The NFL will play more international games in the 2025 season than ever before — seven. And they’re not wasting time getting started. The first international matchup will kick off Week 1 on Sept. 5, featuring the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers.
As news of the 2025 schedule — including these global matchups — began to leak, fans and players quickly took to social media with reactions ranging from fired-up excitement to pure frustration.
Chiefs TE Travis Kelce Complains About First Game
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce wasn’t exactly thrilled about he start to his schedule. He vented about opening the season in a tropical setting like Brazil.
The game is scheduled for Corinthians Arena in São Paulo. While the official time hasn’t been announced yet, last year’s game in Brazil kicked off at 8:30 p.m. ET in September 2024.
On his “New Heights” podcast, Kelce confirmed that Kansas City will play the Chargers.
“This isn’t out until Wednesday,” Kelce told his brother, Jason Kelce. “Yeah, we’re definitely playing in Brazil.”
Travis grumbled about the weather in São Paulo that time of year. While early September cools down in much of the U.S., Brazil, being in the Southern Hemisphere, is heading into summer. Average temps hover around 78 degrees with moderate humidity.
“I’ll be there, not to do a podcast. I’ll be playing football in the f****** heat, put on a football uniform, doing that. I’ve been in Jacksonville in September, and that’s f****** miserable.”
Still, he’s not backing down from the challenge. “If it’s hot and humid and kind of what I’m expecting, I’m gonna be miserable. But we’re gonna find a way to get a win,” he said.
Travis joked that he’s already prepping the equipment team to bring extra uniforms if he’s sweating as much as he thinks he will.
Jason then warned Travis about poor field conditions reported from last year’s game in Brazil, advising him to wear “seven studs” to avoid slipping — an issue players faced in 2024.
MORE: Live Updated NFL Schedule Leaks 2025
As for why the Chiefs are headed to Brazil, they might have the Chargers to thank. For international games, the host team — in this case, Los Angeles — can protect two home matchups. They chose to protect revenue-friendly opponents like the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles, teams that rarely visit the West Coast. That left Kansas City on the table.
The Chargers will face a division rival in one of the NFL’s biggest international showcases. And with so much at stake — from heat to field conditions to divisional bragging rights — September in São Paulo could be much more than just sweaty uniforms.