NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league will eventually have a team based outside the United States, reflecting the growing scale of the NFL's international strategy.
Goodell made the comments in an interview with German broadcaster RTL/ntv. He pointed to the league's increasing number of international games as evidence of the NFL's expanding global presence.
The comments came as the NFL prepared for a record nine international games during the season, with contests scheduled across four continents.
Nine International Games Mark a New Scale
The NFL's international schedule represents a major expansion from the league's earlier overseas strategy.
The 2026 season includes games in France, Australia, Brazil, Germany, Spain, Mexico and England. The schedule includes three games in England and marks the first NFL regular-season games in Paris and Melbourne, according to Reuters.
The growing number of international games gives the league opportunities to develop audiences in markets where American football has historically occupied a smaller position than soccer or other sports.
For the NFL, international games also create opportunities to strengthen relationships with local fans, broadcasters and commercial partners.
Goodell Envisions a Team Outside the U.S.
Goodell said he believed it was only a matter of time before an NFL team was established in another country.
He also suggested that a foreign-based franchise could eventually host a Super Bowl, although such developments would require decisions involving stadium infrastructure, logistics and the league's broader scheduling model.
The comments did not represent an announcement of a specific expansion franchise or location.
Instead, they described a long-term direction for a league that has increasingly treated international markets as part of its growth strategy.
London Has Already Built a Strong NFL Connection
The United Kingdom is one of the most established international markets for the NFL.
London has hosted regular-season games for years, giving the league experience with staging games outside North America and building an audience around repeated events.
The continued expansion into new markets suggests that the league is attempting to replicate that model elsewhere.
Mexico City has also hosted NFL games, while the 2026 schedule expands the league's reach into countries including France, Australia and Brazil.
What an International Franchise Would Require
A permanent overseas team would be substantially different from hosting occasional games.
A franchise would need a home stadium, local operations, training facilities and a reliable schedule allowing the team to travel between continents. The league would also need to account for player logistics and competitive balance.
Goodell's comments therefore point toward a long-term possibility rather than an immediate change.
The NFL's current international games provide a testing ground for markets and infrastructure before the league considers any permanent overseas presence.
Global Growth Changes the Business of the NFL
International expansion also has commercial implications.
A permanent team outside the United States could create a year-round connection between the league and a foreign market rather than concentrating attention around one or two annual games.
The international schedule already demonstrates the size of the league's global ambitions. Nine games across four continents represent a substantial increase in overseas activity and provide opportunities to expose more fans to NFL teams and players.
For players and fans, the expansion also means more opportunities to experience NFL games in different countries.
For the league, it represents an effort to build a larger international audience while maintaining the domestic competition at the center of the sport.
A Possible New Era for American Football
Goodell's comments do not establish when or where an international franchise might emerge.
They do, however, make clear that the NFL views international markets as an increasingly important part of its future.
The 2026 season's record overseas schedule provides the clearest evidence of that strategy in practice.
If the league eventually establishes a team outside the United States, it would represent one of the most significant structural changes in modern NFL history. Until then, the growing international schedule is providing a gradual path toward a more global version of American football.
Men’s Insider Contributor
Marcus Hale
Covers sport and breaking news, following the competition and the people at the centre of the story.
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