By Staff
For decades, the NFL was considered to be an American League only, as football is a uniquely American sport. However, it always had fans across the globe, and there are leagues, teams, and high-quality players outside of the US.
In this article, we’ll go over how the League’s international expansion is changing it and how players coming to the US from abroad have had a great impact on it. This is noticeable in how the teams choose their roster, how they shape their strategies, and how the fans and bettors respond to new players.
NFL’s Global Plan
The most noticeable sign of the international expansion is the fact that the league is playing more and more games outside the US. In 2025, the League will host seven different matches outside the US, which is a record.
These will take place in five countries: the United Kingdom, Germany, Brazil, Ireland, and Spain. The best crypto sports betting sites were especially interested in the Minnesota Vikings matches played in Dublin and London.
The NFL has strategically chosen which country to expand to, based on the size of its fan base. Therefore, many have claimed that the next one will be Mexico, as American football has a huge fan base there.
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International Players Making their Mark
Players coming from abroad have already made a mark on the league and played a big role in their team’s strategies. The American-born athletes are still dominating the league, but foreign players are increasingly filling rosters.
In 2017, the league introduced the NFL’s International Player Pathway (IPP) program. It aims to identify and develop athletes from across the globe who would benefit and improve the League. As of 2024, 37 players have entered the league through the program, with 19 currently active on team rosters.
For instance, Jordan Mailata, an Australian former rugby player, has already impacted the Philadelphia Eagles. The same goes for the UK’s Efe Obada, playing for the Washington Commanders.
Besides IPP, the league has also established the NFL Academy, which is based in London. It focuses on players of high school age, and it’s been operating since 2019. Since its opening, the Academy has drawn athletes from 13 different countries. Many of these became players in the NFL League teams.
A Focus on Key International Markets
The United Kingdom has always been the biggest hub of NFL fans outside of the US, partly because that’s where the Academy is located. Regular season games, which are played at Wembley Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, sell out, and there are plenty of local fans.
Germany is also very much interested in the NFL. When regular-season matches came back to the country in 2022, the fans were very ecstatic. The ambiance at the stadium was similar to that of a soccer game, which came as a surprise to American players.
Mexico and Brazil are equally interested in NFL games, and regular-season matches were played in Estadio Azteca. São Paulo is scheduled to host its first-ever NFL game in 2025. It will take place on September 5th.
The Road Ahead: Challenges and Opportunities
There are also a few challenges that the NFL is facing when it comes to moving its matches abroad. These are mostly due to the fact that it presents a logistical and infrastructural challenge to find suitable stadiums in Europe. This includes issues with locker size, field specification, and broadcasting options.
Having to travel abroad on a tight schedule also presents a problem to the players who need to provide top performance in every match.
Developing local talents, however, remains one of the biggest opportunities for the League, and that’s why expansion abroad will surely continue and grow. This isn’t only about having the Academy and finding the talent. It starts with having the League and the team present in the sports and culture of foreign countries.
That way, the kids can express interest in the NFL and American football early on and start their journey from a local team to the professional league and an actual career in playing football. With instant access to American culture, the roster of potential players can only grow.
To Sum Up
NFL international expansion has been on the way for a while now, and the League already has games abroad, as well as the Football Academy, made to train and produce new talent. Most of the players are still American, but there are a few talents coming from abroad that have made a big impact on their teams.
There are also some challenges along the way since there isn’t enough infrastructure available abroad to support the teams and their needs. However, foreign games will expand to new countries soon, and the NFL will be more international in the years to come.
