NFL to Expand International Games to Record Nine in 2026, Including Japan
Quick Look
The NFL plans to feature a record nine international games in the 2026 season across seven countries, including Japan, to grow global interest, with the first game in Melbourne on September 11 between the 49ers and Rams, though scheduling challenges in Asian time zones remain a concern.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The NFL has been expanding its international presence with regular-season games in the UK, Brazil, Spain, and Australia, aiming to grow the sport's global footprint.
The NFL plans to expand into new international markets, including Japan, as it seeks to build on growing interest outside the United States, the league’s head of Europe and Asia-Pacific Brett Gosper said.
The league’s 2026 regular season, which begins on September 10, will feature a record nine international games across seven countries, up from seven the previous year.
“Japan is a market of interest at the moment. There is a good following, good participation in that market as well … and a lot of sporting fans and an affinity with American sports like baseball and so on,” Gosper told Reuters.
The former CEO of World Rugby, however, did allude to a potential limitation with scoring a touchdown in some Asian markets.
“Sometimes some of the markets are more challenging to grow because they’re not on the US game schedule or match window time schedule and therefore more challenging hours in Asia,” Gosper said.
The NFL has exported its sport to territories like the United Kingdom, Brazil, Spain and now Australia, which will host the first of the nine international games on September 11 in Melbourne involving five-time Super Bowl champions San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The NFL will announce additional international host cities for the 2026 season in the coming months.
Likely · Within months
Open Questions
- Which specific countries will host the remaining seven international games in 2026?
- How will the NFL address scheduling challenges in Asian time zones for live audiences?
- What metrics will the league use to measure success in new markets like Japan?
