TheNFL International Series is a series ofAmerican football games during theNational Football League (NFL) regular season that areplayed outside the United States. The series has held games in theUnited Kingdom, which have been in place since 2007,Brazil,Germany,Ireland,Spain as well as an upcoming game inAustralia. Between 2016 and 2022, the series also intermittently included games played inMexico, though the league plans to return in 2026.
Wembley Stadium inLondon was the exclusive home stadium for International Series games from 2007 to 2015 and continued to host NFL games through 2019 and again since 2022. Beginning in 2016, the series expanded to more stadiums, first toTwickenham Stadium in London (2016–17) and toEstadio Azteca inMexico City (2016–17, 2019, 2022, 2026), and eventually toTottenham Hotspur Stadium in London (2019, 2021–29). Other sites to host games include three locations in Germany:Allianz Arena inMunich (2022 and 2024),Deutsche Bank Park inFrankfurt (2023), andOlympiastadion inBerlin (2025);[1][2]Arena Corinthians inSão Paulo, Brazil (2024–25),[3] theBernabéu inMadrid, Spain, andCroke Park inDublin, Ireland (2025).[4]Maracanã Stadium inRio de Janeiro, Brazil is set to host three games over the next five years, beginning in 2026,[5] andMelbourne Cricket Ground inMelbourne, Australia will also host a game in 2026.[6]
Before 2005, the primary method used by theNational Football League (NFL) of promoting its game abroad was through theAmerican Bowl, a series of preseason games played around the world, andNFL Europe, a developmental league based in Europe. The American Bowls ended in 2005 (though a similarChina Bowl was planned for 2007 before being canceled), while NFL Europa (as it was known for its final season) folded in 2007. On October 2, 2005, theArizona Cardinals defeated theSan Francisco 49ers by a score of 31–14 atEstadio Azteca inMexico City, Mexico, under the name "Fútbol Americano". It was the first regular season NFL game held outside the United States. The game drew the NFL's highest game attendance at the time with 103,467 spectators.[7]
NFL commissionerRoger Goodell considered expanding the league's appeal overseas ever since the end of NFL Europe. Goodell discussed the idea of holding a futureSuper Bowl game in London.[8] Thecollective bargaining agreement (CBA) enacted in 2021 expanded the regular season to 17 games with one bye week and introduced at least four neutral site games each year from 2022.[9] TheAmerican Football Conference (AFC) and theNational Football Conference (NFC) will alternate seasons where they host nine regular season games and one preseason game, or eight regular season games and two preseason games. The host teams for the international games will be selected from the conference with the ninth home game, so clubs will still host eight games in their home stadium. For example, since AFC teams have nine regular season home games in 2025, seven AFC teams were selected to host an international game during the season.[10][11]
TheBuffalo Bills received aunanimous vote of approval to play aseries of preseason and regular season games atRogers Centre in Toronto from 2008 to 2017.[12][13] This was separate from the regular International Series as arrangements were made by the Bills as opposed to the league. The Bills' Toronto Series was mutually terminated after the 2013 contest.
NFL rules require the designated home team for each international game to have their home stadium available for use in the event that a game cannot be played at the international site.[14]
TheMiami Dolphins hosted theNew York Giants in the first International Series game atWembley Stadium in London, England, on October 28, 2007. The Giants defeated the Dolphins 13–10 in the first regular season NFL game held outside North America. The first 40,000 tickets sold out for the game in the first 90 minutes of sales.[15][16] The game was aired regionally onFox.
A single game was held in London each year through 2012. Like the 2007 game, each was televised nationally in the United Kingdom, but only regionally in the United States. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' game against the Chicago Bears at Wembley in 2011 suffered from reduced ticket sales compared to previous years, with an attendance of just under 77,000 compared to around 84,000 the last two years; this was blamed on the2011 NFL lockout, which resulted in tickets going on sale much later than in previous years.[17] On October 11, 2011, the NFL owners approved playing NFL games in the United Kingdom through 2016. This stated that a home team could visit every year for up to five years but visitors could only visit once every five years;[18] however, the Detroit Lions returned to London as visitors in 2015 in an apparent disregard for this rule. Subsequently, an agreement was reached to play internationally through 2025.[19]
On January 20, 2012, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed that from 2012 to 2014, theSt. Louis Rams would play one of their eight home games each year at Wembley Stadium.[20] However, on August 13, 2012, the team announced that it would not play the proposed games in London in2013 and2014, only the2012 game against theNew England Patriots that had already been scheduled.[21] Goodell had previously proposed the use of certain regular teams in the International Series in an effort to build a fan base for those teams, raising the prospect of a permanent NFL team on the British Isles.
