NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell Eyes Regular-Season Game in Japan, Signals 10 New Host Nations on Deck

Roger Goodell just dropped fresh fuel on the NFL’s global fire. At Fanatics Fest inside New York’s Javits Center, the commissioner told a Sportico camera he wants a regular-season game in Japan — and he has roughly 10 new countries lined up as future hosts.

“We had a game in Tokyo but it was a preseason game so we want to do a regular-season game now,” Goodell said. He added he has “about 10” markets in mind for first-time regular-season action.

The commissioner also fielded a question about Italy. “A lot of people want to see that,” he said. “That would be fun.”

2026 International Slate Already Delivers Record Reach

This October the league makes history again when the New Orleans Saints host the Pittsburgh Steelers at Stade de France in Paris — the NFL’s first regular-season game on French soil. Kickoff is set for October 25.

The full 2026 international lineup spans four continents and includes first-time stops in Melbourne and Rio de Janeiro. London, Madrid, Munich, and Mexico City return as familiar stages. Nine games total — the biggest single-season international footprint yet.

Here are the confirmed 2026 host cities and key details:

• Melbourne, Australia (first time)
• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (first time)
• London, England (multiple games)
• Paris, France (first time — Saints vs. Steelers, Oct. 25)
• Madrid, Spain
• Munich, Germany
• Mexico City, Mexico

The league’s Global Markets Program already positions the Los Angeles Rams as the primary club tied to Japan, China, and South Korea. That alignment makes the Rams the most logical participant should a regular-season date land in Tokyo.

Why Japan Makes Sense Now

Japan has deep NFL roots. Preseason games at the Tokyo Dome once drew strong crowds and built genuine football culture. Those exhibitions proved the appetite exists. A regular-season matchup would elevate everything — bigger stakes, full roster participation, and prime-time global television windows.

Goodell’s “about 10” new nations comment aligns with the owners’ recent vote to allow up to 10 international games per season starting after 2026. The long-term vision remains clear: give every franchise at least one game outside the United States each year.

Italy’s growing interest fits the same pattern. The Global Markets Program added Italy for 2026, with the Cleveland Browns and Saints now holding marketing rights there. Goodell’s “that would be fun” reaction captures the league’s willingness to test passionate new markets.

The Human Element Behind the Expansion

Walk through any international NFL crowd and you feel it immediately. Families who traveled hours or days. Kids wearing jerseys of players they only see on streams. The shared roar when a touchdown cuts through the jet lag. Paris in October will deliver that feeling on an entirely new stage. Tokyo would multiply it across an ocean and a culture that already understands the game’s physical poetry.

Goodell’s comments at Fanatics Fest did more than tease future cities. They confirmed the NFL is no longer dipping a toe in international waters — it is charting a deliberate course toward true global status.