NFL international games are regular-season matchups staged at selected venues outside the United States. The NFL builds the schedule around constraints that include stadium availability, travel, primetime slots, competitive fairness and divisional rivalries. Its public information explains the league-level considerations and lists the 2026 host cities, but does not disclose individual teams’ itineraries or preparation plans.
Where are the NFL international games played in 2026?
The NFL lists a record nine international games across four continents, seven countries and eight stadiums for 2026. The schedule includes three games in London and one each in Melbourne, Rio de Janeiro, Paris, Madrid, Munich and Mexico City. Melbourne, Rio de Janeiro and Paris are new host markets for the season. Dates, venues and kickoff times are season-specific; check the NFL Football Operations schedule for the latest official listing.
| Date and week | Matchup | Venue and host market | Local kickoff | U.S. Eastern kickoff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 10, Week 1 | San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, Australia | 10:35 a.m. Sept. 11 | 8:35 p.m. Sept. 10 |
| Sept. 27, Week 3 | Baltimore Ravens vs. Dallas Cowboys | Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 5:25 p.m. | 4:25 p.m. |
| Oct. 4, Week 4 | Indianapolis Colts vs. Washington Commanders | Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, U.K. | 2:30 p.m. | 9:30 a.m. |
| Oct. 11, Week 5 | Philadelphia Eagles vs. Jacksonville Jaguars | Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, U.K. | 2:30 p.m. | 9:30 a.m. |
| Oct. 18, Week 6 | Houston Texans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars | Wembley Stadium, London, U.K. | 2:30 p.m. | 9:30 a.m. |
| Oct. 25, Week 7 | Pittsburgh Steelers vs. New Orleans Saints | Stade de France, Paris, France | 2:30 p.m. | 9:30 a.m. |
| Nov. 8, Week 9 | Cincinnati Bengals vs. Atlanta Falcons | Bernabéu Stadium, Madrid, Spain | 3:30 p.m. | 9:30 a.m. |
| Nov. 15, Week 10 | New England Patriots vs. Detroit Lions | FC Bayern Munich Arena, Munich, Germany | 3:30 p.m. | 9:30 a.m. |
| Nov. 22, Week 11 | Minnesota Vikings vs. San Francisco 49ers | Estadio Banorte, Mexico City, Mexico | 7:00 p.m. | 8:20 p.m. |
Kickoff times are listed in the host city’s local time and U.S. Eastern Time as published by the NFL. The London venues, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Wembley, are among several stadiums selected for games; appearing on the schedule does not make a venue a permanent NFL home.
How does the NFL schedule international games?
The league says schedule construction considers stadium availability, travel requirements, primetime games, competitive fairness and divisional rivalries, among other factors. The NFL’s schedule announcement says there are approximately a quadrillion possible schedule combinations and more than 26,000 factors to consider. Those are NFL-reported figures, not independently audited counts; the league does not publish the relative weight of each factor or a separate public formula for choosing international matchups. It says AWS high-performance computing supports the schedule-building process. See the NFL schedule announcement.
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That means travel is one consideration within a larger scheduling problem, not a publicly documented rule that determines which club travels or when. The available league material does not explain how competing constraints are prioritized for a particular international game.
How do NFL teams travel overseas?
The NFL identifies travel requirements as a scheduling consideration, but the cited public information does not detail team flight routes, departure or arrival days, hotels, practice schedules, or acclimatization plans. A game date and venue are not enough to infer those arrangements. Any club-specific travel account would need a public statement from that club or the league.
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Why does the NFL play games abroad?
International games put regular-season NFL football in front of fans in host markets, while the league also pursues year-round international engagement through its Global Markets Program. Launched in January 2022, the program gives participating clubs international territory rights for marketing, fan engagement and commercialization. NFL Football Operations says all 32 clubs participate in 2026, with rights in 22 international markets; Italy was added as a market that year. These commercial rights and the game schedule serve different purposes: the league’s public description does not say that a club’s territory rights determine where or against whom it plays a game. Details are on the Global Markets Program page.
How long has the NFL played regular-season games internationally?
The NFL’s historical account identifies the first regular-season game outside the United States as the October 2, 2005, matchup in Mexico City. The league reports that 103,467 people attended, which it describes as the largest crowd for an NFL regular-season game. The International Games series formally launched in 2007 at Wembley Stadium. Heading into the 2026 season, the league says it has played 62 regular-season games outside the United States. See the NFL international history.
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What should fans know about attending a London game?
Ticketing and transit guidance varies by stadium and event. For the 2026 London games, the NFL’s guidance says Tottenham tickets use NFL Ticketmaster accounts, while the Jaguars manage their Wembley game directly. It names SportsBreaks, Dertour and On Location as authorized hotel-and-ticket package providers. Tottenham digital tickets may be delivered up to 72 hours before kickoff, so check the event’s official page for current availability and delivery details. The NFL’s London ticket FAQ has event-specific information.
For Tottenham, the league’s gameday guide advises fans to plan transit in advance and check Transport for London, notes nearby matchday road closures, and says tickets must be downloaded and saved to each attendee’s smartphone. These directions apply to that stadium, not automatically to Wembley or other host cities. Consult the Tottenham gameday guide before travelling.
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