(Reuters) – The NFL will play a game in Sao Paulo, Brazil in 2024, marking the first time that North America’s most popular league has ventured to South America, commissioner Roger Goodell said on Wednesday.
The regular season game will be held at Corinthians Arena at a date yet to be determined as the league continues to emphasize global growth as a “major strategic priority.”
“Bringing the NFL to new continents, countries and cities around the world is a critical element of our plan to continue to grow the game globally,” Goodell said in an announcement.
“Brazil has established itself as a key market for the NFL, and we are excited to be playing in Brazil and Sao Paulo for the first time in 2024.”
The game in Sao Paulo will be one of five international games next season along with three in London and one in Munich.
The NFL is poised to ramp up its international presence further in 2025 after clubs on Wednesday voted at a league meeting in Dallas to approve an increase in international games from four contests to eight that year.
No club will be required to play more than one game outside of North America in the same season unless they choose to, an NFL spokesperson said.
“As a league, we welcome the update to this resolution that will ultimately see us play more games internationally than ever before, helping us to expand our global footprint and connect our teams and athletes with new audiences,” said Joel Glazer, chairman of the NFL’s International Committee and owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“International games have been a huge success, and we are excited for the opportunity to share the sport of American football with more fans from around the world in the future.”
(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Toby Davis)
