The NFL continued to broaden its global reach this week, announcing it will play additional games in Spain and Mexico and designating Paris as a new international host city for 2026.
Mexico City gets a three-year deal for games
The NFL last played in Mexico City in 2022, and prior to that had previously played there in 2005, 2016, 2017, and 2019. But now the league will return for at least three years, playing at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City in 2026, 2027, and 2028. The venue underwent renovations following the 2022 game and is now ready to host NFL games again.
Opponents were not announced, but multiple outlets have reported the 49ers as a likely participant. To sign up for updates from the NFL, click here.
NFL returns to Madrid for multiple seasons
Although the exact length of the agreement wasn’t disclosed, the NFL also announced that it has struck a multi-year deal to continue playing at Bernabéu Stadium, the home of Real Madrid. The Bernabeu completed a major renovation in 2024 and subsequently hosted last year’s game between the Miami Dolphins and Washington Commanders.
The participating teams for the 2026 game haven’t been announced, but speculation is that it will at least include one of the three teams that hold the NFL’s marketing rights in the Spanish market: the Chicago Bears, Miami Dolphins, and Kansas City Chiefs. With the Dolphins fresh off hosting the Madrid game last season, it’s unlikely they would be designated for this assignment for a second consecutive year (at least as the host team).
The Chiefs last played abroad in Week 1 of 2025, when they were the “visiting” team against the Chargers in Sao Paulo. The last time they were the “home” team for an international game was in 2023 when they played the Miami Dolphins in Germany.
The Bears last played abroad in 2024, when they “hosted” the Jaguars at Tottenham Stadium.
With the increasing frequency of international games, it’s becoming more difficult to predict which teams will participate. But it’s typical for the NFL to announce the full details of these special games ahead of the full schedule release in late May, and it wouldn’t be surprising if it happened as early as March, as these games require more lead time to sell tickets and allow fans to make travel arrangements.
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NFL to expand to Paris in 2026
As of now, Paris will be the ninth international city to host an NFL game in 2026. The New Orleans Saints will be the “home” team, and while an official announcement has not been made about their opponent or game date, multiple outlets report that it will be the Cleveland Browns on October 25. (But we’d hold off on making any non-refundable travel reservations until that’s confirmed).
With the new game in Paris, up to 18 teams could find themselves kicking off a game abroad in 2026, creating many opportunities for fans to travel to see a game.
The Paris game will take place at Stade de France, the country’s largest stadium and home to Paris Saint-Germain. To sign up for ticket alerts from the NFL, click here.
Next Steps
With the opponents and date of the Madrid game unknown, the only thing to do right now is start considering if you’d be interested in making the trip if your team is selected. But beyond that, it’s just too early to book any travel.
But for Saints fans, there’s enough information known right now that making refundable reservations for the October 25th weekend in Paris might not be a terrible idea. Browns fans could do so as well, again, as long as those bookings are fully refundable if early reports prove incorrect.
But for either game, you should definitely submit an interest form so you are notified as updates are announced.
Doubleheader Digest
Another thing to watch for is a potential doubleheader featuring either English or French professional soccer. The English Premier League, English Championship League, and French Ligue 1 are all typically active when the NFL comes to town (although teams like Tottenham and PSG will obviously have road games while their stadiums are hosting NFL games). For example, in 2025, when the Jaguars were playing the Rams at Wembley Stadium, there was a full slate of Premier League matches, including four in London, during the Friday through Monday window.
These soccer schedules won’t be released until this summer, but we’ll keep you posted as soon as they are. But trust us: a London weekend combining a Premier League match and an NFL game is hard to beat as a sports roadtrip.
