Goodell: Overseas NFL Teams Inevitable — Expand or Relocate?

Super Bowl LX Opening Night GettyA wide view of the pregame festivities between the New York Jets and the Miami Dolphins. GettyNFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has made it clear that permanent teams outside the United States are not a matter of if, but when. In a recent conversation with former NFL player Markus Kuhn for German outlet RTL/ntv, Goodell stated that the league will eventually place franchises abroad. “At some point, there will be NFL teams outside the USA,” he said. “I have no doubt that this will happen one day.” This eventual future is aligned with the NFL’s accelerating international push. The league has already approved playing as many as 10 international games per season starting in 2027 (up from the previous maximum of eight) and removed teams’ ability to shield home contests from overseas scheduling. The 2026 slate alone includes nine international matchups across Melbourne, Rio de Janeiro, London (three games), Paris, Madrid, Munich, and Mexico City—eight league-organized contests plus a Jacksonville Jaguars game at Wembley. Goodell even took a question about having a Super Bowl on foreign soil, which was included with this expansion. NFL executive Peter O’Reilly has described an international Super Bowl as “not a front-burner issue” for now. Goodell hinted at the possibility of a permanent overseas franchise. Those cities that host a full-time team could become realistic Super Bowl candidates. “There are definitely international cities that could host something like that,” he noted, “but we would like to see an NFL team in such a city first.”

GettyLONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 04: A general view prior to the game between Miami Dolphins and New York Jets at Wembley Stadium on October 4, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Jed Leicester – NFL/Pool/Getty Images)

Create a New Franchise or Relocate a Team? Any permanent team located overseas raises a question: should the league expand by creating an entirely new team, or should an existing franchise relocate overseas? Creating a brand-new team would expand the league beyond its current 32 franchises. This type of move would be more popular among existing clubs and avoids the political and financial upheaval of uprooting a community that has supported a team for decades. A lot of fans of current teams would not be happy to see their favorite team moved.  Less chances to see your team play live, or possibly to see on tv with the time change. Who would want that? Expansion also allows the NFL to select a city where it wants a team. If it is London, Mexico City, or a major German city, it could be options. The NFL can base its decisions on fan interest, infrastructure, and long-term feasibility rather than on the financial situation of a current owner. Does Expansion Mean A Better or Worse Product? The downside is if you expand, are you making the product on the field better or worse? Does it dilute the NFL talent pool?  It already seems difficult at times to find talent to play at an elite level, but there is definitely no lack of players. This likely would make it even harder for leagues like the UFL and the CFL to find talent and survive. How many teams would be added, and would you add a division to the league? Every division currently is perfectly balanced, with each having four franchises. If you add to that, it does create an uneven competitive advantage for some teams. In that case it makes me feel like it would more than likely be a current team to relocate. Relocating a current team, as I mentioned before, comes with its own risk, and is it worth it? The NFL thinks they will expand, and that will come with some significant change. For the moment, the NFL appears focused on building demand through regular-season games rather than committing to either path. Yet Goodell’s comments shift the conversation from whether it will happen to when and how. International NFL Play Is Here To Stay Whether through expansion or relocation, international football is not going away. In fact, it could even open the door to Super Bowls far beyond the United States. That could benefit the NFL, but possibly not many fans in the U.S.

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