The National Football League’s Strategies for International Expansion

Abstract

Many studies have been conducted on the National Football League’s (NFL) strategies for expanding its brand internationally. However, the NFL has recently implemented and amplified many strategies that were not as prevalent beforehand. This Literature Review will examine these new strategies. It will also examine the reasons that previous strategies were ineffective and unsuccessful. The paper specifically examines the strategy of “Glocalization”, the act of using preexisting networks and influential people in foreign nations, to appeal to the widest possible audience.  The paper uses this context to investigate how the NFL uses the Global Markets Program, social media, fan clubs, and international games to attract new fans. The paper explores how these strategies can not only bring in new fans, but also cause deeper levels of fandom for already existing fans. These more dedicated fans can also bring the league more money through ticket and merchandise sales. The study concludes that glocalization is a successful strategy that combats the alienating feelings of past NFL international endeavors. The study also concludes that one area of growth for the NFL is the development of the playing of the sport internationally. The Literature Review addresses how the NFL needs to develop grass roots leagues, international equipment, and international facilities because fans who play the sport are also more likely to watch it.

            Keywords: National Football League, international expansion, glocalization

Introduction

The National Football League (NFL) was founded in 1920 with 14 teams (Jozsa, 2014). Of those 14 teams, only 2 exist today and neither from their original city (Ibid). The NFL added four teams in 1922(Ibid). The first NFL season looked very different to the current league: the average attendance was just over 4000, the playoffs did not exist, and the champion was decided through a vote (Crepeau, 2020).

The NFL needed to expand its viewership besides fans watching live, in person games. In 1956, CBS became the first network to televise games (Felser, 2008). By broadcasting games, the NFL could broadly appeal to fans across the country, not just fans attending games. Therefore, by 1960, television viewership became increasingly important. NFL commissioner Peter Rozelle came up with the idea of a unified television deal with revenue sharing (Ibid). In April 1961, he signed a 2 year 9.1 million dollar contract with CBS granting all broadcasting rights to all NFL regular season games. The American Football League (AFL), at the time a competitive league to the NFL, sold their broadcasting rights to NBC for 42 million dollars in 1964 (Crepeau).

            The natural next step forward for the NFL was to expand its market. In 1966 the NFL and AFL merged (Felser). The league reorganized to have 26 teams. This merger was a smart strategy for the NFL. The AFL had preexisting teams and fans that were brought into the NFL fanbase. They had stars to bring in new fans such as Joe Namath, the quarterback of the New York Jets. By creating this merger, the NFL was able to nearly double the number of locations of their teams. Their appeal across the country was even larger.

            The NFL implemented new strategies to mythologize the league. In the 1970s the NFL created Monday Night Football which brought in many viewers on a new day of the week (Crepeau). They marketed rivalries to deepen fandom by creating animosity for other teams. In 1989, the NFL created John Madden Football, a video game in which people could control their favorite team(Ibid). Sports bars started to open that catered towards specific fanbases.

            The Jacksonville Jaguars and the Carolina Panthers were the NFLs most recent expansion in 1996, bringing the league to its current 32 teams (Jozsa). The NFL continued to look at new places to add fans.

Literature Review

Global Markets Program

Firstly, to attract long lasting fandom in international markets, the NFL adopts the strategy of assigning teams to specific nations through the Global Markets Program (NFL, 2026). Within these nations, NFL teams can market, hold fan events, and have local sponsorships. This assignment forces teams to individualize specific strategies for nations and not have an ineffective broad strategy. One major obstacle in NFL globalization is that the NFL can feel like an alien spectacle. To combat this feeling, markets are oftentimes assigned to teams based upon preexisting connections between the cities and their target nation.

For example, the Saints are assigned to France because New Orleans was formerly under French control. Teams such as the Miami Dolphins are assigned to Spanish speaking countries due to their city’s large hispanic population. The Rooney family who owns the Steelers has Irish origins (Ibid). These assignments create an environment where distant fans are already connected to a team.

Next, these teams participate in glocalization and collaborate with popular, prerecognizable brands and people within their assigned nation. Many teams partner with soccer clubs and players to reach into a known fanbase. During the 2026 World Cup, teams were advertising towards tourists to increase international fandom.

Additionally, teams partner with local fashion brands to pack merchandise in stores. The Jets, for instance, collaborated with trapstar London, a British streetwear brand.

