The Green Bay Packers are rumoured to be playing against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Ireland in 2025. This would mark the 3rd time in 4 years the Packers have played abroad. There seems to be a new host city added every year at minimum. NFL international games will be played in Spain and Ireland for the first time in 2025, before Melbourne hosts the first game in Australia in 2026. Mark Murphy recently stated he believes the Packers will be playing an international game every other year as things stand. So why is the NFL pushing these games, and what are the pros and cons of these games?
Accessibility to NFL Games
This is both a positive and negative consequence. In a positive sense, it makes seeing an NFL game much more accessible to international fans. Some of these fans will have been following the sport from the 70’s/80’s. Many may never have the opportunity to watch their favourite team. By having NFL teams travel around the globe, local fans have a much greater opportunity to witness an NFL game even if it isn’t their own.
On the other hand, by increasing the teams that play internationally each year, it reduces the opportunity for fans in the US to watch their team. However, the way the NFL international games are organised so that the conference that has the additional home game (AFC in 2025) are the teams that lose a home game. A large majority of US based NFL fans do have a negative reaction to their team playing internationally, and the Packers fan base is no different.
The Packers are especially unlucky when they travel oversees. Both times they traveled, their starting QB was injured on the final drive. Rodgers broke his thumb in 2022, and Love suffered an MCL sprain in Brazil last year.
Atmosphere at NFL International Games
As the NFL international games are incredibly difficult to get tickets for, and most fans (including myself) buy tickets whenever they can, there is not usually a dominant fan base. This leads to a bizarre atmosphere within the stadium, as you have fans of all 32 teams present. Although the teams present tend to dominate the fans, you can sometimes have more opposing fans than home fans. This is somewhat reminiscent of when the Packers played in Los Angeles last season. This does reduce the home field advantage, and makes teams less willing to give up their home games back in the US.
The positive implication of this though is a sense of unity amongst the fans. In countries dominated by sports such as football (soccer), rugby and cricket, being a NFL fan is often considered strange or different. Seeing all the other fans who share the same passion as you is an amazing moment. It also allows you to experience other teams environments.
Scheduling NFL International Games
When a team competes in an NFL international game, they usually are offered the option of having their bye the following week. The Packers rejected this in 2022, and were not offered this in 2024 due to the game in Brazil taking place on a Friday, giving them a few extra days of rest before week 2. With more and more NFL international games taking place, fittings all these games into the schedule will become increasingly hard and games will most likely be spread over all 7 days of the week.
Facilities for NFL International Games
NFL teams have historically struggled travelling across the country. So having teams travelling half way around the globe is sure to cause upset. Teams have less than a week to adjust to a change in time zone, as well as traditionally, use turfs different to those in the US.
The field for the Green Bay Packers game in Brazil was heavily criticized for how quickly it tore up and how unstable the footing is. However, the turf at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is designed for NFL use and was purposely made for hosting NFL games.
Additionally, due to the teams travelling out early in the week to adjust to the time difference and climate, they have to use unfamiliar facilities to train. The limited training facilities are not the million dollar facilities seen in the US and can lead to under preparation, and inability to install the plays they designed specifically for their opponents.
How many is too many?
I believe NFL international games are crucial to growing the game, but it is important not to dilute them. There will always be international fans. Giving them the opportunity to watch their favourite team is vital to ensuring that interest continues to grow outside the US. BUT, the NATIONAL football league is, and should remain a US sport.
The addition of a 17th game, makes it easier to justify more international games. Giving international fans the opportunity to see the game they love is important, but it must also not take away from the most passionate fans in sport.
