Ranking international cities most likely to land NFL team, from London and Munich to Mexico City originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
By now, the NFL is more of an international product than a U.S.-based football league. Over the last two decades, the league's efforts to grow the sport across the globe have only increased. The 2026 season is set to feature a new record of nine international matchups.
It's no longer much of a secret, then, that someday the NFL would like to shift its focus from simply holding games internationally to having its own franchises in those non-U.S. cities. Roger Goodell said as much in a recent interview with German outlet RTL/ntv.
"At some point, there will be NFL teams outside the USA," Goodell said, per ESPN. "I have no doubt that this will happen one day."
The idea of a non-U.S.-based NFL team sounds appealing on paper, but the logistics could prove to be nightmarish. How would the travel logistics work? And how would expansion impact divisions and the current layout of the league?
While there are many steps still to be taken for an international 33rd or 34th NFL team to become a reality, only a select number of locations could be feasible.
Here's a ranking of six international cities that make the most sense for a full-time NFL franchise.
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Ranking international cities most likely to land NFL team
6. Paris
- NFL Games Hosted: 1
- Potential Stadium: Stade de France
- Miles From Closest NFL Team: 3,425 miles (Patriots)
The NFL will learn a whole lot more about football in France this coming season — the first-ever Paris game will be held on Oct. 25 between the Steelers and Saints. For now, considering the combination of heavy travel with an unknown local American football interest, Paris appears unlikely to ever host its own franchise. But perhaps that changes with a strong impression in October.
The appeal of the city itself is clear — imagine the broadcast camera shots of the Eiffel Tower as a game went to break. The allure of Paris alone will likely make it one of the cities the NFL will someday consider if it goes through with any plans to add European squads.
This season's Paris game between the Steelers and Saints will be played at Stade de France, which is the largest stadium in France and has a capacity of 81,338. That's certainly enough to hold NFL fans, but it's so unclear whether there'd be enough room for eight or nine NFL home games each fall/winter. France's national soccer and rugby teams play there, and it also often hosts other European international events — not to mention the fact that an NFL team would be competing for interest with Paris Saint-German FC.
A six-hour time difference from the closest current NFL squad, the Patriots, may be too much to handle. But perhaps Paris becomes more of a player in Goodell's international conversations in years to come.
5. Madrid
- NFL Games Hosted: 2
- Potential Stadium: Bernabeu
- Miles From Closest NFL Team: 3,400 miles (Patriots)
In a similar boat to Paris is Madrid — for the NFL, the appeal would be of the city itself and its well-known sports fans. Competing with Real Madrid would be a tall task, from both a fanbase and stadium perspective, but the investment risk could also prove worth it if travel logistics are solved.
Madrid was one of the recent additions to the NFL's International Series, with the Dolphins and Commanders playing in the city in 2025. And for the most part, that event was successful; around 80,000 fans watched the matchup live, a convincing enough result that the NFL is sending the Bengals and Falcons to the Bernabeu again in 2026.
Real Madrid's new stadium is a game-changer.
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) September 5, 2023
It includes a fully retractable pitch that can be stored beneath the stadium with the push of a button.
The storage space includes ventilation, air conditioning, irrigation systems, LED lighting, control cameras, and ultraviolet… pic.twitter.com/lGnKpeOM0Y
The deeper the NFL plants its roots in Madrid, the more American football fandom can grow. But the fact that the NFL will almost certainly never be able to supplant Real Madrid in the city in terms of passion could be an issue, on top of the 3,000-plus miles of air travel required to get there at minimum.
4. Munich
- NFL Games Hosted: 4
- Potential Stadium: Allianz Arena
- Miles From Closest NFL Team: 3,960 miles (Giants/Jets)
The furthest international country included on the list also clearly has a significant interest in American football. If the NFL wanted to expand to Germany, it would have options in Munich, Frankfurt and Berlin, all of which have hosted at least one game already. But considering Munich was the first NFL destination and will return in both 2026 and 2028, it appears to be the most popular.
Allianz Arena, home to the soccer club Bayern Munich, has hosted the NFL Munich games, meaning any full-time franchise would share the stadium with one of the country's largest sports franchises. But if the International Series has proven anything, it's that there has been an untapped interest in American football in Germany and that Allianz Arena can be an excellent host.