The specificity of this marketing would be impossible if each team was forced to market to all nations. The Global Markets Program allows teams to create a cohesive narrative for fans to follow. The NFL forms television deals with international markets so distant fans can follow their assigned teams season long. Teams have year long, not sporadic, advertising in their assigned nations to create long lasting relationships. Consequently, distant fans become permanent fans and do not just exist during international games. Overall, the Global Markets Program lets teams be ingrained in international society and create long lasting fandom.

International Games

            The NFL also builds international fandom by hosting games abroad. The NFL international series started in 2007 when the Giants defeated the Dolphins 13-10 in Wembley stadium in London with over 80,000 fans watching. International games garner large foreign support. International fans desire an experiential factor in their NFL experience. Going to games provides a different, better experience than just watching on television. At games, fans are surrounded by similarly minded fans who also want to support football, creating a fan on fan connection. Additionally, fans want to experience tailgates and halftime shows that are unique to the in person experience. A higher level of fandom is possible when fans can support teams in person and not just distantly because they gain a personal connection to the team.

In 2012, Shahid Khan became owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars and every year since then (besides 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic) decided to hold one home game in London. This decision was revolutionary because he opted to give up revenue from a home game to create international fandom. Consequently, the Jacksonville Jaguars have cultivated a large distant fan base in London despite being a small market team with a bottom five record since Khan’s takeover (Drew, 2024).

The Jaguars are increasingly relying on the London fanbase with two home games scheduled to be played in London for the 2026-2027 season. These games have grown increasingly popular overseas. The 2024-2025 season saw a 35% increase in ticket sales over the year before (Ibid). These games grant fans the opportunity to see the teams they support in person. Fans receive a positive memory from attending a game and are therefore more likely to support the team in the future.

These NFL games also participate in glocalization, attempting to adapt to already existing platforms for the games. The NFL utilizes pre-existing infrastructure for other sporting events. Games in the United Kingdom are played in Tottenham Hotspur and Wembley stadium, both premier league stadiums. In Melbourne, games are played on the Melbourne Cricket Ground (NFL, 2026). These venues provide both a convenient location for the NFL and a familiar spot for locals.

NFL merchandising is also an important part of NFL international games. Many international fans do not own NFL merchandise before games. NFL stores at international games are oftentimes larger than the stores at domestic games because new fans are anxious to buy new merchandise. They want to support a team and have memorabilia to remember their in game experience (Drew).

Social Media Marketing

The NFL also adopts glocalization when it comes to marketing through social media. Firstly, the NFL creates accounts for foreign countries. The NFL has created accounts for Brazil (1.1 million followers; NFL Brasil, 2026), Mexico (683,000 followers; NFL Mexico, 2026), Spain (147,000 followers, NFL España, 2026), and France (147,000 followers, NFL France, 2026) . These accounts post content in their nation’s home language, making it simpler for fans to follow along.

During the offseason these accounts post updates on players’ lives with captions in their native language. These posts are essential because they create a narrative outside of the game. This storytelling allows fans to build a deeper connection to the players. This strategy is especially important for international fans because they are able to see similarities between themselves and players who live in another country that may be unexpected.

During the regular season, highlights are posted on these accounts. This provides fans with an opportunity to watch plays and stay up to date on games they could have missed due to time zone differences. This strategy limits any differences due to time restraints.

Additionally, social media is an important space for fan on fan engagement. Many United States fans are able to experience these interactions during in person games and at bars. These opportunities are less common for worldwide fans. If an international fan wanted to watch a game at home they could see posts in their social media feed creating an energy and sense of community over events happening in the game. (Brattain) Furthermore, social media creates a space for online discourse. International fans are able to debate their opinions with each other online. International NFL accounts commonly create posts that encourage fans to debate in the comment section. For example, NFL Brasil posted power rankings with fans arguing in the comments (NFL Brasil, 2026). Fans are able to debate and argue online creating a greater fan-fan connection (Brattain). A study of Brazilian NFL fans found that Twitter, now known as X, provided fans with a virtual space for online fandom. This online connection deepened fandom(Moura).

            These accounts also participate in glocalization by posting specific localized content. They collaborate with local celebrities to endorse the game which touches on a preexisting market. These accounts post many futbol players to create a connection between the sports. For instance, NFL UK posted a video of Jaguars Kicker Cam Little exchanging jerseys with Fulham FC player Antonee Robinson (NFL UK, 2026). Accounts will also post the opposite by showing NFL players at international events assimilating to British culture. British comedian Troy Hawke was posted welcoming Jaguar players to London by teaching them British expressions (NFL UK, 2026). These posts make the NFL feel less alien because the assimilation is double sided.

