NFL owners approve boost to international game schedule; Brazil slated to host 2024 regular-season game

The NFL debuted in Germany in 2022 and played two more games there this season. The United Kingdom, the longtime home of NFL international games, also hosted three games this season. 

During this week’s owners meetings in Texas, owners from across the league voted in favor of playing a regular-season game on a different continent — South America. 

On Wednesday, the league announced a regular-season game will be played in São Paulo, Brazil, in 2024.

Madrid was also believed to be in the running to host an NFL game next year, but Peter O’Reilly, the league’s executive vice president of club business, international and league events, said Spain’s capital city could land a game by 2025.

“The good news is both are really viable and interested in hosting games,” O’Reilly told NFL.com. “Pending having the opportunity to play in Madrid and Brazil in the future, we would be excited to do that. The reason we went first with Brazil really ties to going to a new continent for the first time, into South America for the first time for the regular season.”

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Team owners also passed a resolution that encourages teams to participate in at least one international game every four years.

“Bringing the NFL to new continents, countries and cities around the world is a critical element of our plan to continue to grow the game globally,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said.

The NFL will also expand to up to eight international games starting in 2025. The Jacksonville Jaguars play at Wembley Stadium in London on an annual basis as part of a separate agreement. The deal is not included in the NFL’s yearly total count of international games.

São Paulo Mayor Ricardo Nunes led the Brazilian contingent that made a presentation to owners and smiled widely as he held a football during a news conference.

“The right choice was made,” Nunes said through a translator.

The stadium in São Paulo belongs to Corinthians, one of Brazil’s most popular soccer teams, and is part of the country’s bid to host the 2027 Women’s World Cup.

“We are immensely happy and proud with this partnership,” outgoing Corinthians president Duilio Monteiro Alves said. “There were many months of studies and negotiations, including two visits to Europe and many meetings at the stadium, so we could get here.”

It’s unclear at this point when the Brazil game will be held. Summer and spring hit the Southern Hemisphere when teams in the U.S. will be bundling up for winter.  

The Associated Press contributed to this report.