Should International Games Continue in the NFL? 

In the 2025 NFL Season, there were seven international games in the regular season, the most in NFL history. Games reached Brazil, Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Spain. While some fans support international games and believe they should continue, others oppose them. This raises the question: Should international games continue in the NFL? 

Yes: Some believe that international games should continue and even expand for a variety of reasons. Firstly, playing games in foreign countries promotes American football to those who haven’t heard of American football or have never seen it in person before. This means that new audiences are reached as international games continue, growing the game of football overall. Additionally, people who are already fans of teams that live in foreign countries can go to games without having to spend an outstanding amount of money, thus growing the number of fans at these games (along with newcomers to the sport of football). Lastly, the NFL gains extraordinary profit due to more people learning about football in foreign countries and then buying jerseys or other products from team shops. The NFL also sells many tickets in these games, giving more value to international games. Between the expansion of football in foreign countries and the high profit turnout for the NFL, it seems holding international games is good for the league and its fans. 

No: While hosting international football games has its pros, it also has cons. Beyond the cultural expansion and profit that international games provide for the league, the overall quality of games becomes worse due to jet lag hurting player performance and capability throughout games. Additionally, fans with season tickets or those who just want to buy tickets for teams’ home games are stripped of the number of home games, as some teams will have international games count against them for the number of home games they get in their stadium. International games conclusively take away from true football and prioritize expansion and profit rather than the game and atmosphere itself, making international games consequential for players and fans. 

So, Yes or No? Personally, I believe that international games should continue and also expand into even more countries that the NFL hasn’t hosted games in yet! However, I believe that there should be fewer games internationally to keep a vast majority of football games in the U.S., and different teams should play overseas from year to year rather than have the same teams play each year. Teams should have a few weeks before international games to help adjust to the jet lag and additional factors like fatigue from extended traveling, which causes worsened game quality. Some teams will lose home games no matter what, and it is part of what seems to be an issue with international games, whichever way you look at it. So overall, yes, they should continue, but initiatives should be taken to improve the conditions and quality of play on foreign land.