The NFL’s 2025 international expansion represents one of the most ambitious steps in professional sports, transforming the league’s global reach from a televised curiosity into a real-world experience for fans across continents. With seven regular-season games scheduled across five countries—Brazil, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Spain—the league is turning stadiums around the world into stages for American football’s most celebrated teams and players. For fans, this expansion is not about watching a game; it is about boarding a plane, meeting fellow supporters abroad, and transforming their love of football into a cultural adventure that blends travel, tourism, and live sport.
Overview of the Expansion
The 2025 NFL season will mark a new milestone with seven regular-season games hosted internationally, the most ever in a single year. The league’s global calendar will reach five countries—Brazil, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Spain—solidifying its transformation from a North American league into a worldwide spectacle. Each of these destinations offers its own unique blend of fan energy, local culture, and tourism potential, expanding the league’s audience while creating a global network of fans who can now experience the game firsthand. This is far more than a scheduling decision; it is a blueprint for the NFL’s future as an international entertainment powerhouse. For long-time fans, this expansion means unprecedented access to live games overseas, while for new audiences, it represents an invitation to join a growing global community of football enthusiasts eager to see stars like Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, and Kirk Cousins in action without crossing an ocean.
Key International Matchups
The 2025 schedule is full of firsts and fan-favorite rivalries designed to ignite excitement worldwide. Week 1 opens with a marquee matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers in São Paulo, Brazil, a city known for its passion for sports and electric atmosphere. It is a bold start that sets the tone for the season. In Week 4, history will be made when the Minnesota Vikings take on the Pittsburgh Steelers at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland—the first regular-season NFL game ever held in that country. This landmark event is expected to draw fans from across Europe and North America, turning Dublin into a sea of purple and black and gold jerseys.
London, already a well-established hub for NFL action, will host three consecutive games: Week 5 features the Vikings against the Cleveland Browns at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium; Week 6 brings the Denver Broncos and New York Jets to the same venue; and Week 7 moves to Wembley Stadium for the Los Angeles Rams versus the Jacksonville Jaguars. Germany continues to play a vital role, with Week 10 bringing the Atlanta Falcons and Indianapolis Colts to Berlin’s Olympic Stadium. The global journey concludes in Week 11 when the Washington Commanders face the Miami Dolphins at Madrid’s iconic Santiago Bernabéu Stadium—the first regular-season NFL game ever played in Spain. Each matchup is not only a contest between teams, but also a cultural event designed to connect fans from diverse backgrounds under one powerful global banner: the NFL.
Fan Travel & Experience Packages
To make these historic games accessible and enjoyable, the league has partnered with travel agencies and sports-tour operators offering comprehensive fan-travel packages. These packages include flights, premium hotel stays, VIP seating, and cultural excursions tailored around each destination. Fans can, for example, spend a few days exploring the beaches and nightlife of São Paulo before cheering on the Chiefs and Chargers or enjoy a pint in Dublin’s Temple Bar district before the Vikings-Steelers kickoff. These experiences go beyond football—they are about creating memories that combine travel, culture, and sport in a single journey.
Ticket demand for these international games is soaring, with many packages already selling out months in advance. The growing international fan base demonstrates that the NFL’s strategy is working, blending the excitement of live sports with the appeal of world travel. Fans now plan their vacations around the NFL schedule, using these trips as opportunities to meet fellow supporters and experience new countries. For some, the excitement even extends into digital fandom, with overseas game trips serving as the perfect backdrop for hosting a fantasy football mock draft with friends, connecting the travel experience with the competitive spirit that defines football culture.
Global Markets & Revenue Strategy
Behind this expansion lies a well-defined business strategy. The NFL’s global markets initiative aims to expand the league’s economic footprint and fan engagement beyond North America, positioning the NFL as an international brand similar to the NBA and Premier League. Hosting regular-season games in Brazil, Ireland, the UK, Germany, and Spain provides direct exposure to massive untapped markets where sports enthusiasm runs deep. It is a move projected to generate significant revenue not only through ticket sales but also through merchandise, sponsorships, and tourism-related spending.
Host cities and local governments are also playing an active role, working alongside the NFL to establish fan zones, local events, and marketing activations that make each game feel like a festival of culture and sport. The collaboration extends to tourism boards and hospitality sectors, ensuring that visitors from around the world enjoy a seamless travel experience while boosting local economies. While some fans have voiced concerns about cost and coordination, the overall perception remains overwhelmingly positive: the NFL’s global expansion is viewed as an opportunity to make the sport more accessible and experiential for everyone involved.
Local Travel & Tourism Impacts
Each host city stands to gain from the influx of fans, media coverage, and global exposure that accompanies an NFL game. São Paulo, Dublin, London, Berlin, and Madrid are all preparing to capitalize on the tourism boom that will accompany these events. Local hotels, restaurants, and attractions will see an uptick in visitors eager to blend football excitement with sightseeing. For fans, attending a game abroad becomes more than just watching football—it is an adventure that includes exploring historical sites, local cuisine, and vibrant nightlife.
