The NFL not only kicks off the 2024 season this week but there’ll be a regular-season NFL game taking place south of the equator for the first time ever (San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos faced off in Sydney for a preseason match in Aug. 1999).
What went into the decision to choose São Paulo, Brazil, as a new destination? Time to dive into the reasonings.
The Origin of the NFL Brazil Game
The Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers won’t be inside the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field or in front of the always loud and boisterous crowd at Lincoln Financial Field.
Instead, both teams will head to Arena Corinthians for a rare Friday night international showcase game.
Why choose the South American nation as a new site for a regular-season NFL game, especially with the league’s presence already established in Europe and Mexico City through the International Series?
League commissioner Roger Goodell gave the green light to add the Brazilian city as a destination ahead of the ’24 season. He detailed the reasons why in a 2023 release:
“Bringing the NFL to new continents, countries, and cities around the world is a critical element of our plan to continue to grow the game globally. Brazil has established itself as a key market for the NFL, and we are excited to be playing in Brazil and São Paulo for the first time in 2024.
“We look forward to working with the city of São Paulo, SP Turis, and Arena Corinthians to deliver a world-class gameday experience for this passionate and growing fan base,” Goodell said.
Mayor of São Paulo Ricardo Nunes also took a liking to the decision to bring the NFL to his town.
“The National Football League’s decision to bring a regular season game to São Paulo is significant and exciting for the city, consolidating São Paulo and Brazil at the center of the global sporting stage,” Nunes said in a release. “Through our hard work, we will now be able to welcome the NFL to our city, hosting this historic game that will have a positive impact on tourism, employment, and the city’s economy.”
The league, however, has faced some critical dilemmas ahead of the showdown between the NFC playoff teams of last year.
Players from both sides have voiced concerns over safety around the city. Eagles cornerback Darius Slay Jr. was among the most vocal. He shared on his “Big Play Slay” podcast that he and his teammates were told not to leave their hotel.
“I do not want to go to Brazil, you want to know why? I’m here to tell you why. They already told us not to leave the hotel. They told us we can’t do too much going on because the crime rate is crazy,” Slay said. “I’m like, ‘NFL, why y’all wanna send us somewhere where the crime rate is this high and we out the country?’ You know, the first thing people are thinking is like some terror could possibly happen.”
He also immediately thought of the safety of his loved ones.
“I told my family do not come down there because I’m not going to be nowhere to be found. I’m going to be in the hotel chilling, minding my business, playing my game after a long 9.5-hour flight,” he said.
Slay, though, took to X (formerly known as Twitter) Tuesday to apologize for his words directed toward São Paulo.
I want to apologize to anyone I offended, that wasn’t my intention. I’m
Looking forward to playing in your beautiful country and i’ve heard yall are very passionate just like our amazing Eagles fan. Just a few more days, can’t wait!!!! #FlyEaglesFly— Darius Slay (@bigplay24slay) September 4, 2024
The state government is addressing the issue by adding a military police presence ahead of the contest to help beef up security.
Will the NFL International Series Continue in Brazil?
The league’s international series isn’t planning on fading away anytime soon.
In fact, league owners voted to expand the international slate — doubling from four games to eight, effective 2025.
This points to a future NFL game returning to Brazil for next season. London is already an annual regular-season destination for the league. Meanwhile, Mexico City and Germany have their sites to be determined.
There’s an additional possibility of the NFL playing a game in Spain for the first time ever, with Estadio Santiago Bernabéu as a possible venue. The stadium is best known for housing Real Madrid.