March 31 (UPI) -- The NFL will explore the possibility of hosting a regular season game in the Middle East, executive vice president Peter O'Reilly told reporters Monday in Palm Beach, Fla.
O'Reilly said during a news conference at the NFL owners' meeting that the United Arab Emirates has a strong interest in hosting a game.
Earlier Monday, the NFL announced that the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers and Washington Commanders were granted international marketing rights in the Middle Eastern country.
"The expansion of the global markets program in 2025 reflects the NFL's continued focus to grow the game and connect with fans on a global scale," O'Reilly said.
"With more clubs entering the program and existing clubs adding to their global rights, and as the program expands to new markets, we are seeing strong momentum and impact in growing fandom worldwide together."
The Baltimore Ravens (United Kingdom), Green Bay Packers (United Kingdom, Germany and Ireland) and Los Angeles Chargers (Greece) joined the Commanders as the four teams to receive international marketing rights. An additional nine teams increased their marketing rights to other countries, including Brazil, Canada, Switzerland, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Spain.
"The Washington Commanders are excited to join the NFL's global markets program and become one of the first teams to expand our marketing and fan engagement efforts into the UAE, an increasingly influential financial, economic and sports hub," Commanders owner Josh Harris said.
"This season, our fan base returned with passion, and we were reminded of the power of sports to galvanize and unite our community. Whether in the DMV or around the world, we always strive to create unforgettable experiences and memories for our fans, and look forward to being amongst the first to bring the passion and joy of NFL football to the UAE."
The NFL previously announced seven international regular season games for the 2025-26 schedule, including the first regular season matchups in Spain and Ireland.
The league will hold a game in Australia in 2026.