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League owners have approved a big expansion of international games, including Brazil for 2024
The NFL’s international push is taking the league to a new destination.
Brazil.
At a one-day meeting of NFL owners near Dallas today, a plan was approved that will bring an NFL regular season game to Brazil next season. According to various reports, owners were considering whether an international game should be headed to Brazil, or Spain, during the 2024 campaign.
The owners have now made their decision, and Brazil it is.
The NFL has approved an international game in Sao Paulo, Brazil at Corinthians Arena for 2024… plus there could be as many as eight international games in 2025. That’s in addition to the #Jaguars game.
Significant expansion. pic.twitter.com/QclvxVoeyC
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 13, 2023
Not only is the league heading to Brazil for a 2024 regular season game, but league owners have approved a massive expansion of international games, with potentially eight on the schedule for the 2025 season, in addition to the annual game the Jacksonville Jaguars play overseas.
The move comes as the league continues to broaden its global footprint. Through the International Series, the league has brought the game to England, Mexico, and most recently Germany.
It is expected that the league will have three games in London next year, one in Germany, and now a game in Brazil.
Furthermore, there is reporting that the league is eying even more international games, perhaps getting the number to 16. That would allow schedule makers to craft a schedule for each team that features eight home games, eight away games, and an international game. According to Mark Maske of the Washington Post:
NFL leaders previously have told the owners to contemplate increasing the annual inventory of international games. With each team playing 17 games per season, some within the sport envision the possibility of each team ultimately playing eight home games, eight road games and one international game.
Other potential destinations include Spain, which was considered as part of this expansion, and a return to Mexico City. Previous NFL games have been held at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, but that stadium is currently undergoing renovations.
France and Australia have also been mentioned as potential host nations for a future NFL game.
