NFL expands overseas games and books Brazil contest
NFL team owners voted on Wednesday to stage a 2024 regular-season game in Brazil and approved boosting the number of international contests from four to eight starting in 2025. In a meeting at Dallas, the league awarded its first regular-season game in South America to Sao Paulo's Corinthians Arena, home of Brazilian soccer side Corinthians and a venue for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2016 Olympics. "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," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said. The NFL will play five regular-season games next year internationally, including Brazil and three contests in London -- two at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the third a Jacksonville Jaguars home game at Wembley Stadium. The NFL will also play in Germany for a third consecutive season, returning in 2024 to Allianz Arena in Munich. NFL officials have visited Madrid to discuss Spain as a possible site for an NFL game next year at the Santiago Bernabeu, the home of soccer giants Real Madrid, and having the option of playing more games globally could hasten the league's push for international growth. The NFL said new markets and host cities and stadiums for the extra global games would be revealed later. (AFP)