Updated

Updated · Fox News · Aug 19

Goodell Says NFL Will Place Multiple Teams Abroad as 2026 Schedule Expands to 9 International Games

Updated

Updated · Fox News · Aug 19

Goodell Says NFL Will Place Multiple Teams Abroad as 2026 Schedule Expands to 9 International Games

Q: With the NFL eyeing an entire European division by the 2030s, could the ultimate Super Bowl champion soon come from outside America?

Yes—but not soon, and only if the NFL clears major logistical hurdles. Goodell’s comments make clear the league sees an overseas franchise as an eventual reality, and he has repeatedly suggested that a full European division makes more sense than a lone team. The most plausible timeline remains the mid-2030s or later; Goodell has said any franchise or division abroad is likely “beyond 10 years.” If that happens, an international team could absolutely compete for, and win, a Super Bowl under the league’s normal playoff structure. The NFL is laying the groundwork now. It will play a record nine international games in 2026, with owners approving up to 10 league-run international games from 2027 and Goodell targeting 16 over time. London remains the strongest candidate for one or even two teams, while Germany, France and Spain are also being cultivated. The league is also exploring Japan and other Asian markets. But a champion from outside the U.S. is still speculative because the hardest issues are not fan interest but operations: travel demands, time-zone disruption, player recovery, competitive fairness, tax differences and roster-building concerns. The contrasting 49ers and Rams travel plans for the Melbourne opener show the kind of adjustment the league is still testing. So the idea is no longer far-fetched. An overseas Super Bowl champion is plausible if a European division arrives in the 2030s. For now, though, the NFL is still in expansion mode, not franchise-launch mode.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 19

Goodell said the NFL will eventually have multiple teams based outside the United States, going beyond earlier comments that only one overseas franchise was likely.
Nine international games are already set for 2026, and owners have approved up to 10 non-U.S. games starting in 2027 after removing teams' ability to block home dates from being moved abroad.
Goodell also said an international city could host a Super Bowl once it has an NFL team, extending the league's expansion vision beyond regular-season games.
Europe and Mexico City are seen as leading options, though permanent franchises would face major travel, time-zone and scheduling hurdles even as the NFL pursues new revenue abroad.

Sources

Fox News1d ago

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell Confirms Plans for Multiple International Teams

The New York Times2d ago

Roger Goodell: NFL Teams Will Eventually Be Based Outside US

NFL.com2d ago

NFL Commissioner Goodell Predicts Team Outside U.S. Amidst International Expansion

14 Sources

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