The NFL also sponsors many local influencers to support their events. They bring many influencers to games in their international series. Additionally, Influencers are brought out to announce picks during the NFL Draft. This strategy utilizes the large preexisting reach of influencers in these international markets.

One way that the NFL recognizes these fans is through the NFL international fan of the year program (NFL). Each team chooses an international fan who is involved in creating a community in their home country. Many chosen fans are social media influencers who support the NFL.

The NFL will also host events with influencers. For example, the NFL hosted the Sao Paulo creator cookout before 2025’s football game in Brazil. They brought together popular Brazilian creators to cook while answering NFL trivia questions as promotional material for the International Series. (NFL, 2025)

International Supporter Groups

The NFL also utilizes supporter groups to build lasting fandom for teams. Supporter Clubs are an organized group of fans that watch and support a sports team together. Distant supporter groups organize watch parties at bars to watch games together.

            Supporter clubs are necessary to build interpersonal relationships between fans. As previously mentioned, it is more difficult for international, distant fans to be able to find a community to be a part of who supports a team. While social media can provide this community, fan clubs create a deeper, in person social interaction. Fan clubs create a stronger sense of team affiliation by facilitating a community around these games (Katz, 2020). One distant Steelers fan in the Midwest stated,

“You know I have always said, I can sit at home and watch the games in my pajamas and yell at the TV. But why not do it with 100+ other people who are feeling the same way you do. We all want that sense of belonging with fans like us” (Stensland, 2020).

            While not international, this fan club provided a fan with likeminded people to be surrounded by during games.

            Moreover, fans experience a stronger sense of affiliation by forming smaller communities within the larger community of the team (Katz). Supporter groups sometimes maintain smaller groups within the larger group to provide an even more interpersonal connection. Theoretically, if a person is developed farther into the fan group, they will have a deeper connection (Ibid).

            The most important fans in the fan groups are the most connected fans, not necessarily the most vocal. The most connected fans are those who are involved with the most people and subgroups within the fan club (Ibid). Many of these people are founders and leaders of international fan clubs. They are able to lead large groups because they are interconnected to everyone. It is important for the NFL to market towards these people because they pass down information to everyone else.

            The NFL also uses the International Fan of Year award to recognize leaders in these fan groups. Many are founders and leaders of fan clubs. Stephen O’Brien, for example, is the founder of the UK and Irish Packers Fan Club, where British Packers fans can connect and watch games together (NFL, 2025). The Packers honored him and he announced a draft pick at the NFL draft. The NFL understands that if they can market towards and support these leaders, they can also market toward the fans they influence.

NFL International Player Pathway

The NFL International Player Pathway is a pipeline for international players to join the NFL. International players train in Florida and perform a combine before the NFL draft. Since its inception in 2017 five players have been drafted from this program (NFL, 2026). Additionally, the NFL allows a seventeenth practice squad spot for international players from this program (Ibid). It allows premier athletes a chance at becoming an NFL player.

International fans have a built-in support of players from their home countries. They connect with players who grew up in a similar place and manner to them. Fans are likely to support a player and therefore also support the team they compete for. Many teams from the Global Markets Program are assigned to their country because they drafted a player from that country. For example, the Eagles are assigned to Australia because they drafted Pro Bowl Offensive Lineman Jordan Mailata who was born there.

Discussion

The NFL has had many previous attempts to reach international fans. Firstly, the NFL held the American Bowl, a preseason game, internationally from 1986 to 2005 . These preseason games utilized a similar strategy to the current international series. They attempted to gain international fandom by giving foreign nations international games. These games were very successful because they brought in large international crowds to NFL games. Specifically, the American Bowl in Mexico City had over 110,000 fans attend the game. This success led the NFL to realize that international games of a premier product were an important strategy to implement later on.

            The NFL also tried to start leagues internationally. They started the World League of American Football, (WLAF) in 1989. It originally included teams from both North America and Europe. At first, the league was successful in Europe at first, but the American teams were a failure. The NFL wanted it to be similar to a g league for the NFL. NFL fans in the United States did not want to support something that was not a premier product.

            The league was put onto hiatus for two years. It was rebranded to NFL Europe. There were six teams within the league. The league was very unprofitable for the NFL. It lost 30,000,000 dollars per year. Attendance for the league was very low towards the end. London, one of the most populated cities in the league, had attendance of under 10,000 people per game. It was rebranded to NFL Europa. Germany was the only country where the league was successful. At the end of the league, five of the six remaining teams were located in Germany.