An NFL bid to become anchor tenants of London'sOlympic Stadium failed.[22]
The Jacksonville Jaguars took the Rams' place and agreed to play a home game in London for four seasons from 2013 through 2016. With this announcement also came news that the NFL was working to schedule a second UK game from 2013 onwards[23] (the Jaguars later extended their agreement with Wembley Stadium through 2020 in an agreement announced in October 2015).[2] In October 2012, it was announced that the Jaguars would host theSan Francisco 49ers and theMinnesota Vikings would host thePittsburgh Steelers, marking the first season with multiple games in London.
The NFL played three international games for the2014 season, including one game with an earlier 9:30 am ET (2:30 pm UK time) start, which allowed for an afternoon game, rather than an evening game, in London. This timeslot proved to be successful as all London games in2015 and2016 were also scheduled at 9:30 am ET. Three games were again scheduled in 2015 – including the series' first division game between theNew York Jets and theMiami Dolphins.
On July 8, 2015, the NFL andTottenham Hotspur F.C. announced they had reached a 10-year deal to host at least two London Games a year at the newTottenham Hotspur Stadium from its opening year in 2019.[24] Additionally, on October 7, 2015, the league announced that a resolution had been passed to schedule international games at additional locations to London until 2025.[19] Subsequently, on October 22, 2015, it was confirmed that at least two games per season would remain at Wembley through at least 2020 and that the Jacksonville Jaguars will continue to play a home game there annually throughout the agreement.[25] Another stadium deal was confirmed on November 3, 2015, when the league announced it had reached an agreement with England'sRugby Football Union to host regular season games atTwickenham Stadium from 2016 onwards, with a minimum of three, and as many as five, games to be held over the initial agreement period of three years.[26]
In 2016, theOakland Raiders hosted theHouston Texans on November 21 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, at the first International Series game played in Mexico. Previously, theHouston Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers had expressed interest in playing a game at Estadio Azteca (or possiblyEstadio Olímpico Universitario) in Mexico City, although Houston was not prepared to give up a home date.[27][28] It was televised as part of ESPN'sMonday Night Football, marking the firstMNF game broadcast from outside the United States, and ESPN's second broadcast from Mexico City since the 2005Fútbol Americano game (which was televised as part of ESPN'sformer incarnation ofSunday Night Football).[29][30]
The 2016 game between theWashington Redskins andCincinnati Bengals was the first International Series game to go into overtime, the first to end as a tie, and had at the time the highest attendance of all International Series games (later surpassed by the 2017 game between theBaltimore Ravens andJacksonville Jaguars, which drew an attendance of 84,592).
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For 2017, the series scheduled four games in London[31] and one game in Mexico City.[32]
In January 2018, it was announced that three games would be played in London that year, with two at Wembley and the other the first game at Tottenham Hotspur's new stadium. However, it was later confirmed that the opening of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium would be delayed and therefore all three games would be held at Wembley.[33] Having already fulfilled the minimum three-game requirement for Twickenham Stadium in 2017, the league would no longer host games there.[34] The Mexico City date and opponents were not announced at that time, but were later confirmed as the Los Angeles Rams playing as designated home team against the Kansas City Chiefs. The game was subsequently moved to the Rams' then-home stadium,Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, due to player safety concerns regarding the poor field conditions atEstadio Azteca.[35] Theensuing game would also attract notoriety as the third-highest scoring game in NFL history, and the highest-scoring game inMonday Night Football history.[36]
In October 2018, the league confirmed four London Games would take place in 2019. Wembley Stadium would host two and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium would host the remaining two. The Jacksonville Jaguars would return to Wembley Stadium for the seventh consecutive year in line with their annual commitment.[37] The final schedule was announced in April 2019 alongside that of the rest of the regular season.[38] This marked the end of the Los Angeles Chargers', Los Angeles Rams', and Oakland Raiders' annual commitments, with all three moving to new stadiums in 2020.
In November 2019, theAtlanta Falcons[39] and Miami Dolphins[40] were announced as home teams for 2020 games in either London or Mexico City.
On February 4, 2020, it was announced that the Jaguars would play two home games at Wembley Stadium on consecutive weekends in 2020, the first time a team had done so. 2020 would also have been the final year of games at Wembley Stadium and the final year of the Jaguars' agreement to host annual home games there.[41] On February 28, 2020, it was announced that theArizona Cardinals would host a game in Mexico City. Their hosting was due to the awarding ofSuper Bowl LVII toState Farm Stadium in 2018. The Cardinals would have returned to Estadio Azteca for the first time since 2005's Fútbol Americano game. The date and opponent were not announced at the time.[42] On May 4, 2020, the league announced that all international games for2020 had been moved back to the designated home teams' home stadiums due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[43]
On April 1, 2021, the Atlanta Falcons announced their intention to play a home game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in October 2021.[44] On May 11, it was reported that the Falcons and Jaguars would each host a game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.[45] This was confirmed the following day.[46] This would mark the Jaguars' eighth home game in London but their first at Tottenham.
