NFL to expand 2027 international schedule to 10 games

The National Football League will expand its international schedule to a record 10 games for the 2027 season, a move approved by team owners this week that continues the league's aggressive global growth strategy. The decision, made during league meetings in Orlando, increases the maximum number of league-run international games from the current limit of eight.

This expansion follows a 2026 season that will already set a new benchmark with nine games scheduled outside the United States. Those contests are slated for Melbourne, Rio de Janeiro, London, Paris, Madrid, Munich, and Mexico City. League executive Peter O'Reilly stated the strategy is to return to established markets while exploring new ones for future years, specifically mentioning Asia and Japan as potential future frontiers.

The 2027 increase to 10 games is the maximum permitted under the current collective bargaining agreement with the NFL Players Association. However, an eleventh international game is possible for that season pending NFLPA approval. This would involve a Jacksonville Jaguars game at London's Wembley Stadium, which could be classified separately as the Jaguars plan to play their 2027 home games in...