NFL confirms record nine international games across seven countries in 2026

The National Football League said on May 13 that it will stage a record nine regular-season games outside the United States in 2026, spreading the slate across seven countries. The league detailed several marquee matchups and dates ahead of the full schedule release on May 14. The expanded program underscores the NFL’s push to grow its audience and commercial footprint in key international markets.

The schedule features the Los Angeles Rams facing the San Francisco 49ers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday, September 10, the first NFL game to be played in Australia. Kickoff is set for 8:35 p.m. ET in the U.S., which corresponds to 10:35 a.m. local time on Friday in Melbourne, with streaming available on Netflix.

Brazil will also host its first NFL game when the Dallas Cowboys meet the Baltimore Ravens at Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, September 27. The matchup is slated for 4:25 p.m. ET, with television coverage on CBS and streaming on Paramount+.

London retains a central role in the NFL’s international strategy with a pair of games at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The Washington Commanders play the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, October 4, with a 9:30 a.m. ET kickoff on NFL Network and streaming via fubo. One week later, on Sunday, October 11, the Philadelphia Eagles face the Jacksonville Jaguars at the same venue.

The league said additional international fixtures will take place in France, Mexico, Germany and Spain as part of the nine-game schedule. Further broadcast and operational details will accompany the complete 2026 slate, which the NFL plans to publish on May 14.

Australia and Brazil mark first-time host nations

Rams–49ers open in Melbourne

By opening the season’s first Thursday with Rams–49ers in Melbourne, the NFL pairs a high-profile divisional rivalry with a landmark market entry. The early-week slot is designed to provide both teams with recovery and travel buffers before their Week 2 commitments, officials said. The unusual time conversion highlights logistical planning the league has emphasized for long-haul fixtures.

Cowboys–Ravens headline Rio debut

Maracanã’s large capacity and iconic status give the Cowboys–Ravens meeting a prominent stage for the NFL’s introduction to Brazil. The matchup brings two of the league’s most followed franchises to South America, aligning with the NFL’s strategy of placing recognizable teams in new territories to accelerate fan acquisition and local engagement.

London doubleheader and broader European slate

Tottenham hosts Commanders–Colts and Eagles–Jaguars

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, purpose-built to accommodate American football, will again serve as the league’s London hub. Washington–Indianapolis on October 4 and Philadelphia–Jacksonville on October 11 extend the venue’s run of consecutive NFL dates, supporting strong ticket demand and a consistent operations footprint in the U.K.

France, Germany, Spain and Mexico included

The NFL confirmed that the remaining international games will be distributed among France, Germany, Spain and Mexico. These stops continue the league’s rotation across established and emerging European sites while maintaining a presence in Mexico, one of its strongest non-U.S. fan bases. Specific team assignments and local details accompany the league’s international slate and will sit alongside the full-season calendar when released.

The NFL will publish the complete 2026 schedule on May 14, when additional logistics, ticketing timelines and localized broadcast information are expected to be finalized for each international venue.