            The league failed for many reasons. Firstly, the league failed to secure broadcasting rights in Europe. While the games were taking place in Europe, it was difficult to watch the game. This difficulty made a deeper fandom less likely. Additionally, the league felt alien and out of place. It appeared in these countries without taking initiative to assimilate into their culture. It was difficult to build fandom because people had no good reason to connect to a team.

            The most important strategy that the NFL is adopting is glocalisation. Past attempts at expanding the NFL into other countries felt forced and unnatural. The NFL adopted the strategy of globalization to combat this issue. They do not want their sport to feel alien to the countries they expand into.

The NFL partners with already popular local brands because they need to build into an already built in fanbase. Brands already have customers who support them. By partnering with these brands, the NFL feels natural and normal in these nations. They also partner with local influencers. They are able to tap into a preexisting network to spread their influence. They use important, connected figures to spread good word about the league. They similarly use highly connected individuals within fan clubs to build fandom. They work with the individuals who have the greatest influence within the fan club to connect to new fans of the NFL.

            The NFL needs to improve their overseas player development. While the International player pathway exists, it is not very successful. Only two players were selected from the international player pathway during the 2026 NFL draft: Seydou Traore and Uar Bernard. The lack of international talent in the NFL is especially apparent when compared to other American sports leagues. Only 3% of NFL players are international. Comparatively, 30% of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and 26% of the Major League Baseball (MLB) are foreign born. 0 NFL Most Valuable Players (MVPs) have been international, while the last 8 NBA MVPs are all foreign born .

If the NFL builds superstar talent abroad, international fans will have a more personal connection with the league. One important factor that the NFL misses out on is player development in foreign nations. It is necessary for the NFL to work on building foreign youth talent.

Firstly, the NFL needs to teach football in other nations. They somewhat already do this by sponsoring and supporting flag football leagues. They commonly feature and advertise this content with their games. However, teaching flag football is not enough to build talent. If the NFL wants to build real talent in other nations they need to support the teaching of actual football.

Also, there is an important correlation between playing and supporting a sport. Athletes who grow up playing a sport are much more likely to watch and follow the sport. They have a deeper emotional connection towards football meaning a likelier deeper level of fandom.

Another way the NFL can support the growth of playing football on an international level is by making football more accessible. Other sports such as soccer or basketball are much easier to play at any given notice. A person can bring a soccer ball to a field at a park or a basketball to an open basketball court and they would be able to improve their skills easily. It is much more difficult for a person to develop football skills, especially in a foreign nation. Firstly, there are much fewer facilities to practice at in these areas. Other sports built facilities to facilitate the growth of their sport. Fifa, for example, built soccer courts in less affluent areas, so lower income individuals would have an increased ability to play the game. They were given access to facilities that they wouldn’t normally have. Similarly, there are public basketball courts in many foreign nations. The NFL needs to build football facilities to grow the playing of the sport internationally.

Similarly, the NFL needs to provide better access to football equipment. One problem with football is that more equipment is necessary to fully play tackle football. Players need pads, helmets, and mouthguards, not just footballs to learn the game. This equipment can be expensive and hard to come across. The NFL needs to provide easier, cheaper access to this equipment for players to learn the full game and develop into better players.

Overall, the NFL needs to support the development of youth players and leagues to build a deeper emotional fandom and to develop players to compete in the league.

Conclusion

The NFL has developed and grown many successful international strategies within the past decade. Most importantly the NFL has understood glocalization and adapting to countries to make american football not feel like an alien product. The NFL has used this strategy within the Global Markets Program. They realized that they can appeal more towards international fans if they have a team to support. By assigning teams to countries the NFL allowed each team to specialize towards their assigned market and deepen the level of fandom because each team has a given fandom to support. The NFL has also broadened their reach by increasing the amount and locations of international games. These games deepen fandom because a greater connection is created when fans can watch their favorite teams live. The National Football League also utilizes social media by creating accounts for different nations and partnering with local influencers. These local partnerships help them reach the broadest possible audience. They also fan clubs, understanding that the most influential fans are the ones who are the most connected. The NFL needs to improve their development of the playing of football internationally to create a deeper fandom. Future studies in this field can examine how the NFL is attempting to grow the playing of the sport internationally. It can focus on the effectiveness of those strategies and what new more productive strategies can be put in use.

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