In December 2021 the NFL announced the International Home Marketing Areas (HMA) initiative, under which teams can submit proposals to be granted marketing rights for specific foreign countries for a period of five years. This allows them to engage in activities typically restricted to their domestic HMA such as hosting in-person events, selling sponsorships and merchandise, as well as having a high priority to be assigned to play in the International Series games scheduled for their International HMAs.[47]
Initially 18 teams were granted marketing rights across eight countries, starting in January 2022.[48] In May 2022, two more countries were added to the list of international HMA.[49] In 2023, the league addedAustria,Switzerland,France, andIreland.[50][51] In 2024, the league expanded the program toArgentina,Colombia,Japan,Nigeria, andSouth Korea.[52] In 2025, the league expanded the program toGreece and theUnited Arab Emirates.[53]
As of May 2025, all 32 teams have been granted rights across 21 International HMA, as listed below.[54]
On February 9, 2022, the NFL confirmed the addition of the Germany Games to the International Series slate, initially with one game each year from 2022 to 2025. Mark Waller had previously stated in 2017 that the only holdup with games in Germany was what he dubbed "an inventory management thing," in that with four games already being played in London each year, adding additional games in Germany atop those four would pose logistical problems.[58] The league began gauging interest from German cities regarding potential games in June 2021; the league viewed Germany as an ideal candidate for expansion of the International Series because of the country's high viewership for NFL games (2.2 million people in Germany watchedSuper Bowl LV) and the country's numerous modern stadiums.[59] In October 2021, it was confirmed thatDüsseldorf,Frankfurt, andMunich had been invited to participate in deeper conversations about hosting NFL games.[60]
In March 2022, the Jaguars confirmed they had reached an agreement with Wembley Stadium to host an annual game through 2024.[61] In the following season, the Jaguars became the first team to play two games in London in one season. On October 1, they hosted theAtlanta Falcons at Wembley Stadium and then the following week on October 8 as the designated visiting team against theBuffalo Bills at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium; they won both games.
In November 2023, the NFL said it would again have five international games for the 2024 season. Three would be in London (one of those the Jaguars' regular home game in Wembley), one would be in Munich, and the last one would be in a new market, eitherMadrid, Spain, orSão Paulo, Brazil. The league would not expand the number of international games beyond the five it already had (the four rotational home teams and the Jaguars) until the 2025 season at the earliest.[62] In December 2023, with the announcement of São Paulo as the third venue of the 2024 international slate, it was confirmed that the league planned to host eight international games in 2025.[63] The first new venue for 2025 was announced asReal Madrid'sBernabéu in Madrid.[4] Tickets for the São Paulo, Brazil, game went on sale beginning on June 10, 2024, and the high demand for them surprised the brokerTicketmaster. Of the approximately 150,000 people who queued online, only about 10% received a ticket.[64]
In December 2024, the NFL announced that theOlympiastadion inBerlin, Germany, will also host a game in 2025.[65] The Indianapolis Colts were named as the designated home team for the Berlin game on January 15, 2025.[66] Two days later, the Miami Dolphins were revealed as the designated home team for the inaugural Madrid Game at the Bernabéu.[67]
On February 5, 2025, the NFL announced that the first regular season game inAustralia would be played in 2026, as the Los Angeles Rams were named the designated home team to play at theMelbourne Cricket Ground inMelbourne, Australia.[6] The league's first regular season game inIreland was announced a few days later, with the Pittsburgh Steelers named the designated home team for the 2025 game atCroke Park inDublin.[68] On February 19, 2025, the NFL announced it would return to Brazil for another game atArena Corinthians in São Paulo for Week 1 of the 2025 season, with the Los Angeles Chargers named the designated home team.[69]
In September 2025, the NFL announced that the 2026 Brazil game would be played atMaracanã Stadium inRio de Janeiro.[70]
| Indicator | Meaning |
|---|---|
| OT | Game was decided inovertime |
| Year | Date | Designated visitor | Score | Designated home team | Score | Stadium | City | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | TBA | TBA | Los Angeles Rams | Melbourne Cricket Ground | Melbourne |
| Year | Date | Designated visitor | Score | Designated home team | Score | Stadium | City | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | September 6 | Green Bay Packers | 29 | Philadelphia Eagles | 34 | Arena Corinthians | São Paulo | 47,236[71] |
