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It’s no secret that one of the NFL’s top priorities is to continue to grow its brand on a global scale.
But with the addition of more international games in different countries, including the NFL season which would begin on a Wednesday with a game in Melbourne, Australia in 2026 (it will technically be Thursday for Australians), the question must be asked: will the Super Bowl end overseas?
Legendary sports agent Leigh Steinberg doesn’t see this happening despite all the international momentum.
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A wide view of play in the first half during an NFL International Series match at Wembley Stadium. (Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images)
“The Super Bowl has become an American convention,” Steinberg told PK Press Club Digital in a recent phone call. “So it’s not just an entertainment event, it’s a cultural event. Big business, big politics, big entertainment and big sports, and the fans, all come together in the city. I think it would be difficult to take that overseas.”
The first regular season game in NFL history took place in 2005, when the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers traveled to Mexico City to play. But two years later, the league launched its “International Series,” a game between the New York Giants and the Miami Dolphins at Wembley Stadium in London, England, which kicked off the drive to continue offering NFL games to fans abroad.
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Of course, every league wants to expand its reach, and the NFL has done a tremendous job scheduling more games through the year, while also interacting with those fans in different ways, whether through the NFL Draft or other activations.
In 2026, a record nine international regular season matches will be played, across four different continents and seven different venues.
Leigh Steinberg attends the 39th Annual Leigh Steinberg Super Bowl Party at Storek on February 7, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Jesse Grant/Getty Images)
In addition to Melbourne and London, where three games will take place, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Munich, Madrid and Mexico City will all host the NFL in 2026.
But as fans continue to consume these games, with some putting on their calendars the trip to watch their favorite teams, are the teams themselves enjoying it?
“They have mixed feelings,” Steinberg said. “They actually like the travel aspect, experiencing different cultures and other things. But it has physical consequences. I mean, flying from [the West Coast] to London is 12 hours. Then, to return, it takes 14 hours. When you start moving to Eastern Europe it gets longer than that. This therefore has physical consequences.
“I think if you ask coaches, they don’t like international matches because it takes them away from the routine and the schedule.”
Steinberg believes that more research needs to be done on the effects of jet lag and travel on the human body, and whether it also impacts game quality.
There’s no way to stop the league’s global surge, but will there come a point where it becomes too much, especially for players and coaches, to handle during a grueling season?
THE RETURN OF STEINBERG
While talking about football, Steinberg also talked about life and how his fight against adversity led him to write “The Comeback: A Manual for Turning Life’s Setbacks into Victories.”
Leigh Steinberg speaks on stage at the 39th Annual Leigh Steinberg Super Bowl Party at Storek on February 7, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Jesse Grant/Getty Images)
Steinberg had built an empire representing the world’s best athletes, but he also faced alcoholism and financial difficulties, which ultimately brought him to his lowest point. But he rebuilt himself despite these difficult times and, with this book, he hopes to help others do the same.
Also sharing stories of athletes facing similar adversities, Steinberg believes all readers should come away with this lesson learned.
“Internal soul-searching,” he said. “A realistic understanding of your own values and priorities, whether it’s short-term economic gains, long-term economic security, spiritual values, family. It’s about having internal clarity about what truly constitutes a fulfilling life. Then developing a plan to get back to it.”
