Roger Goodell has made the clearest possible statement about the NFL's long-term international ambitions: he believes it is only a matter of time before the league has a team based outside the U.S.
The commissioner made the point ahead of this season in an interview with German outlet RTL/ntv, adding weight to a wider push that already has the NFL staging a record nine international games this year. That schedule includes a Week 10 game in Munich, while the league's 2026 international slate is set to take another step with its first-ever game in Australia, when the San Francisco 49ers face the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne in Week 1.
A clear signal from the commissioner
Goodell's wording left little room for doubt. He said: "At some point, there will be NFL teams outside the USA" and added: "I have no doubt that this will happen one day."
That is not a throwaway line. It suggests the NFL's global strategy is moving beyond staging selected games overseas and toward the possibility of a permanent footprint abroad. For a league that has spent years building interest in Germany and now Australia, it is the next logical question.
The international push keeps growing
This season already marks a record for the NFL, with nine international games on the calendar. The Week 10 trip to Munich is part of that expansion, reinforcing how central Germany has become to the league's overseas plans.
Then there is the 2026 international slate, which adds another marker of how far the competition is prepared to go. The San Francisco 49ers against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne will be the NFL's first game in Australia, and that alone shows the scale of the league's ambition.
For now, the practical reality is still a U.S.-based league playing more and more games abroad. But Goodell's comments point to something bigger: not just international exposure, but international residency.
The next stage will be about how the NFL manages that growth. A permanent team outside the U.S. would raise obvious questions around travel, scheduling and competitive balance. Yet Goodell's message was simple. In his view, the idea is no longer whether it can happen, but when.
