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The NFL will play a record nine international games during the 2026 season, spanning four different continents and seven countries, beginning with a stop in Melbourne, Australia.
The Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers will play their first-ever game in Australia, but it will be played at 10:35 a.m. local time on Friday, September 11, to coincide with a Thursday night game at 8:35 p.m. ET in the United States.
As the NFL continues its efforts to reach millions more people around the world, the question arises: What do players think, especially those who will find themselves in situations like the Rams and 49ers in September?
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ESPN analyst Cam Newton is on the set of “First Take” on February 6, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images)
Former NFL MVP Cam Newton never got to play overseas, as he suffered an injury at Lisfranc while his team was scheduled to play in the United Kingdom. However, he believes that, from a business standpoint for the NFL, a global push makes too much sense.
“I think what the NFL does is almost about its brand. It’s business,” he said. “As we have this conversation about business, they understand the importance of magnifying football. They’re doing it in one sense with full-contact football, but they’re also doing it in another sense, which probably comes more naturally, with the dynamic of the flag.
According to the International Federation of American Football, 2.4 million children under the age of 17 play organized flag football in the United States. But around the world, millions of people participate in the game of flag football, in which the NFL is heavily involved.
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As a result, international fans of all ages are being exploited in the NFL game, and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and the rest of the league office have made a concerted effort to allow these fans to see the NFL play live in their home countries.
“So many different people of different colors, creeds and genders can participate in the flag game. I think the NFL understands the importance, similar to the NBA for decades now. They’re just trying to explore and expand the NFL brand.”
As well as Melbourne, there will be three games in London, while Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Munich, Madrid and Mexico City will all host the NFL in 2026.
Cam Newton on the radio at the Super Bowl LIX media center on February 7, 2025. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
This could be a good deal for the NFL, but legendary sports agent Leigh Steinberg said in a recent interview with PK Press Club Digital that players have “mixed feelings” about traveling abroad.
“They actually like the travel aspect, experiencing different cultures and other things,” Steinberg said. “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.”
EXPAND THE REACH OF CONTENT WITH OFFSCRIPT
Newton may no longer be on the field, but he stays tuned into the NFL and all other sports moments through his content creation, including his shows “Funky Friday” and “4th & 1 with Cam Newton” as part of his Iconic Saga Productions.
Newton and his production team announced a major partnership with Offscript Worldwide, a creator-owned ecosystem that connects culture-shaping brands and platforms under one roof, which includes REVOLT Sports and 3BlackDot.
Offscript unveiled this new partnership at IAB NewFronts 2026, where they will begin collaborating with independent production powerhouse Newton, integrating its hit shows and amplifying the reach of athlete-driven storytelling for global brands.
Cam Newton of Team J Balvin watches Team Druski during the Super Bowl LX Celebrity Flag football game on YouTube at Moscone Center South on February 7, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
“When you really think about Offscript, it’s like an ecosystem that connects so many different facets of our lives, from sports to culture to lifestyle and so many different things,” Newton explained. “This transition was not foreign to me. Instead of training to become the best football player or the best athlete. Now I am simply training to become the best content creator I can be.
“I always want to be a beacon of light for the person, in many ways, and I’ve figured that out as I go along. I’m so excited that Offscript is giving me and Iconic Saga the opportunity to continue to believe in our vision, and we can’t do these things without great partners like this.”
As this partnership gets underway, Newton will also hit the road for the “4th & 1 College Tailgate Experience,” visiting HBCUs across the United States to celebrate their heritage and shine a national spotlight on student-athletes, academic programs and the unique game day culture that defines what it means to be an HBCU.
