NFL International Games: Good for Business, Meh on the Field

If you’re an NFL player or coach — or an avid fan who likes to schedule vacations around seeing your favorite team play on the road — you might want to keep your passport updated.

Because there’s no telling where the NFL might go in the next five or 10 or 20 years.

This year includes a whopping seven regular-season games at international venues, including Sunday’s matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings in Dublin, Ireland. This will be the NFL’s first-ever regular-season game in Ireland, and players from both teams say they are excited to be part of history.

They just wish there was more time to go sightseeing.

“It is what it is, but if the schedule had been a little different — if I could have chosen it — maybe we get over on Monday; Tuesday is the day off,” Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. “Good to get out, see some things. It’s a beautiful country, it seems like, from pictures.”

It’s a work trip for players, but a great opportunity for fans to take those extra days to explore. It’s also a chance for the NFL to showcase its game to fans from across the globe who can see what it is like to witness a game in person instead of seeing it only on the screen.

Consider the league’s world tour in 2025 alone:

Week 1: Sao Paulo, Brazil (Los Angeles Chargers vs. Kansas City Chiefs)
Week 4: Dublin, Ireland (Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Minnesota Vikings)
Week 5: London, U.K. (Minnesota Vikings vs. Cleveland Browns)
Week 6: London, U.K. (Denver Broncos vs. New York Jets)
Week 7: London, U.K. (Los Angeles Rams vs. Jacksonville Jaguars)
Week 10: Berlin, Germany (Atlanta Falcons vs. Indianapolis Colts)
Week 11: Madrid, Spain (Washington Commanders vs. Miami Dolphins)

The first two games in London will take place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and the final London game will take place at Wembley Stadium. Meanwhile, Berlin and Spain will host their first NFL regular-season game in history, joining Dublin on the list of newbies.

What cities could be next?

The NFL already has confirmed that it will host the first regular-season game in Australia during the 2026 season. The game is set to be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and will feature the Los Angeles Rams against an opponent that has not yet been announced.

The league will return to Brazil next year, too, as it has scheduled a game in Rio de Janeiro. That is part of a deal for the NFL to play at least three games over five seasons in the city.

More international games are highly likely but have not been announced. The league reportedly can schedule a maximum of eight regular-season games at international sites next season.

This year could be a good test for Ireland, Germany and Spain to host another game in 2026. London seems like a lock for multiple games, given its longer history with the NFL. And Mexico City could jump back into the mix depending on whether its stadium renovations are complete.

In years beyond, who knows where the league goes? Why not Africa? Or Asia? Or any number of other venues in Europe and South America, along with Sydney in Australia.

The long trips sometimes pose challenges for players who are creatures of habit and who are used to staying in the same hotels and playing in similar time zones. But the more that the league keeps pushing for international games, the more that players will get used to it.

It’s good business, even if it’s not always good football.

And it’s a good reminder to go check that passport expiration date.