The NFL has announced that Brazil will host one of the league’s international series games in 2024. Announced at the ongoing owners’ meetings in Dallas, the game will be played at Corinthians Arena in San Paulo. The arena holds just over 49,000 spectators and is the home of Brazilian soccer giants SC Corinthians. Furthermore, the league also announced that the international series would expand to a slate of eight games in 2025. The number is opposed to the current slate of four.
“Becoming a global sport is a major strategic priority for the league and 32 teams. Increasing international game inventory allows us to grow our global presence and share our game with exciting new markets to connect with more fans around the world,” Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. The 2023 season saw games in London and Frankfurt. Conversations with organizers in Madrid will continue, the league also noted. The NFL hopes to host a game at the iconic San Bernabeu in the near future.
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NFL Expands International Reach Ahead Of 2028 Olympics
In 2024, the NFL will play its first-ever game in Brazil!
O primeiro jogo da NFL no Brasil será em 2024!
@NFLBrasil pic.twitter.com/wp5tdCEgEq
— NFL (@NFL) December 13, 2023
While the NFL has been expanding its international impact for over a decade, a new pin on the calendar has added additional weight to the endeavor. 2028 marks the Olympic debut of flag football, a project that the NFL has long pushed for. However, the game still remains fairly limited in its international scope. When the news was originally announced, the internet was flooded with memes and mockery about how dominant the US team would likely be at the event.
However, for the moment, Brazil appears to be the league’s next focus. “There’s a lot of interest in the NFL. I mean, we saw it. We did a Super Bowl viewing party last year down in Brazil, and it was packed, and the energy is there. You’ve got some classic soccer clubs around the world who are really interested in hosting the NFL and building a relationship with the NFL. So, the marriage of those two interests there, for sure. It’s just determining the timing and the approach,” the NFL’s VP of international events told The Adam Schefter Podcast.
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