Last month, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said he has “no doubt” the league will eventually expand to include foreign-based teams. There is still no timeline on that front, but Goodell has spoken further on the subject.
During an appearance on the countdown to Thursday Night Football, Goodell confirmed (via Amazon Prime’s James Palmer) he sees the league expanding overseas in the future. He added having more than one franchise based outside the United States is a possibility. Goodell also described Europe as the “logical location” for foreign NFL franchises.
The NFL’s International Series began with games in London, and that has remained a staple of the league’s annual schedule of overseas contests. A number of other locations in Europe have been explored since, with three German cities (Munich, Berlin and Frankfurt) staging at least one game each. Madrid and Dublin represented new markets in 2025. This season’s international slate will also include the league’s first ever contest in Paris.
Brazil and (most recently) Australia have played host to regular-season NFL games. Goodell also pointed to Japan as a potential site for future contests this offseason. Even so, it comes as no surprise Europe was named as the league’s preferred target for one or more teams based outside the United States. Expanding the league’s fanbase on that continent has long been high on the priority list.
From a travel standpoint, teams based in cities like Toronto and/or Mexico City would of course be easier to accommodate into the NFL. Especially if Europe were to be the location for international franchises, though, expanding to more than one location – or potentially creating an entire division based there – would likely receive consideration.
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