NFL Could Be Expanding To A Country Nobody Saw Coming
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
The NFL is looking to expand its NFL International Series even further.
The league already has nine international games penciled in for its 2025 schedule, which is the most ever. But it’s set to take the number up to 10 each year from 2027.
Owners approved the increase this Tuesday. Any more overseas games would need them to return to the negotiating table with the NFLPA.
Of course, we could have as many as 11 international games next season as the Jacksonville Jaguars negotiate their London-based games on their own as a home team.
There will be NFL games in Australia, Brazil, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Germany and Mexico next season.
Additionally, Japan is now under consideration.
“We’ve identified markets beyond these that we think could be great,” NFL executive vice president Peter O’Reilly said on the ‘Up & Adams’ show this week. “Australia is obviously a sports-crazed market.”
“You think about the parts of the world we haven’t played a game and don’t have a year-round presence,” O’Reilly continued. “That includes markets in Asia, a market like Japan, which again, very different but is a unique culture. Italy, where two of our clubs — the New Orleans Saints and Cleveland Browns — now have rights via the Global Markets Program.
The NFL International Series Could Someday Feature Games In Africa
O’Reilly said nothing was imminent but also suggested the league could one day head to Africa, noting that Nigeria has been doing well in both men’s and women’s flag football.
“So, nothing imminent. We have a lot ahead of us right now, but we have to do the groundwork in those potential next markets. … Not sure we’re headed to play a game in Africa in the near term, but there’s so much that we’re doing in Africa … we’re doing so much there.
“Nigeria qualified for the world championships, men’s and women’s, in flag (football). There are parts of the world that are really active with our game. It’s just, what is the right time to take a next step?”
The EVP also referred to the Miami Dolphins drafting Seydou Traore last month as a “full-circle moment,” given that he graduated from the NFL’s UK academy.
