL at Dublin Castle and the Super Bowl Gallery at Dublin City Hall.
The Pittsburgh Steelers welcomed more than 20,000 fans to their Steelers Fan Tailgate at Merrion Square presented by Aer Lingus.
More than 33,500 fans visited The NFL Shop Dublin City Center Retail Store at St. Stephen's Green, operated by Fanatics.
Two exclusive local merchandise collaborations — the NFL x GAA collaboration with local designer Beir Bua and exclusive Dublin City Jersey designed by Fanatics — sold out on day of launch.
The next three Super Bowl locations are:
• Super Bowl LX Levi’s Stadium: Feb. 8, 2026: Santa Clara, Calif.
• Super Bowl LXI SoFi Stadium: (Feb. 14, 2027): Inglewood, Calif.
• Super Bowl LXII Mercedes-Benz Stadium February 2028 Atlanta.
Las Vegas Allegiant Stadium, which hosted Super Bowl LVIII in February 2024, is a frontrunner to host Super Bowl LXIII in 2029, according to industry analysts.
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