What football can learn from NFL’s international games

After agreeing to play regular-season games abroad for the first time, two European football leagues are about to enter unknown territory.

While Serie A is scheduled to play a game in Perth, Australia, the governing body of European football, Uefa, its fans, players, and even the national governing body of football have criticized La Liga’s plan to play in Miami in December.

They will not be the first sports leagues to go global, with America’s big three – the National Basketball Association (NBA), Major League Baseball (MLB) and the National Football League (NFL) – having held regular-season games overseas for more than two decades.

Since 1990, the NBA has held 40 international games across four countries while MLB has staged 37 in five countries since 1996.

Leah MacNab, head of international strategy and operations for the NBA, claims that international games have “served as a catalyst for the continued growth of the game on a global basis.” Both leagues have scheduled more games for the upcoming year.

However, the growth of the NFL and MLB has been sluggish. Sunday’s game at Wembley was the NFL’s 54th overseas game since its first in Mexico in 2005.

Despite the 410 million-plus NFL fans worldwide, there are much more fans for other sports. The NFL is the only organization with a proven to be extremely profitable business model now.

The NFL’s shared income, which is distributed equally to its 32 teams, has increased from $8bn (£6bn) for 2010 to more than $23bn (£17bn) in 2024 – almost double the NBA and MLB, and triple the Premier League.

The NFL put a long-term plan in place around 2003, with competitive overseas games viewed as the best way to expand American football internationally.

Since 2007 there have been annual games in London, the NFL has only ever expanded its international series once it is confident that the games will continue to sell out.

The league initially met opposition from teams because they did not want to sacrifice a home fixture, and from players because of the travel. As teams realized how well-liked the games were and how easily they were made to feel at home, that started to change.

NFL UK and Ireland general manager Henry Hodgson told BBC Sport that the league made it clear that teams “had to have a seamless, exceptional experience when they played overseas.”

According to Jaguars president Mark Lamping, “from a financial standpoint, it was better for us to play one game here than in Jacksonville.”

“We actually make the Jaguars stronger by moving that one game,” he said. I think that’s a good trade-off, and our]US-based] fans have come to understand the reason for it”.

The team’s regular presence in London has also increased Jacksonville’s public awareness, facilitating business partnerships between the UK and Florida.

It has achieved more success than anticipated, Lamping continued. “But this wouldn’t have worked if it didn’t also benefit the city of Jacksonville”.

Some fans travel from the US and Europe to see international games, and 90% of the crowd usually attends the host nation. However, over 30% of Irish fans were US-based at their first NFL game in September.

Captain Duval is a long-time NFL fan based in the UK who says he “dipped his toe in” by watching other teams in London before becoming a Jaguars superfan.

He claimed that the games are “great for fans because they are ever-growing.” We would only travel there to enjoy the atmosphere, but when the Jaguars began to play games there, I made the decision to play this character.

Jetman is a New York Jets season-ticker holder who attended their games at Tottenham in 2024 and this month.

He said, “I had to come back last year because I had so much fun here.” If you travel to a different country to watch a game, “the NFL is so dominant that so many people want to go there.” I’ve met so many people from so many countries. It’s amazing, in my opinion.

Another London Jets season-titcher holder said, “It’s awesome that the NFL does this, but I don’t believe other sports can rival the American football fandom. I wouldn’t recommend them having international games”.

It allows men to travel and encounter new cultures, the author says. I think it’s essential for guys to develop into men, not be confined to America, and see that this world is bigger than you think. “

Before helping the Denver Broncos beat the Jets at Tottenham this month, wide receiver Pat Bryant, who was born in Florida, was not a citizen of the US.

He said, “I’m blessed to be able to travel the world and play the sport I love.” Growing up I was a Jaguars fan and I always wondered ‘ why do they keep going over there? ‘ Then, I learned that they have a large fan base here.

I’d like to see other sports from other countries show us what they can to see the sport expanding and expanding internationally.

Quarterback Trevor Lawrence was drafted by the Jaguars in 2021 and Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams was his seventh in London.

The two stadiums are incredible, he said, and it’s really fun being here. Simply put, “It’s just a cool atmosphere to play in.”

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford added: “It’s a blast. Travel can be challenging at times, but once you leave, the fans are fantastic.

The Minnesota Vikings made history playing in two different countries in the same season by hosting games in Dublin and London, and linebacker Jonathan Greenard later said he “would not like to do back-to-back]again.”

The NFL’s work in international markets begins years before an actual game takes place, perhaps the biggest lesson for La Liga and Serie A.

The Jaguars launched their own grassroots program called JagTag, which reached 100, 000 young people in the UK and Ireland in 2024, while the NFL established a global flag football network.

Other teams deliver similar initiatives as part of the NFL’s global markets programme, to help build brand awareness and fandom. For instance, the San Francisco 49ers are now establishing connections with the UAE.

Flag football competitions, community events like watch parties or charitable initiatives, and being consistently on the market are the three pillars of their strategy.

“We want to create a long-term relationship with fans there”, said Stephanie Rogers, 49ers executive vice-president of marketing.

We must demonstrate that our commitment to them is not contingent on us playing a game there because we are aware that that playing a game does not.

However, the UAE might soon host an NFL game because Abu Dhabi is one of the cities where the league has visited sites.

This season there is a record seven international games across five countries and under the NFL’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement, the league can play up to 10 per year.