**NFL to Expand International Reach: Eight Games Planned Abroad Next Season**

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced on Sunday that the league plans to significantly increase its international presence by targeting eight international games for the next season. The expanded slate includes return visits to countries like Brazil and Mexico, as well as new ventures into Spain and potentially Ireland. Goodell discussed these plans with Colleen Wolfe on NFL Network’s NFL GameDay Kickoff prior to the matchup between the New York Giants and the Carolina Panthers in Munich.

In February, the NFL confirmed that it would host a regular-season game at Real Madrid's stadium in Spain. Apart from reintroducing Mexico City—where the NFL last played in 2022—Goodell hinted at a new location in Ireland, noting its potential to host a game. "We are definitely going to Spain; we announced that," Goodell stated. "We expect to return to Mexico City. We expect to return to Brazil. We will certainly be back in the U.K. And we're also looking at the potential of another game in the U.K. area in Ireland, possibly. That's a possibility. And we'll certainly be back here in Germany. So if that total's eight, that's what we're shooting for."

The NFL's first game in Brazil this year saw the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles clashing at São Paulo's Arena Corinthians. In addition to the game in Brazil, the league has played multiple games in London since 2007, utilizing Wembley Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Germany also joined the host list last season with two games in Frankfurt, following the first NFL game in Munich in 2022.

The league hasn't played in Mexico City's Estadio Azteca, home to Club América and the Mexican national soccer team, since 2022, partially due to a canceled game in 2018 caused by poor field conditions. This could mark a notable return if included in the eight-game plan.

Ireland presents an intriguing new addition, having hosted various college football games at Dublin's Aviva Stadium, such as the recent NCAA Emerald Isle Classic where Georgia Tech upset Florida State in a dramatic finish. The NFL previously hosted a preseason game in Dublin's Croke Park in 1997, which might serve as another viable location.

While the exact combination of the eight international games remains unspecified, it's clear that the NFL is committed to expanding its global reach, enhancing its presence in existing markets, and exploring new opportunities in uncharted territories.