The Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers just wrapped up their game in Sao Poalo, Brazil. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings will square off in Dublin, Ireland, in a few weeks, but the NFL should expand its international presence further. They have played games in numerous cities around the world. The games in London, England, are a gigantic hit. The NFL should consider going to these international cities in 2026 and beyond.
The NFL has never played a regular-season game in Sweden; however, the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings did play a preseason game in Gothenburg in 1988. The Vikings beat the Bears 28-21, and the NFL hasn’t gone back since then. If they’re ready to go back there, they could play a game at the beautiful Strawberry Arena, the largest arena in Scandinavia and the home of Sweden’s national soccer team. It holds 50,000 people, and it would be perfect for a Vikings-Bears rematch.
If the NFL were to hold a game in Rome, Italy, it could be played at the Stadio Olimpico. It holds 70,000 fans, and it’s the home of Italy’s national teams for soccer and rugby. The venue has never hosted American football, but 2026 would be a great time to start. A New York Giants versus Philadelphia Eagles game in Italy would be awesome due to the Italian heritage of both teams’ cities. The concession stand options are endless.
Tokyo, Japan, could be an issue for the NFL due to the time difference, but they will figure it out. The Japan National Stadium holds 67,750 people, and it could fill up for American football. The venue opened in 2019 and is hosting the 2025 World Athletics Championships. The Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, and San Francisco 49ers are prime candidates to play in this game due to being on the West Coast.
It’s time for an NFL football game in the North. The Buffalo Bills have played exhibition games in Toronto, but now it’s time to go to Edmonton. Commonwealth Stadium is a perfect venue to host an event of this magnitude. It’s the home of the Edmonton Elks of the CFL and holds 56,400 people. Commonwealth Stadium has hosted five Grey Cup games. Unlike the other venues on this list, this is actually a football stadium. Two northern teams, such as the Seattle Seahawks and the Bills, would be good picks to go to Edmonton.
An NFL game in Beijing, China, could break attendance records. The Bird’s Nest in Beijing holds 80,000 people. It was designed for the 2008 Summer Olympics and also used for the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. The Bird’s Nest has hosted soccer games, Monster Jam, and even the League of Legends World Championships in 2017. The NFL was scheduled to play a game in China in 2007 until the recession shut it down. That matchup was supposed to be New England Patriots-Seattle Seahawks. Time difference will be pesky, but they can figure it out.
It’s time the NFL expands its list of international cities that host regular-season games. It has been reported that London wants to host a Super Bowl, and that is blasphemy. America won the Revolutionary War, so that wouldn’t happen. They can have all the Jacksonville Jaguars games they want, but the Super Bowl is sacred. That stays in America.
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