An NFL franchise based in another country or all 32 teams playing one international game per season are both “in the realm of possibility,” NFL executive vice president Peter O’Reilly said Friday. Here’s what you need to know:
- O’Reilly, the NFL’s EVP for club business and international and league events, discussed the possibility of more games being played in other countries on a call ahead of the first of five international games in the 2023 season.
- “There is passion and demand for our game and for the NFL outside the U.S., and that’s why we’re exploring it as fully as we are,” O’Reilly said, according to the Associated Press.
- The Jacksonville Jaguars will become the first NFL team to play two games overseas in a single season when they face the Atlanta Falcons and Buffalo Bills in London the next two weeks.
- In Weeks 9 and 10, the NFL will play two games in Frankfurt, Germany — the Kansas City Chiefs versus the Miami Dolphins and the Indianapolis Colts against the New England Patriots
Backstory
The NFL has made strong pushes to increase its popularity internationally.
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Between the preseason and regular season, the league has hosted 104 games outside the United States with cities in Mexico, Canada, Germany, England and Japan serving as venues for matchups. This year, the league will play three games in England and two in Germany.
- Week 4: Jaguars-Falcons in London (Wembley Stadium)
- Week 5: Jaguars-Bills in London (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium)
- Week 6: Ravens–Titans in London (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium)
- Week 9: Chiefs-Dolphins in Frankfurt (Frankfurt Stadium)
- Week 10: Colts-Patriots in Frankfurt (Frankfurt Stadium)
There are no games scheduled in Mexico this season due to stadium renovations. The league has played five regular-season games at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
The league also demonstrated its commitment to continuing the practice, as the NFL and Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur announced earlier this month that they extended their partnership until the 2029-30 season. The agreement sees Tottenham given “official status as the home of the NFL in the UK.” A minimum of two regular-season NFL games will be hosted by Tottenham every year.
The NFL has been staging fixtures in the UK, as part of their International Series, since 2007.
The Jaguars have played a league-high nine games in England since the league began playing games there. Jacksonville owner Shad Khan also owns the Premier League’s Fulham FC.
(Photo: Mike Hewitt / Getty Images)
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