| 2025 | September 5 | Kansas City Chiefs | 21 | Los Angeles Chargers | 27 | 47,627[72] | ||
| 2026 | TBA | TBA | TBA | Maracanã Stadium | Rio de Janeiro | [73] |
| Year | Date | Designated visitor | Score | Designated home team | Score | Stadium | City | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | November 13 | Seattle Seahawks | 16 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers[74] | 21 | Allianz Arena[n 1][75] | Munich | 69,811[76] |
| 2023 | November 5 | Miami Dolphins | 14 | Kansas City Chiefs | 21 | Deutsche Bank Park | Frankfurt | 50,023[77] |
| November 12 | Indianapolis Colts | 10 | New England Patriots | 6 | 50,144[78] | |||
| 2024 | November 10 | New York Giants | 17 | Carolina Panthers | 20OT | Allianz Arena | Munich | 70,132[79] |
| 2025 | November 9 | Atlanta Falcons | 25 | Indianapolis Colts | 31OT | Olympiastadion | Berlin | 72,207[80] |
| Year | Date | Designated visitor | Score | Designated home team | Score | Stadium | City | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | September 28 | Minnesota Vikings | 21 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 24 | Croke Park | Dublin | 74,512[81] |
| Year | Date | Designated visitor | Score | Designated home team | Score | Stadium | City | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | November 21 | Houston Texans | 20 | Oakland Raiders | 27 | Estadio Azteca | Mexico City | 76,473[82] |
| 2017 | November 19 | New England Patriots | 33 | Oakland Raiders | 8 | 77,357[83] | ||
| 2018 | November 19 | Kansas City Chiefs | — | Los Angeles Rams | — | [n 2][35][84] | ||
| 2019 | November 18 | Kansas City Chiefs | 24 | Los Angeles Chargers | 17 | 76,252[85] | ||
| 2022 | November 21 | San Francisco 49ers | 38 | Arizona Cardinals[74] | 10 | 78,427[86] | ||
| 2026 | TBA | TBA | TBA | [87] |
| Year | Date | Designated visitor | Score | Designated home team | Score | Stadium | City | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | November 16 | Washington Commanders | 13 | Miami Dolphins | 16OT | Bernabéu | Madrid | 78,610[88] |
| Stadium | Location | No. hosted | Years hosted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wembley Stadium |  London, United Kingdom | 27 | 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 (2 games), 2014 (3 games), 2015 (3 games), 2016 (2 games), 2017 (2 games), 2018 (3 games), 2019 (2 games), 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 |
| Tottenham Hotspur Stadium | 12 | 2019 (2 games), 2021 (2 games), 2022 (2 games), 2023 (2 games), 2024 (2 games), 2025 (2 games) | |
| Twickenham Stadium | 3 | 2016, 2017 (2 games) | |
| Estadio Azteca |  Mexico City, Mexico | 4 | 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022 |
| Allianz Arena |  Munich, Germany | 2 | 2022, 2024 |
| Deutsche Bank Park | Frankfurt, Germany | 2 | 2023 (2 games) |
| Arena Corinthians |  São Paulo, Brazil | 2 | 2024, 2025 |
| Croke Park |  Dublin, Ireland | 1 | 2025 |
| Olympiastadion | Berlin, Germany | 1 | 2025 |
| Bernabéu |  Madrid, Spain | 1 | 2025 |
Within the United Kingdom, aside from London, candidates previously considered for hosting NFL games included theMillennium Stadium inCardiff, Wales;[139] andMurrayfield Stadium inEdinburgh, Scotland.[140] Other prime locations considered to host NFL games included China[141] and Canada[142] (Canada hosted theBills Toronto Series from 2008 to 2013 and a preseason game between the Green Bay Packers and the Oakland Raiders atIG Field inWinnipeg, Manitoba, in 2019). In 2007, NFL Senior Vice President Mark Waller doubted Asia or Australia would be targeted because of travel concerns, but did not dismiss the possibility (Australia would eventually receive a game in 2026).[142] The league had planned to host a game in China in 2018 with the Los Angeles Rams as the home team against the San Francisco 49ers.[143] The potential game in China was postponed (the third time the league postponed playing in China, following failed attempts in 2007 and 2009) to the 2019 season to coincide with the league's 100th anniversary; but ultimately was not included on the 2019 schedule.[144][145] The league has indicated a China game is still not certain because of the lack of a fan base in the country; NFL games are played in the middle of the night in China.[58] Other potential problems include whether the stadiums in China are suitable to play an NFL game, and Beijing's notoriously poor air quality. The topic of a 2020 preseason game in China was discussed at the 2019 owners' meetings, but no news came out of those meetings.[146]
