Things were already heated up after NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell shared his plans to expand the league globally and eventually base permanent franchises outside the United States in August. For Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, that does not seem like a possibility in the near future.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
On September 22, the 105.3 The Fan host questioned, “Jerry, Roger Goodell has talked about wanting to expand the game and potentially have a team outside US borders. Is that logistically feasible? Do you think that could ever operate and work consistently to have a team that’s based outside the United States?”
In response, Jones said, “I don’t know that an expansion; I see the games continuing like they are, and I see the ethos, if you will, of the game, the story of the game really expanding all over the world. But fundamentally, I think that to have an expansion team probably is pretty far; if it’s here, it’s in the future.”
There are 32 teams in the NFL, and the last time a new team was added to the NFL was in 2002, when the Houston Texans joined the league as the 32nd franchise. But with the NFL now traveling overseas to play games (this year it was Australia, while last year it was London), it already hints at how the league is trying to grow outside of the US borders.
During a conversation with RTL/ntv in August, Goodell discussed the NFL’s expanding presence beyond the United States.
“At some point, there will be NFL teams outside the USA,” Goodell told former NFL player Markus Kuhn during the interview. “I have no doubt that this will happen one day.”
The NFL executive vice president of club business Peter O’Reilly said in May that taking the Super Bowl overseas is not a “front-burner issue” for the league right now. But Goodell already seems to have a plan in place.
“There are definitely international cities that could host something like that,” Goodell said. “But we would like to see an NFL team in such a city first.”
Jones’ take on the chances of NFL teams growing outside the US further brings up certain questions.
The NFL is already doubling down on its international ambitions, with nine games overseas this season and up to 10 planned for next year. That footprint could grow even further, with fans potentially seeing an international game nearly every week if the league’s 18-game schedule comes to fruition. Still, while choosing a permanent NFL location outside the United States, the league will have to take care of a lot of factors.
There are stadium quality and community support. Economic conditions, being the backbone of running a team, need to be strong, too. Then there are media deals and, most importantly, travel logistics.
For instance, the 2026 NFL Melbourne Game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 11 also highlighted some of the challenges that come with taking an NFL game overseas. The long journey across the Pacific raised concerns about its impact on the team’s preparation, while some ticket holders complained about poor sightlines and issues with the stadium setup.
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan also acknowledged the travel burden, saying he would be reluctant to return to Melbourne again anytime soon.
In that case, there are just a few places that might be in the NFL’s plan. First is Mexico.
“I feel like the ideal spot is one where we’ve been in for a length of time, because trying to start from scratch would be too complicated,” an NFC executive said. “Travel is the biggest impediment, and Mexico is a manageable trip.”
Mexico is no stranger to hosting NFL games, and it has done so from 2016 to 2022. The travel time, too, is reasonable, with a 2.5-hour flight from Dallas. Then there is a passionate fan base.
But as Jones said, “it’s in the future.”