NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell took his turn in front of the media and just said what every Miami Dolphins fan will scowl at. The NFL's International Series is expanding, and that means more games overseas for the Dolphins.
Last year, Miami played the first game ever in Spain, and the NFL will return in 2026. No team has been assigned to that game yet, but if Goodell has his way, it won't make a difference in the future.
Speaking on several issues, Goodell's plan for games played abroad will eventually include 16 games featuring every NFL team playing overseas.
Miami Dolphins will have a shot to build their overseas brand and fanbase according to Roger Goodell
In the week leading up to the Dolphins game in Barcelona, CEO Tom Garfinkel stated that the Dolphins would like to host future games in the city. While his original comments were taken out of context, the Dolphins realize that the overseas market is strong. The Jaguars currently play more than one game in London. The Dolphins would like to do the same, sort of.
Miami's plan isn't to move multiple games to another country, but if given the opportunity, they would like to build a foothold. Goodell's plan to eventually play 16 games outside of the U.S. would mean each NFL team would play at least one game. That would align with what the Dolphins would like to do.
Fans have little interest in the International Series, but it isn't going away. There is too much money to be made by the NFL to change it. The league already plays an odd number of home and away games each season. The idea is that eventually the odd home games would be played on foreign soil. By adding more games, each team would give up one home game each season to play outside.
We have maintained for years that a better option would be to play those games at a neutral site within the states, preferably in a city that doesn't currently have an NFL team, but the money to be made in-country would be dwarfed by the exposure outside of it.
"It's the ambition we have to be a global sport, but it's also the demand we have. We're hearing from cities that want to host these games and really want to get more American football."Roger Goodell
The NFL would love for the league to become even half of what soccer is around the world. This year, the league will play nine games outside the U.S.: one in Spain, one in Mexico, one in Germany, one in Brazil, three in London, and, for the first time, regular-season games in Australia and France.