Roger Goodell Is Pushing the NFL’s International Agenda Too Far

The first week of NFL preseason football is in the books, but commissioner Roger Goodell is still talking about international football games.

Growing the game to an international level has been a huge focus under Goodell’s leadership, as the NFL has expanded to a record-breaking nine international games in 2026. The second regular season game of the NFL season will be the San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams from Melbourne, Australia. The league will also have games in Brazil, the United Kingdom, Paris, Spain, Germany and Mexico City.

Before preseason Week 2, Goodell hasn’t backed down from the stance that the NFL will feature internationally-based teams some day.

"At some point, there will be NFL teams outside the USA," Goodell told former NFL player Markus Kuhn during an interview with German media outlet RTL/ntv.. "I have no doubt that this will happen one day."

This is the latest iteration of the NFL forcing their international agenda onto their core fan base. At the Super Bowl between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots in February, the halftime show featured Bad Bunny, an international music icon with songs in Spanish.

The league used their biggest stage to feature an international superstar. It was the most-watched halftime show ever. The international audience allows the NFL to reach new eyeballs, which equates to more dollars for everyone involved.

The issue? Nobody wants this.

Other than Goodell, international expansion is a sensitive issue for others involved in the NFL.

Players hate it, as international travel interrupts strict preparation regimens for a rigorous season. Coaches hate it, as that travel disrupts their practice schedule over the course of a busy year. And fans hate it, because the overseas product never materializes as well since players have to deal with the travel. The games are usually low-scoring, bizarre affairs that reach only a segment of the NFL’s main pool of fans in America, who sleep through early-morning kickoffs on a Sunday.

Owners will welcome anything that makes more money, hence why conversation of an 18th game hasn't ended, either.

Goodell has previously floated that all 32 teams will play an international game each season. That’s plausible, as teams would be able to plan travel, perhaps staying out of the country for several weeks at a time. It also would level the playing field, so teams having to travel internationally aren’t at a significant disadvantage for the rest of their season.

But to place expansion teams overseas is where the idea stretches too far. The league has been playing games in London since 2007. Those fans still cheer for kickoffs and extra points. Of course, they have diehard football fans overseas. But for the most part? It’s a novelty. Soccer is the world’s game. Football is America’s sport. And the NFL’s initiative to grow internationally could backfire if they go too hard too fast.