While the three other major professional sports leagues in the United States all have at least one team based outside the country, that is not the case in the NFL.
The league's 32 teams are all based within the continental United States, despite the league recently upping its experimentation with games played abroad. According to commissioner Roger Goodell, however, that could soon change.
In an interview with the German media outlet RTL/ntv, Goodell said he has "no doubt" that the league will expand beyond the United States' borders in the future.
"At some point, there will be NFL teams outside the USA," Goodell said, per ESPN. "I have no doubt that this will happen one day."
There are already nine international games on the docket in 2026, and
the league voted this year to play as many as 10 in 2027. With the NFL clearly aiming to expand its horizons, which cities could be suitable candidates for the league's first international franchise?
Here are the five candidates that make the most sense.
Mexico City
This is the obvious answer for quite a few reasons. The NFL will return to Mexico City's Estadio Azteca for the fifth time this season, and the city is also set to host games in 2027 and 2028. Compared with options in Europe, Mexico City would be significantly easier from a travel perspective. Fewer than 800 miles from the nearest NFL city, Houston, Mexico City has built-in fan support that has delivered an attendance north of 70,000 each time the league has played there. Major cities in Canada, such as Toronto or Vancouver, would provide the same advantage, but both teams would be fairly close to already-existing NFL media markets. Other cities could be appealing in their own ways, but if the NFL moves forward with international expansion, Mexico City is a safe bet to be the first.
London
It seems like the NFL adding an expansion franchise in London (or moving an existing one there) has been discussed for decades, and it's easy to see why. The city has hosted an NFL game in every season since 2007 and at least two every year since 2013 (excluding the pandemic-altered 2020 season). It already features two suitable and relatively new venues: Wembley Stadium and the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the latter of which opened in 2019. London would present the same logistical challenges involving trans-Atlantic travel as the other European cities on this list. However, if the NFL does indeed opt to hop across the pond, it would be the likeliest option.
Munich
If the NFL wanted to start a franchise in Germany, it would have several options. Berlin, Munich and Frankfurt have all hosted NFL games, but Munich — which hosts its third game this season — has been the most popular choice. It's the third-largest city in the nation, but it already supports Germany's preeminent soccer club, Bayern Munich, and boasts the palatial Allianz Arena. Germany has something of an American football scene and has produced several NFL players, most notably Sebastian Vollmer. Marlin Klein, a German native who played tight end at Michigan, was a second-round pick in the 2026 NFL draft.
Madrid
Madrid has been a more recent addition to the NFL's international series, joining the slate for the first time in 2025. That game was a success, putting nearly 80,000 fans in the stadium, and it will host another matchup at Real Madrid's Bernabéu this November. Though Spain is best known for its soccer culture and is home to two of the sport's most iconic clubs, it could also be a desirable option for a professional American football franchise.
Paris
Another European capital that could be a desirable option, Paris is the only city on this list that has never hosted an NFL game. That will change this season, as the Steelers and Saints square off in the City of Light on Oct. 25. Whether France has untapped NFL fan potential remains to be seen, and the success of the first matchup in Paris could indicate the viability of an NFL franchise in the city. If the league ultimately does opt to expand into Europe, it's hard to imagine Paris won't at least get a look.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: 5 cities NFL should consider for first international franchise
