After a successful stint in Oceania, Europe, and South America, the NFL is considering expansion into Asia, with talks of hosting a game in Tokyo underway, according to commissioner Roger Goodell.
Speaking on Friday, Goodell addressed the possible venture, saying:
“Listen, Tokyo is clearly on our list, whether it’s next year or the year after. It’s coming at some point in the near future. We’re going to continue to focus on our priority markets, which a lot of them they’ve been in, but there are other cities; this year, we went to Rio rather than São Paulo.”
While taking the NFL to foreign nations is a big step toward making the game global, some fans see the move as a chance for Goodell to maximize profits from international fans, arguing that NFL teams should play on home soil rather than at neutral venues.
One fan said:
“Such a terrible idea, based only greed. The level of play is declining and quality of the NFL dropping like a rock but Goodell wants global domination. It’s grotesque and completely unwanted by everyone. The fans don’t count and never have a vote.”
The NFL Has Gradually Increased International Games Since 2021
The NFL hosted two international games in the 2021 season, with the Falcons, Jets, Jaguars, and Dolphins playing at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
This number rose to five over the following three years (2022, 2023, 2024), with games held at Wembley Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London; Allianz Arena and Frankfurt Stadium in Germany; the Estadio Azteca in Mexico; and the Arena Corinthians in São Paulo, Brazil.
Over the last two seasons, international games have increased to seven (2025) and nine (2026), spanning four continents and adding new cities to the schedule. If the league adds Tokyo to the schedule, international fixtures will hit a new high, with 10 of the 272 games played outside the USA.
Tokyo, however, isn’t a stranger to the NFL, as the city has hosted several NFL exhibition games from 1976 to 2005.
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