The next top destinations for NFL games around the world

According to the NFL’s website, the league will play a regular season game in Madrid for the first time ever during the 2025 season. The NFL will also play a Week 1 regular season game in Madrid during the upcoming 2024 campaign. This got us wondering about what other markets the NFL might be interested in visiting in the years and decades to come and created our own destination list.

Paris seems like an obvious choice for the NFL to approach in the coming years. The NBA has played regular season games there, and according to Sports Illustrated, MLB has also kicked the tires on that possibility. Hosting the 2024 Olympics will likely whet the appetite of American professional sports leagues to find a way to stage a game in the French capital.

NFL fans under a certain age may not know that the league once had a sister operation in Europe. From 1991-2007, NFL Europe featured teams across the continent, including in Amsterdam, which was home to the Admirals. The current NFL administration may explore a return back there in the near future.

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Brazil will host the NFL’s first game in South America this September, and it’s unlikely that the league will turn away from the prospects of developing the sport in the continent after the inaugural match. With that said, Buenos Aires might be next on the list. It’s the second most populated South American city according to World Atlas, with around 15 million people.

Perhaps the NFL gave plans a sneak preview of their desire to establish a support base in Africa during Super Bowl LVIII. A commercial set in Ghana highlighted the interest of a young boy who wanted to follow the NFL more closely. Lagos, Nigeria is the largest city in Africa by population according to Statista, so it may be on the radar to host a game.

It would be an interesting tap dance between the NFL and CFL if the former wanted to host a game in Canada. The CFL has done just fine as its own independent league, but it makes sense for the NFL to look directly north as a way to expand its brand. Montreal might not be a bad place to go, considering the relationship Toronto and the Buffalo Bills already have.

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Imagine an NFL game with the backdrop of ancient castles in the distance. It would be a pretty cool sight, not to mention that Lisbon has the vibrance that many other previously selected cities possess.

Italy also seems like a distinct possibility for NFL games, considering that the league appears focused on planting its flag in Europe’s major countries. Historically, the NFL hasn’t had much of a connection to the country, but might want to start off relations with a bang.

Playing NFL games in Asia seems like a down-the-road endeavor, considering its distance from the United States. However, as travel options continue to improve, and scheduling manipulation exists, it feels at least remotely possible that the league might want to explore the potential of having a game played in Japan.

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Australia also presents logistical challenges, but according to CODE Sports, the NFL believes it has 1.5 million fans in the country already. With that context, it feels like there would be a legitimate appetite for the country to receive a game, and it could get the NFL’s wheels turning.

According to Global Finance, the UAE is the eighth richest country in the world, so it seems like a good bet that they would spare no expense when it came to hosting an NFL game. It might be a bit of a stretch to expect this to happen in the next 10 years, but it could be a goal in 20 or 30 years.

Another potential ice-breaker for the league would be Istanbul, which has the 76,000-seat Atatürk Olympic Stadium, could easily host an NFL game. Istanbul, with a literal foot in both Europe and the Asian continent, could be a strategic move from the NFL to help bridge the gap as their initial plans to grow in Europe take flight.

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There wouldn’t appear to be much Greek interest in the NFL at the present time, but a cool corollary might take place if the NFL would play a game at the birthplace of the Olympics. Greece has a rich athletic history that could create a segway and initiate a conversation down the line.

For a country that loves its rugby scrums, Ireland might be a neat place for the NFL to host a game. Irish fans will already understand similar concepts between the NFL and rugby, which could allow for a more natural absorption of the game.

If the NFL’s idea is to establish its footprint all over the world, it might behoove them to consider playing a game in Central America. Costa Rica ranks first in preferred Central American destinations according to Capture The Atlas, and have a refreshing “pura vida” attitude that would welcome NFL fans from across the globe.

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It feels like the NFL has big dreams when it comes to global expansion, so the possibilities for international host cities appear limitless. Where do you think should be next on the NFL international destination list?

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