The NFL’s global expansion is nothing new, but the league is now ready to push the boundaries further.
Commissioner Roger Goodell has recently indicated that the league could eventually play as many as 16 games overseas in a single season. In 2024, the league held five international games, with plans to ramp up to eight in 2025. As the NFL grows internationally, adding a separate media rights package for these games is a logical next step.
The league is reportedly targeting a multibillion-dollar media rights deal for its international games. But the global expansion doesn’t stop there.
Goodell has also left the door open to host a Super Bowl in London.
And now, there’s even more. The NFL is eyeing regular season games in the Middle East.
NFL EVP Peter O’Reilly announced new global marketing rights on Monday in the United Arab Emirates, where the San Francisco 49ers, Washington Commanders, and Los Angeles Rams are now partners. According to NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe, there’s significant interest in the NFL in the UAE, with the potential for a future game in Abu Dhabi — though it remains an “if” for now.
NFL EVP Peter O’Reilly announced new NFL global marketing rights for Greece (LA Chargers) and United Arab Emirates (49ers, Commanders, Rams).
O’Reilly said there’s high interest in NFL in UAE. Potential to play a game there in future (possibly Abu Dhabi). It’s an ‘if’ right now. pic.twitter.com/nKQaTucOms
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) March 31, 2025
Why is the NFL venturing into these new territories? Simple — money and brand recognition.
That’s how Pat McAfee sees it.
“I would like to be on the side of I think it’s good to help countries and everything evolve — I think it’s a good thing,” he said on The Pat McAfee Show on Monday. “Like getting a chance to watch from afar — I’ve never been over there — what the WWE has done alongside Saudi Arabia and the Crown Prince, god bless him, and everything they have going on there for their citizens, for their entertainment, for their day-to-day, for what life is like from what it was 10-15 years ago to what it is now, I think that’s good for their society; good for their world.
“Now, granted, there’s a lot of detractors to all of that. ‘You’re doing business with people that ….’ If we start digging in all those things, especially in all these different countries, like I think they’re going to be able to find everywhere there’s been mistakes. Obviously, bigger in some places than others — I get it. But watching their society evolve with the WWE and with sports and with entertainment and with us taking the game, like, I like the thought of bringing the world together and closer via sport.”
“I enjoy the fact that golf was being utilized as something for Saudi Arabian folks to be interested in more American sports,” McAfee adds. “I like the thought of sport bringing the world together because, ultimately, that’s what I think sports are about. And if the NFL is able to take their game over there and receive a huge payment, a f*cking huge payment, I think it’s good for the world as a whole. But, yes, that number and the amount of apostrophes that’ll be on that one, I assume only goes up. Which is good for salary cap, good for the league.”
The NFL is exploring the possibility of a regular season game in the United Arab Emirates #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/Pz7vnuh0s4
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 31, 2025
The NFL’s international ambitions are growing at an unprecedented rate, and the money will only accelerate that push. The league is determined to expand its global footprint, whether it’s regular-season games in the Middle East, a Super Bowl in London, or an entirely new media rights deal. The only question now is just how far — and how fast — it plans to go.
McAfee might frame it as a win for global unity, but he’s not blind to the real bottom line — if the NFL’s getting paid, everybody’s getting paid.