The NFL’s international series is extending to Brazil next season.
The league formally announced plans to play one regular season game during the 2024 season in São Paulo at Wednesday’s owners’ meeting in Dallas. It will be the first time the league will host a regular season game in South America. São Paulo was awarded the game over other international locations, including Spain’s Madrid.
The game at Corinthians Arena is the latest addition to the NFL’s International Series, in which the league plays multiple games per season outside the U.S. to grow the game and its brand globally. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has targeted $25 billion in annual league revenue by 2027, and the widening of its presence beyond the nation’s borders will assist in that goal. The league reeled in about $19 billion in total revenue last season.
The NFL touts Brazil as having the second most international fans, at about 38 million, behind only Mexico.
“We couldn’t be more excited about this opportunity,” Goodell said at Wednesday’s press conference. “This marks the first time we’ve played in South America, and it’s a big step for the NFL on a global basis.”
On Wednesday, NFL owners also voted to increase annual inventory for international games from four to eight beginning in 2025.
“Our focus is on looking at where those next [potential] markets are based on where fan passion exist and the opportunity is to have the greatest impact,” Peter O’Reilly, NFL’s executive vice president of club business, international and league events, said. “It’s not mapped today but that’s the flexibility we have working with the clubs to determine what are those next markets and how to ramp up to that in years ahead.”
This season, the NFL hosted three games in London—one at Wembley Stadium and two at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium—and played two in Frankfurt, Germany. The Jacksonville Jaguars played games in London in back-to-back weeks for the first time since they started playing in the U.K. back in 2014.
NFL teams aren’t only playing games overseas to activate their fan bases away from home; there’s also been a growing marketing and commercial push. The NFL’s global market program, of which 21 clubs now participate in, grants teams commercial rights to select markets as part of the league’s overall strategy.
The Miami Dolphins are the lone NFL team currently with marketing rights in Brazil.
