NFL close to international expansion after six ‘spectacular’ European games as Roger Goodell teases ‘couple more’

THE NFL is set to expand the international series after this year’s slate concluded in epic style.

The league played seven games outside the United States in 2025.

And that number is set to increase with as many as nine planned for next year.

Commissioner Roger Goodell was in Madrid, Spain last weekend for the game against the Miami Dolphins and Washington Commanders.

It was the first ever NFL regular-season game in the country and took place at the historic Santiago Bernabeu – home of Real Madrid.

That clash was the sixth game in Europe in 2025 with one more fixture also played in Sao Paulo, Brazil in Week 1.

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A game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia has already been confirmed for 2026.

Rio de Janeiro also has an agreement to stage three games over the next five years.

And Goodell revealed in an interview on NFL Network that more games are set to be announced.

“Australia is going to be our big learning test next year,” Goodell said.

“We’re excited about that. I think we’ll be back in a lot of the markets we’ve been in this year.

“But we have a couple more that we’re thinking about right now.

“The great thing about our success is that so many other cities are reaching out and saying ‘we want one of these’ and that’s a great thing for us.”

Paris, France is a likely next stop for the NFL in Europe.

The New Orleans Saints have reportedly been in talks over being the home team for a French game.

The Pittsburgh Steelers this year were the home team for the first ever game in Dublin, Ireland.

And the Germany game moved to the historic Olympic Stadium in Berlin from Munich and Frankfurt.