The league has added a new country to its Global Markets Program, with Italy coming aboard in 2026.
The NFL made the announcement at the annual meeting on Monday, with the Saints and Browns having the first marketing rights in the country. With Italy now a part of the program, the NFL is now active in 22 international markets.
“The expansion of the Global Markets Program in its fifth year highlights the continued focus on global growth for the NFL and 32 teams,” NFL Managing Director and Head of International Gerrit Meier said in the league’s announcement. “The league-wide commitment to the Global Markets Program is helping to accelerate fandom of our league, clubs, and players around the world, deepening our international footprint and bringing our game closer to fans globally.”
Additionally, the Raiders have expanded their international market rights to include Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates.
As the GMP program has continued to expand, teams with marketing rights in a country usually have the opportunity to play an international game there. So, the Browns and/or the Saints could be playing in Italy sooner than later.
That’s especially as the NFL looks to expand its schedule, with the stated goal being 18 regular-season games with 16 international games — giving each team one international game per season.
