What’s next for the NFL’s international games?

The NFL’s global expansion came to an end with Sunday’s game in Spain.

This season, a record seven regular-season games were played abroad, and they were also played in five different nations.

The NFL added two more iconic venues to its lineup of international games this season, staging its first games at Real Madrid’s Bernabeu Stadium and Berlin’s Olympiastadion.

The games “remain a very important part of our growth internationally,” according to Henry Hodgson, general manager of NFL UK and Ireland.

Mexico hosted its first regular-season game in 2005, and the UK has hosted annual games since 2007.

Germany’s inclusion to the 2022 schedule was a sign of the league’s commitment to globalization, which South America did in its first game in Brazil in 2024.

In 2026, Australia will host the first NFL game outside of Europe, with Ireland and Spain hosting the first, with four other European nations hosting games this season.

The NFL has a long-term commitment to play three games in London each year, and there will once again be games in Brazil and Germany.

Commissioner Roger Goodell has also stated that the NFL will travel to Mexico, with the renovation of the Estadio Azteca for the 2026 World Cup under construction, though no official announcement has been made.

From 2013 onward, the Jacksonville Jaguars have played in London twice before 2023.

All profits from the event are split between them, and team president Mark Lamping told BBC Sport that a Wembley game is more profitable than one at Jacksonville. They are the only team that is solely responsible for organizing an international game.

However, when the Florida franchise committed to a significant stadium renovation project worth $1.4 billion (£1.1 billion), rumors that the Jaguars might one day relocate to London were disseminated.

The Jags will have the option of playing two games abroad in 2026 and three games abroad while that work is being completed, but the capacity will be reduced in 2026. They will also have to play in Orlando as well.

Lamping remarked, “We haven’t determined the number yet.” “We need to figure out where we’ll play in 2027, and then, if there are scheduling issues, that may lead us in some way or another.”

Although this year’s London games sold out quicker than they did this year’s, attendance at Tottenham and Wembley was comparable to previous years’.

Many European fans still visit the UK despite the presence of more international matches. Due to the high demand in their home country, several Germans who have never been able to get a ticket to a game in London spoke to BBC Sport.

In 2022, the NFL launched a program for global markets, which awarded teams marketing rights in specific nations and expanded to include Germany (11).

The Indianapolis Colts defeated the Atlanta Falcons in overtime on November 9; the other nine also hosted events in the German capital that weekend.

The NFL has agreed to travel to Berlin in 2027 and 2029 after Munich and Frankfurt have previously staged games.

In 2026 and 2028, the league will make the announcement about which city will host games, and NFL Germany’s general manager Alexander Steinforth predicted a “good mix of two cities” going forward.

He continued, “teams are “queueing up” to play in Germany and joked that while their teams “wouldn’t complain” about having numerous games, they are also “rallying behind the NFL’s efforts to really grow the game internationally, which includes far beyond Germany.

Despite being what ESPN’s Kalyn Kahler called “a nascent market,” Commissioner Goodell stated that the NFL would return to Spain after the Miami Dolphins beat the Washington Commanders in overtime on Sunday.

Although the Dolphins have marketing rights in Spain, Kahler told locals in Madrid’s main plaza that “for the most part, they had no idea what the Miami Dolphins or the NFL were.”

What kind of rugby is this, according to the question “que tipo de rugby es” that was raised by several people.

The Nou Camp is another iconic stadium that the NFL might want to check out once it has undergone a complete renovation, according to the league, which has considered playing there as well.

Work on potential host markets begins years in advance, and the league has visited several cities, including Paris and Abu Dhabi.

The New Orleans Saints are the only team in France with marketing rights, whereas the San Francisco 49ers are one of three teams in the UAE, and both teams are working with their local communities to pique their interest.

Hodgson continued, “We’re monitoring and examining locations all over the world.”