The NFL’s regular season calendar could soon look radically different.
As the league prepares for its first regular-season game in Ireland, commissioner Roger Goodell outlined an ambitious vision that could reshape how every franchise approaches its schedule and expand football’s global reach.
How the NFL’s Global Expansion Plan Could Transform Future Schedules?
Speaking in Dublin ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Minnesota Vikings matchup at Croke Park, Goodell said teams now embrace the league’s international strategy.
Roger Goodell says the goal is to get to 16 international games a season so every team has an international game.
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) September 27, 2025
“In today’s world, we have to be global,” Goodell said, as reported by ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. “Every time we play an international game, fans say they want more. I really, truly believe our game can and will be global. Our job is to share our game with the rest of the world.”
Goodell reiterated a target that would transform planning for all 32 teams. The league aims to stage 16 international games per season, so each team plays one outside the United States. “We would like to get to 16 games so everyone is playing one game a year internationally,” he said.
This season features a record seven international games, including new host cities Madrid and Berlin, along with Dublin. The Steelers’ ties to Ireland run deep through the Rooney family’s heritage and the late Dan Rooney’s service as U.S. ambassador to Ireland.
Goodell noted the franchise’s role in bringing the game to Dublin. Sitting beside him, Steelers owner and president Art Rooney II agreed. “That’s a fair assessment.”
The global footprint is set to grow. The NFL announced a game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2026. It confirmed three games over five years in Rio de Janeiro starting next season. Asia is also on the horizon. “I think our next step after Australia would be probably moving into Asia,” Goodell said in Dublin.
London remains a cornerstone market. Since 2007, the NFL has staged 39 games there, with the total scheduled to reach 42 after three additional matchups at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Wembley this season.
Embedding international games into every team’s calendar would alter travel logistics, bye-week strategies, and fan engagement while expanding the league’s presence in multiple continents.
Goodell expects the Ireland debut to reinforce demand. “I have no doubt this will be incredibly successful,” he said. “And I have no doubt we’ll be back.”
