Roger Goodell outlines NFL’s bold plan to create teams outside US and relocate Super Bowl: ‘I have no doubt’

NFL fans in America are counting down to Week 1 and the return of weekly football games.

The National Football League is thinking even bigger and continuing to promote an international Super Bowl with NFL teams based outside of the USA.

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“At some point, there will be NFL teams outside the USA,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told German outlet RTL/ntv.

Goodell doubled down on the league basing teams outside of America.

“I have no doubt that this will happen one day,” Goodell said.

NFL Europe folded in 2007 while reportedly losing $30 million a season.

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But 19 years later, the NFL is set to play a record nine regular-season games outside America during the 2026 campaign.

London will receive three games, while Australia, Brazil, France, Spain, Mexico and Germany will host teams including the Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers.

The emphasis on having some of the league’s best-recognized teams play regular-season games outside of the USA is further proof of how seriously the NFL is treating international expansion.

While the NBA is pushing for a European league, the NFL dominates the American sports market and is pushing for $25 billion in annual revenue.

“We are serious about being a global sport,” Goodell said last year at a fan-forum event in Dublin before a Pittsburgh Steelers vs Minnesota Vikings game at Croke Park.

It’s uncertain how the NFL plans to have teams based outside of the USA, but expansion would be a likely requirement.

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The NFL is currently composed of 32 teams and plays a 17-game regular-season schedule.

Adding an 18th game — and potentially adding a bye week to appease players — could allow the richest sports in the league in the world to ensure that all 32 teams play one home or away international game a year.

Goodell made it clear that having teams based outside of America is a prerequisite to eventually holding a Super Bowl outside of the USA.

“There are definitely international cities that could host something like that,” Goodell said.

“But we would like to see an NFL team in such a city first.”

This season, the Jacksonville Jaguars will play their 15th and 16th games in London.

Liam Coen’s squad will go back-to-back in Weeks 5 and 6, as the visiting team against the Philadelphia Eagles at Tottenham, then the home team against the Houston Texans at Wembley Stadium.

NFL International Games 2026

Week 1, Melbourne (Australia) – 49ers-Rams

Week 3, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) – Ravens-Cowboys

Week 4, London, (Tottenham Hotspur) – Colts-Commanders

Week 5, London, (Tottenham Hotspur) – Eagles-Jaguars

Week 6, London, (Wembley) – Texans-Jaguars

Week 7, Paris (France) – Steelers-Saints

Week 9, Madrid (Spain) – Bengals-Falcons

Week 10, Munich (Germany) – Patriots-Lions

Week 11, Mexico City (Mexico) – Vikings-49ers

The 49ers start and finish a record-setting international slate in 2026.

Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey and Co. will travel to Melbourne, Australia in Week 1 to face the defending Super Bowl-champion Los Angeles Rams in the first NFL game to be played in the country.

Then the 49ers will take on the Vikings in Week 11 as the NFL returns to Mexico City for the first time since 2022.