The NFL plans to hold more regular-season games in Germany, and probably sooner than expected. League commissioner Roger Goodell told a fan forum in Munich on Saturday that the NFL will bring “at least” four games to Germany through 2025.
The current deal includes the first match scheduled for this Sunday in Germany, plus an annual game over the next three seasons, with Munich and Frankfurt hosting the matches twice.
In addition to Germany, London has been a regular-season venue since 2007. The league’s analysis of fan growth and business potential puts Spain and France “very much on our radar,” NFL chief Brett Gosper said. for the United Kingdom and the United States.
There are five international games this season: three in London, one in Munich and one in Mexico City on November 21 when the Arizona Cardinals play San Francisco. International expansion was one reason the NFL added a 17th game to the schedule.
The league has committed to playing four international matches each season, with teams required to play one match abroad once every eight seasons. Outside of that commitment, a team with rights in one country may choose to play home games there, much as the Jacksonville Jaguars do in London. The Jags have played nine times in the British capital and are currently on a three-year contract to play an annual “home” game at the 90,000 capacity Wembley Stadium.
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