2 hours before gametime 🤯
— Jack Settleman (@jacksettleman) November 13, 2022
Munich a MAJOR success for the @nflpic.twitter.com/2YNitg2ZKe
A few NFL players have come from Germany, including recent second-round-pick tight end Marlin Klein. That can be taken as a clear sign that there's a football scene in the country. Another massive time difference and flight distance make Munich a tough sell for an NFL team, but there's plenty of reasons to think it could work.
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3. Toronto
- NFL Games Hosted: 0
- Potential Stadium: BMO Field
- Miles From Closest NFL Team: 100 miles (Bills)
The NFL has yet to express virtually any interest in making Canada part of the International Series, and that may simply be because of overlapping markets with current franchises. Vancouver is a three-hour drive from Seattle, while most NFL fans in Toronto are fans of the Bills, around 100 miles away.
That overlap does make Toronto a tougher sell — it may take some further realignment, like a move from the Bills, to make this work. But otherwise, Toronto has proven itself to be an terrific addition in MLB, with the Blue Jays as the defending AL champions, and the NBA, with the Raptors seven years removed from a championship. Canadian sports fans have rallied around those teams. Now, imagine them with their own NFL team.
Travel wouldn't be an issue, nor would fan interest. Perhaps the biggest hurdle for Goodell would be a home stadium — the clearest candidate is BMO Field, which is the home of Toronto FC in MLS and the Agronauts in the CFL. It would likely have to be expanded, though, currently with a capacity of 28,351.
It's likely the NFL wants to experiment with its International Series locations before going all-in on a full-time franchise. But Toronto has the fanbase to back a team. It just needs better stadium accommodations and answers to the Bills fanbase overlap.
2. Mexico City
- NFL Games Hosted: 6
- Potential Stadium: Estadio Azteca
- Miles From Closest NFL Team: 742 miles (Texans)
If you factor in distance and travel logistics with NFL fanbase and presence, Mexico City is far-and-away the clearest-cut option to become a 33rd team.
Since 2016, the league has been hosting International Series matchups in Mexico City at Estadio Azteca, hosting over 70,000 fans in all five of the previous games, with plans to return in 2026 (Vikings vs. 49ers), 2027 and 2028. It's obvious that Goodell views Mexico City as a growing NFL destination, and for good reason.
Fiesta in Mexico City @gkittle46
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) November 22, 2022
📺 : #SFvsAZ on ESPN
📱: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/YqUpI76vss
Fans across Mexico would certainly come together to support a Mexico City-based franchise, driving plenty of interest in the NFL. And travel wouldn't be too much of an issue; it makes more sense for the NFL to stay within North America initially as it expands internationally, and Mexico City isn't a terribly long flight from any Texas, Arizona, Louisiana or even southern California-based teams.
The NFL likely knows by now that Mexico City is feasible enough as an International Series destination that a full-time team could work out. Considering the passion for football and simpler travel logistics, it's one of the best options.
1. London
- NFL Games Hosted: 45
- Potential Stadium: Wembley Stadium
- Miles From Closest NFL Team: 3,267 miles (Patriots)
Little further explanation is needed here beyond what the NFL has already shown with its previous decision-making. London was one of the first International Series destinations, and it's been a staple of the league's regular-season calendar since 2007. At this point, the London game feels ingrained as part of the annual schedule, with fans consistently turning out at Wembley Stadium and Tottenham Spur Stadium. The only thing holding the city back from being a clear-cut candidate for an expansion franchise is the travel.
The NFL would seemingly have options for an in-place stadium pick for a London team between Wembley Stadium and Tottenham Spur Stadium, both of which are updated enough. Goodell wouldn't have to worry much about local fan interest in a new team, given the fact that there's nearly 20 years of evidence to go off of.
Random guy in a Jags jersey runs on to the field right before kickoff and daps up a few players… pic.twitter.com/3fbEBnBU9Y
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) October 17, 2021
And, of course, there's the potential of the Jacksonville Jaguars moving to London. By now, you've likely heard how they've become the most beloved NFL team across the Atlantic Ocean — so much so, that the Jaguars now make an annual trip to host a London matchup. It would be even easier to sell fans in London on a full-time team if it was the Jaguars.
Assuming the NFL does someday expand into Europe, London is a near-lock to be one of the first teams introduced to the league.
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