NFL rules also require the designated home team for each international game to have their home stadium reserved for use in the event that a game cannot be played at the international site, which happened in 2018 when the Estadio Azteca (Mexico City, MX) was deemed unsuitable because of the state of the field and so the Los Angeles Rams played the planned game at home.

With the expansion of the season to 17 regular season games, each team will play an international game once every 8 years.

Games are played in London, Germany (both Frankfurt and Munich on rotation), Mexico (Mexico City which is expected to return in 2025), Sao Paulo (since 2024) and Spain (from 2025).

INTERNATIONAL GAMES
AMERICAN BOWL 1986-2005
GERMANY GAMES 2022-
LONDON GAMES 2007 - 2019 / 2021 - 2028
MADRID GAME 2024-
MEXICO GAMES 2016 - 2017 / 2019
SAO PAULO GAME 2024-
TORONTO BILLS SERIES 2008-2012

International marketing and expansion

(2022-)

The NFL announced the International Home Marketing Areas initiative, where 19 NFL teams have been selected to freely market their team across eight countries, starting in January 2022. In May 2022, two more countries were added to the list of international marketing. In 2023, the league added Austria, Switzerland, France and Ireland. Teams were selected based on their proposals submitted to the NFL, along with the performance of their marketing domestically. The following teams were granted the five-year initiative that will allow marketing methods such as in-person events, sponsorships, and merchandise sales, as well as a high priority to compete in the countries granted in:

Country Team
Australia Los Angeles Rams
Philadelphia Eagles
Austria Kansas City Chiefs
New England Patriots
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Brazil Miami Dolphins
Canada Minnesota Vikings
Seattle Seahawks
China Los Angeles Rams
France New Orleans Saints
Germany Atlanta Falcons
Carolina Panthers
Kansas City Chiefs
New England Patriots
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Ghana Philadelphia Eagles
Ireland Jacksonville Jaguars
Pittsburgh Steelers
Mexico Arizona Cardinals
Dallas Cowboys
Denver Broncos
Houston Texans
Kansas City Chiefs
Las Vegas Raiders
Los Angeles Rams
Pittsburgh Steelers
San Francisco 49ers
New Zealand Los Angeles Rams
Philadelphia Eagles
Spain Chicago Bears
Miami Dolphins
Switzerland Kansas City Chiefs
New England Patriots
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
United Kingdom Chicago Bears
Jacksonville Jaguars
Miami Dolphins
Minnesota Vikings
New York Jets
Pittsburgh Steelers
( Northern Ireland only)
San Francisco 49ers