The NFL is looking to further expand its reach outside of the United States. Earlier this month, the league sent officials to investigate the possibility of playing future international games in Spain and Brazil, NFL executive vice president Peter O'Reilly told ESPN's Adam Schefter. The first-ever regular-season games in Madrid, Rio de Janeiro, and Sao Paulo could happen as soon as next season.
"That's the diligence that we do constantly," O'Reilly told ESPN. "What is the stadium like here? Could we play a game here? What does the support look like? So we're not there yet in terms of timing on that. But you're right, we are spending time in those markets, building relationships and looking at the stadia there."
Specifically, the NFL is looking at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, the home of Real Madrid, and Estadio Metropolitano, the home of Atletico Madrid.
"You've got some classic soccer clubs around the world who are really interested in hosting the NFL and building a relationship with the NFL," said O'Reilly. "So the marriage of those two -- there's interests there for sure, and it's just determining the timing and the approach."
Back in 2021, the NFL handed out marketing rights to various international locations to teams. The league assigned Spain to the Miami Dolphins and Chicago Beas. The Dolphins also have rights in Brazil as well.
"Brazil and Spain are two strong markets and two important markets," O'Reilly added. "And importantly, there are also markets that clubs are interested in. ... Marrying where clubs are now building their fan base is important. It needs to work for the clubs as well."
The NFL will begin its international slate next week when they'll play the first of three consecutive games in London. In November, the league will also travel to Germany for two games (Dolphins vs. Chiefs on Nov. 5 and Colts vs. Patriots on Nov. 12) at Frankfurt Stadium.
