Source: NFL set to play game in Brazil in 2024
The NFL on Wednesday awarded a 2024 regular-season game to Brazil to be played in Sao Paolo at Corinthians Arena.
Corinthians Arena, the home of Brazilian soccer club SC Corinthians, has been a venue for both the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics.
The expansion of the NFL’s international series has been a topic of discussion at this week’s owners meetings in Dallas.
“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,” commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “Brazil has established itself as a key market for the NFL, and we are excited to be playing in Brazil and Sao Paulo for the first time in 2024. We look forward to working with the city of Sao Paulo, SP Turis and Corinthians Arena to deliver a world-class game day experience for this passionate and growing fan base.”
Goodell said in October that the NFL could add another international location “as early as next year,” and the league sent officials to Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Madrid earlier this year to scout possible locations to host regular-season games.
The NFL also will continue to discuss Spain as a possible location for a regular-season game in 2025 at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, the home of legendary soccer club Real Madrid.
The NFL has never played a regular-season game in Brazil or Spain, but executive vice president Peter O’Reilly told ESPN earlier this year that the league was “spending time in those markets.”
“There’s a lot of interest in the NFL,” O’Reilly said during a September interview on “The Adam Schefter Podcast.” “I mean, we saw it. We did a Super Bowl viewing party last year down in Brazil, and it was packed, and the energy is there.
“You’ve got some classic soccer clubs around the world who are really interested in hosting the NFL and building a relationship with the NFL. So, the marriage of those two — there’s interests there, for sure, and it’s just determining the timing and the approach.”
Under the NFL’s global markets program, the Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins have commercial rights in Spain. The Dolphins are the only team with rights in Brazil.
The NFL has made an aggressive push internationally by adding a 17th game to the schedule to facilitate games abroad and give teams marketing rights in various countries. The league played three regular-season games in London and two in Frankfurt, Germany, earlier this year.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
