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It’s no secret one of the NFL’s top priorities is continuing to build its brand globally.
But with the addition of more international games in different countries, including the NFL season reportedly kicking off 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 up overseas?
Legendary sports agent Leigh Steinberg can’t see it happening despite all the international momentum.
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A wide view of play in the first half during an NFL International Series game at Wembley Stadium. (Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images)
“The Super Bowl has become a convention of Americana,” Steinberg told Digital during 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, along with fans, all coalesce in the city. To take that overseas, I think would be difficult.”
The NFL’s first regular-season international game was 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 Miami Dolphins at Wembley Stadium in London, England, that kickstarted the push to continue bringing NFL games to overseas fans.
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Of course, every league wants to expand its reach, and the NFL has done a tremendous job of scheduling more games by the year, while also interacting in different ways with those fans, whether it’s through the NFL Draft or other activations.
In 2026, there will be a record nine international regular-season games played, spanning across four different continents and seven different locations.
Leigh Steinberg attends the 39th Annual Leigh Steinberg Super Bowl Party at Storek on Feb. 7, 2026, in San Francisco. (Jesse Grant/Getty Images)
Other than Melbourne and London, where there will be three games, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Munich, Madrid and Mexico City will all be host sites for the NFL in 2026.
But while fans continue to consume these games, some marking it on their calendars to travel to watch their favorite teams, do the teams themselves like it?
“They have mixed feelings,” Steinberg said. “They actually like the travel aspect of it, seeing different cultures and other things. But it takes a physical toll. I mean, to fly from [the West Coast] to London is 12 hours. Then, to fly back, it’s 14 hours. When you start moving east in Europe, it gets longer than that. So, it takes a physical toll.
“I think that if you ask the coaches, they don’t love international games, because it takes them out of the routine and schedule.”
Steinberg believes there needs to be more research done on the effects that jetlag and travel have on the human body, and whether it’s impacting the quality of play as well.
There’s no stopping the global push by the league, but will there come a point where it’s too much, especially for players and coaches to handle during a grueling season?
STEINBERG’S COMEBACK
While talking all things football, Steinberg also discussed life and how his fight through adversity led to him writing “The Comeback: A Playbook for Turning Life’s Setbacks into Victories.”
Leigh Steinberg speaks onstage during the 39th Annual Leigh Steinberg Super Bowl Party at Storek on Feb. 7, 2026 in San Francisco. (Jesse Grant/Getty Images)
Steinberg had built an empire by representing the best athletes in the world, but he also dealt with alcoholism and financial struggles, ultimately bringing him to rock bottom. But he rebuilt himself through those hard times, and with this book, he’s hoping to help others do the same.
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Also sharing stories of athletes dealing with similar adversities, Steinberg believes all readers should come away with this lesson learned.
“Internal introspection,” he said. “A realistic understanding of your own values and priorities, whether it’s short-term economic gain, long-term economic security, spiritual values, family. It’s to have clarity internally in terms of what really constitutes a fulfilling life. Then, coming up with a plan to get back to that.”
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