The NFL is moving closer to bringing a regular-season game to Tokyo, with Commissioner Roger Goodell saying Japan is on the league’s near-term international schedule as the 2026 slate reaches its first game in France.
What changed for the franchise
Goodell said Tokyo could host an NFL game as soon as next season or in 2028. Japan would be a first-time site for an NFL regular-season contest, though the league has a lengthy history there through preseason football.
The NFL staged 14 exhibition games in Japan between 1976 and 2005, with all but one played in Tokyo. The most recent was an August 2005 preseason matchup between the Atlanta Falcons and Indianapolis Colts, played months before the league held its first regular-season game outside the United States, when the Arizona Cardinals faced the San Francisco 49ers in Mexico City.
The Los Angeles Rams currently hold the league’s only Global Markets Program marketing rights in Japan.
Goodell pointed to the Week 1 game in Melbourne, where the 49ers defeated the Rams, as evidence that the NFL can handle the logistical challenge of distant markets. The Friday morning local kickoff drew 100,000 spectators, and Goodell said the trip created additional possibilities without placing an undue burden on participating clubs.
The league is playing a record nine games outside the United States this season: three in London and one apiece in Melbourne, Rio de Janeiro, Paris, Madrid, Munich and Mexico City. Melbourne, Rio and Paris are making their NFL debuts in 2026.
The international schedule could expand again. The NFL is weighing a 10-game overseas slate for 2027 after reaching nine games this season.
Goodell also described flag football and international media agreements as central pieces of the league’s long-range plan. He said flag football gives young players, including girls and boys competing together in some formats, an accessible entry point to football while teaching confidence, teamwork, competition and resilience.
On the media side, Goodell said broadcasts and distribution partners remain vital because they connect fans with players, strategy and league developments across multiple viewing platforms. He said those relationships must work in concert with sponsorships and the games themselves to build the strongest global fan experience.
Next kickoff
The New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers meet Sunday at Stade de France in the first NFL game ever played in France. Kickoff is set for 9:30 a.m. ET.
Goodell said New Orleans is a natural club for the Paris event because of the franchise’s cultural ties to France, while Pittsburgh brings a broad worldwide following. The Steelers also played in the NFL’s first game in Ireland last season, beating the Minnesota Vikings at Croke Park in Dublin. The Saints have played three prior international games, all in London.
After Paris, the remaining international schedule includes Cincinnati Bengals-Atlanta Falcons in Madrid in Week 9, New England Patriots-Detroit Lions in Munich in Week 10, and Minnesota Vikings-San Francisco 49ers in Mexico City in Week 11.
