Roger Goodell: NFL Regular Season Game Coming to Tokyo by 2028
Listen, Tokyo is clearly on our list, whether it is next year or the year after. It is coming at some point in the near future
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell expects the league to play a regular-season game in Tokyo, Japan, in either 2027 or 2028, japantimes.co.jp reported on October 24, 2026. Goodell discussed the league’s global expansion plans on NFL Daily while in Paris ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers playing the New Orleans Saints.
The league has previously played 14 exhibition games in Japan, with the last matchup taking place in 2005 between the Atlanta Falcons and the Indianapolis Colts.
NFL expands international games to Australia, Spain and Germany
The NFL traveled to Melbourne, Australia, for a Week 1 game between the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams, drawing 100,000 fans to the stadium by 10:30 a.m. local time on a Friday. Goodell pointed to that turnout as proof that long-distance travel can be managed without negatively impacting the teams.
Additional international matchups fill the current 2026 schedule. The league plays in Spain on November 8, 2026, when the Cincinnati Bengals face the Atlanta Falcons in Madrid. Germany hosts a game on November 15, 2026, featuring the New England Patriots and the Detroit Lions in Munich. A game in Mexico City between the Minnesota Vikings and the 49ers is scheduled for November 22, 2026.
Future Scheduling And Priority Markets
Goodell noted that the league continues to focus on priority markets alongside new destinations, pointing to a recent game in Rio de Janeiro rather than Sao Paulo. While Tokyo is expected to host a game in 2027 or 2028, the exact timing depends on future planning and commissioner statements.