The success of the International Series has led the NFL to focus its global expansion aims on the possibility of having a full franchise located in London. It is believed this would be most likely achieved through relocation of an existing franchise, with the Jaguars most often linked due to their association with the International Series, even though their owner is said to be content with the current arrangement and other franchises have more reason to move (the most often cited being poor on-field performance, lack of fans and uncertainty over stadium leases). The NFL has used some of the specific arrangements for the International Series games as a test bed for predicting how a London franchise could be made effective from a logistical and competitiveness standpoint.[147][148]
The Jacksonville Jaguars have significant ties to London. They have played more games in the city than any other NFL team, with a total of 12 games between 2013 and 2024.[149]
There have been recurring rumors about the team potentially relocating to London; however, these have been questioned as the team plans to begin a $1.4 billion renovation ofEverBank Stadium after the conclusion of the 2025 season. The team is planning to play its entire home schedule away from Jacksonville in 2027 ahead of the project's scheduled completion in 2028.[150]
In 2023, NFL CommissionerRoger Goodell expressed interest in having one or two NFL teams based in the United Kingdom.[151] During a press conference in 2024, he mentioned the possibility of scheduling regular games in London while the Jaguars' stadium is being renovated. This initiative would allow the NFL to evaluate the financial viability of a permanent team in London.[152]
Jaguars ownerShahid Khan also ownsPremier League clubFulham F.C., which plays in West London. In 2018, Khan dropped his bid to buyWembley Stadium for nearly $800 million.[153][154]
From 2007 to 2014, every NFL International Series game was televised by eitherCBS orFox through their existing broadcast agreements with the NFL.[155]
For the NFL London series, from 2014 to 2016 and in 2018 and 2021, one game aired outside of these agreements. In 2014, the selected game was streamed byYahoo! Sports.[156] From 2015 to 2016 and in 2018 and 2021, the selected game was aired byNFL Network.[155] In 2017 and 2019, two NFL London Series games aired outside of these agreements. In 2017, one game aired on Yahoo! Sports with the other on NFL Network.[157] In 2019, both games aired on NFL Network.[158] In 2022 and 2023, with new broadcasting agreements, one NFL London Series game per season aired on ESPN+, with the remaining games on NFL Network.[159]
For the NFL Mexico series, with the exception of 2017 which aired on CBS, all games have aired onESPN as part ofMonday Night Football.[160][161]
For the NFL Germany series, all games have aired on NFL Network.[159]
For the NFL São Paulo series, the inaugural game in 2024 was aired onPeacock.[162] The 2025 edition aired onYouTube TV and for free onYouTube.[163]
Due to significanttime zone differences, from 2007 to 2015 teams playing in London would have theirbye week in the following week after their game in London. For 2016, theIndianapolis Colts volunteered to play a game the week after their London game, preferring to have their bye week later in the season. The Colts playing the week after London was also done by the NFL as a test to see team fatigue for evaluation of an eventual London franchise.[164] As Mexico City is within theCentral Time Zone—eight NFL teams play home games in Central Time and the rest are within two hours of it—no bye week would be needed for those teams, though they may still by chance be scheduled their regular bye week anyway. For 2017, three teams playing in London (theBaltimore Ravens,Jacksonville Jaguars, andMiami Dolphins), had games immediately following their International Series game.[165] In all three cases, the teams playing after their International Series game were based on theEast Coast of the United States and were either at home or (in the Jaguars' case) playing inEast Rutherford, New Jersey. In 2018 and 2019 all teams once again received their bye immediately following their international game, including the teams who played in Mexico.
Through 2020, due to NFL rules, teams that were playing in temporary homes as part of arelocation or that were recently awarded the hosting of the Super Bowl were required to play a home game internationally. TheLos Angeles Rams, upon relocating from St. Louis, agreed to host an international game from 2016 to 2019, while theirnew stadium was being built. TheLos Angeles Chargers, who would share the stadium with the Rams, also hosted an international game in 2018 and 2019, only getting out of the 2017 game because the team had executed its get out clause to relocate fromSan Diego after the 2017 International Series games had been announced.[166] TheOakland Raiders, who spent the 2019 off-season in limbo due to the expiration of their stadium deal in Oakland and the lack of an NFL-ready stadium in theireventual home in Las Vegas, also agreed to annual international home games through 2019.
The NFL has a procedure in place that states all teams that forgo a home game to play internationally, as the Rams did, are required to keep their home stadium available as a contingency.
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