Of course, the coordination and costs of international travel are real considerations. Flights, accommodations, and tickets can add up, but for many, the once-in-a-lifetime experience is worth it. The combination of live football and destination travel is drawing both die-hard fans and casual travelers. Travel agencies, local operators, and tourism boards have recognized this demand, crafting joint campaigns with the NFL that highlight not only the games but the cultural treasures of each destination. The synergy between sport and travel has rarely been this strong.
Accessibility, Criticisms & Opportunities
While the expansion has been celebrated, it has not been without its critics. Some fans question ticket pricing and accessibility, noting that international travel can be expensive and complicated. Others worry about teams losing home-field advantage or fans in the U.S. missing out on local games. Yet for every criticism, there is an equally compelling argument in favor of the opportunities created. International fans now have the chance to see live NFL games in their own countries, while American supporters can turn their fandom into a reason to explore the world.
The expansion transforms the NFL into a truly global brand, giving people from different nations a shared experience centered around sport, culture, and travel. Local partnerships, from stadium vendors to tourism departments, play an essential role in ensuring these games run smoothly and deliver an unforgettable fan experience.
The Role of the NFL’s International Business Division
At the center of this transformation is the NFL’s International Business Division, which oversees the Global Markets Program and the international games office. This department manages everything from game scheduling to media rights, ensuring each country receives not just a match but an immersive cultural and entertainment experience. It also coordinates with specialized travel agencies and sports-tour operators to develop seamless travel packages that include game tickets, lodging, and curated local excursions.
The host cities themselves have become active participants, creating fan festivals, concerts, and events around each matchup. Local and visiting fans are responding enthusiastically, integrating these overseas games into vacation plans, and celebrating football as part of a global community experience. This strategy not only enhances the league’s international footprint but strengthens its bond with fans worldwide.
Implications for U.S. and International Fans
For American fans, these overseas matchups present a new way to experience their favorite teams—by merging their love for football with the excitement of international travel. A Chiefs fan in Kansas City or a Steelers fan in Pittsburgh can now follow their team to another continent, turning the trip into a sporting pilgrimage. Meanwhile, international fans in countries like Brazil, Ireland, Germany, and Spain can enjoy the thrill of professional American football without traveling thousands of miles to the U.S.
The combination of fandom and travel has created a new form of engagement, where fans become travelers and travelers become fans. Whether through official travel packages or personal itineraries, the fusion of football and tourism has never been more appealing. Attending a live NFL game abroad is now as much a cultural adventure as a sports experience.
Host Country Specifics & Local Opportunities
Each host country brings its own unique opportunities. Brazil’s São Paulo will display Latin America’s growing enthusiasm for the sport, setting the stage for potential future expansion in the region. Dublin’s Croke Park game is historic—the first-ever NFL regular-season contest in Ireland—symbolizing the league’s commitment to reaching new fans. London remains the cornerstone of the international series, with three consecutive games reaffirming its status as the league’s European home base. Berlin’s Olympic Stadium debut underscores Germany’s growing football fan base, while Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu game in Spain represents the beginning of a new era for NFL Europe.
Each venue, from Wembley to Bernabéu, embodies both tradition and innovation, offering fans from around the world a chance to witness the sport they love in some of the most iconic arenas ever built.
What This Means for Travel and Destination Fandom
The NFL’s international expansion redefines how fans experience sports tourism. A regular-season game is no longer just a single-day event—it is the anchor for a complete travel itinerary that includes sightseeing, dining, and cultural immersion. Travel companies now offer premium experiences combining flights, accommodations, VIP seating, and curated excursions that transform these games into once-in-a-lifetime journeys. For local economies, this means a direct boost through hospitality, retail, and international exposure.
The integration of sports, travel, and culture makes the NFL not just a league—it becomes part of the global travel landscape, a symbol of how fandom transcends borders and languages. The economic ripple effects are equally strong, with millions flowing into local markets as fans spend on lodging, food, and entertainment. It is a win-win for both travelers and host cities.
The NFL moving forward
The NFL’s 2025 international expansion is more than a scheduling milestone—it is a cultural and economic movement connecting continents through sport. With seven games in five countries, including Brazil, Ireland, the UK, Germany, and Spain, the league is rewriting what it means to be a football fan. The initiative aligns fan passion with tourism, creating new business opportunities and unforgettable experiences for those willing to travel the world for the game they love.
Looking ahead, this expansion lays out the foundation for even greater global engagement. More countries will likely join the list, new partnerships will form, and more fans will pack their bags to experience the NFL abroad. From gridiron to global stage, the league has proven that football is not just an American pastime—it is a worldwide phenomenon ready to unite fans across oceans and cultures through the universal language of sport.
