With the 2023 NFL regular season now finished, for the 18 teams who did not make the playoffs, their focus immediately turns to next year. For the league, a focus on growing the game is something that never stops, including internationally. As the season slowly crawls to an end, the NFL turns the page a bit as they announce the International Games for 2024.
The league has made it a point of emphasis to stretch its reach far beyond just the United States and has infiltrated other countries and markets during that time. Thursday morning was another step in that direction as the teams and where they will be playing internationally have been released.
NFL International Games 2024
London has been a constant for the NFL since they began their international series. That will not change in 2024, but the NFL has also locked down games in Munich, Germany, this year once again, as well as adding a game in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
There will be three games in London this season with the host teams for those matchups being announced with their opponents to be revealed at a later date. The three London hosts will be the Chicago Bears, the Minnesota Vikings, and the recurring visitor, the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will host games featuring both the Bears and Vikings while the Jaguars will return to Wembley Stadium as part of their multi-year commitment to playing a game in the UK. It will be their 12th game in the city.
The Munich matchup will be hosted by the Carolina Panthers and will be played in Allianz Arena, which is the home of FC Bayern Munich. The latest matchup played there was the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots game earlier this season.
While the opponents for the European games are not known at this time, there are some clues as to who each team may play during the matchup.
For the Bears in London, the list of possible opponents includes the Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Jaguars, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, or the Tennessee Titans.
As for the Vikings in London, their list of possible opponents includes the Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Lions, Packers, Houston Texans, Colts, New York Jets, and San Francisco 49ers.
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The Jaguars have become a staple in London and their list of possible opponents includes the Cleveland Browns, Packers, Texans, Colts, Patriots, Jets, and Titans.
Finally, for the Panthers in Munich, their list of possible opponents includes the Cardinals, Falcons, Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Brazil game has not had either team announced yet and will be revealed at a later date. This will be the first-ever matchup for the NFL in South America — further proving that the NFL is committed to growing its reach and engaging new fans in any way it can.
When Did the NFL Start Playing Internationally?
Between 1950 and 1983, there were 13 games involving NFL or AFL teams that were played outside of the United States; seven of those games were against CFL teams in Canada. Three other games were also played in Canada — one in Toronto, two in Montreal — but were against teams in their respective league rather than against outside opponents.
The final three games were played in Tokyo in 1976, Mexico City in 1978, and London which was played in 1983.
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The current NFL International Series as we know it was created in 2007, where for the first six seasons, Wembley Stadium hosted one game a year. In 2013, this grew to two games and then eventually three in 2014, 2015, and 2016.
From there, the NFL has continued to push the boundaries, add more games, and continue to broaden its horizon as it looks to make the NFL a global game enjoyed by all.
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