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The NFL has slowly begun to expand into one of the world’s biggest sports leagues. American football has predominantly been played in the USA, with variations of the sport having rarely gone beyond North American borders until the last decade or so. The CFL is perhaps the most notable league for the game outside of America.
Indeed, it’s clearly cemented its place with American viewers. According to figures, the NFL averages 18.7 million viewers per game during the regular season in the U.S.; the league’s second-most-watched regular season on record and the most-watched since 1989, when the average was 19 million. This 2025 season figure represents a 10% increase from the 2024 season’s 17.5 million viewers per game and a 7% jump from 2023.
Super Bowl Makes The NFL A Global Product
The Super Bowl remains the pinnacle of American television, with Super Bowl LIX (February 2025) setting an all-time record with 127.7 million viewers, making it not only the most-watched Super Bowl in history but also the largest single-network telecast ever in the United States. This represented a 3.2% increase from Super Bowl LVIII’s 123.7 million viewers the previous year.
It’s the Super Bowl that has helped to attract interest from audiences in different countries, though. The Super Bowl attracts approximately 62.5 million international viewers outside the United States, according to the most recent official NFL data from Super Bowl LVIII (2024), representing a 10% increase over the previous year. It is so big that the NFL broadcasts the Super Bowl live in over 190 countries via 80+ broadcast partners in more than 25 languages.
In the Netherlands, interest in the Super Bowl has grown, with the event representing a massive spike for ESPN there; the channel typically averages only 2,000 viewers during that late-night time slot, meaning the Super Bowl draws 20+ times its normal audience, as around 43,000 tune in live.
With sports betting and online casino games featuring NFL-themed titles continuing to grow across the nation, there’s been a greater interest in the game. Some users also turn to their preferred iDEAL casino for other forms of online play, using the payment method because it allows real-time, direct bank-to-bank transfers from their own banking app to a merchant. It’s something that has been experienced in many markets across the planet, and is just one additional way the NFL has been able to expand commercially, however the league has continued to press on.
The glitz and glamour of the Super Bowl, with everything from the halftime performances by the biggest musical artists and performers to the sport itself and the celebrations fans have while watching, has helped make the NFL more appealing and turn casual viewers into fans who want to experience it for themselves.
NFL’s Continued Expansion
The most notable way the NFL has continued its efforts to become a truly global league is perhaps through the international games it plays.
The United Kingdom hosted regular-season games in 2007, with various venues in London used. Games have steadily increased in number over the years, with many now being played. Ireland has been added to the schedule more recently, as have Germany and Madrid. Brazil was added to the schedule for the first time last year, while Mexico has also hosted games. In the 2026 NFL season, Australia and France will get to host their first games, taking the total of NFL games outside the U.S. to either 8 or 9 games (based on scheduling).
Elsewhere, the league launched the Global Markets Program in 2022, which grants NFL clubs exclusive 5-year marketing rights in specific countries outside the U.S., allowing teams to build fandom through various ways. Markets continue to be added as of 2026, with several countries across multiple continents all involved.
Player pathway through to the NFL has also increased in recent years to grow the grassroots game, with players being drafted or selected by teams from all corners of the globe, making the sport truly international. Flag football has also been a major initiative for the league in recent years, especially with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics set to include the game as a medal discipline.
Will The NFL Continue To Grow Internationally?
There are many reasons the NFL can continue to grow internationally, and we’ve already seen the league look to change the game through these opportunities. We’ve already seen the effect of Taylor Swift’s relationship with Travis Kelce, which the league has indirectly benefited from. This will have put significant global attention on its product, without even having to do anything themselves.
Directly, it’s already doing as much as it can to try and grow further. The biggest issue will be keeping those inside America, the teams, and the players happy, as the traveling that could be experienced or games being taken away could have a detrimental impact at home, despite potential commercial benefits internationally.
There’s going to be a point in which NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is going to need to balance the line, if not already being required to do so.
Charlie Campbell