It was approved Tuesday by the NFL to allow up to 10 games outside of the United States beginning in 2027, which is an increase from eight that was installed prior.
“There’s a path to 10 [international games] in 2027,” said executive vice president of club business, international and league events Peter O’Reilly while speaking at the spring league meeting for the NFL, according to ESPN. (RELATED: Chiefs’ Rashee Rice Jailed For 30 Days Following Probation Violation; Will Miss OTAs, Minicamp)
It was also voted by the league to remove franchises’ ability to shield their home contests from being moved out of America. Before the vote, organizations were able to provide protection for two of their games.
The 2026 season has nine games that will be in international settings, with eight of them being ran by the league and the other taking place in London in a partnership with Wembley Stadium and the Jacksonville Jaguars. The ninth contest needed approval from the NFLPA per the collective bargaining agreement. Following the league vote, the NFL can now play 10 games in the future, as well as the London game pending approval from the NFLPA.
.@JFowlerESPN provides an update from the NFL league meetings on international games, the host site of the 2028 NFL Draft and the 2030 Super Bowl 🏈 pic.twitter.com/ACsovOzBIW
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) May 19, 2026
The host sites in the 2026 campaign are Paris, Mexico City, Munich, Rio de Janeiro, Madrid, Melbourne (Australia) and three games in London. Future locations are being scouted by the NFL.
Markets in Asia like Japan “have complexities [due to travel] but are important” to the NFL and could also be scouted to be possible playing locations, said O’Reilly per ESPN.
The expanding international presence from the National Football League has sparked up questions regarding if the Super Bowl could take place outside of the United States. According to O’Reilly, that’s “not a front-burner issue” at the moment.
However, a lot of people around the NFL are under the belief that the league is potentially close to having one international contest every week in the regular season.
The league has the goal of having 16 games outside of America, according to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell via ESPN.