Roger Goodell teases 16-game international schedule ‘within five years’

In 2025, the NFL is set to host a record-high seven games for its annual International Series. And according to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, that number is only set to go up.

Speaking with CNBC recently, Goodell shared his intention to further take the NFL global, outlining how the ideal plan within the next five years is to host 16 International Series games.

“I do see 16 regular season games, and I do think that will happen in the very near future,” Goodell told CNBC’s Scott Wapner. “Within 5 years, probably. International is an open market for us. We are excited about our potential.”

Coincidentally, Goodell’s comments come in the midst of the looming prospect that the NFL will expand from a 17-game to an 18-game regular season, which Goodell has previously said is a “logical next step” should the NFLPA agree to this possibility.

While International Series games typically garner less interest stateside in terms of average viewership on TV, it certainly makes sense for the league to commit to more games abroad for a number of reasons.

We have seen in recent years that interest in football has begun to spike in regions of the world that the league has held games in, which is further proven by the jump in merchandise sales at International Series games. Additionally, DAZN, the home of the NFL’s international distribution, saw a significant boost in new subscribers to NFL Game Pass each of the last two years.

If we do see a 16-game International Series schedule in the near future, it opens the door to entering new markets, which the league has already teased, without abandoning the areas that the league has already had success in, like England and Germany.

And considering the league is reportedly targeting a multi-billion dollar rights deal for its International Series games, it seems more likely than not that Goodell’s plan for a 16-game international schedule could be coming sooner rather than later.