The NFL will play a regular-season game in Brazil in 2024, its first in South America in the latest expansion of the league’s rapidly growing international plan.
The league said Wednesday at the owners meetings in the Dallas area that the game will be played at Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The stadium has a capacity of nearly 50,000 and was a venue for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics.
The NFL played its first two regular-season games in Frankfurt, Germany, this year, with three more in London. There are five planned for 2024 as well — three in London to go with games in Germany and Brazil.
At the December owners meetings two years ago, the league designated home marketing rights for teams in various countries as part of a strategy to build fan growth internationally. The Dolphins are the only team with such rights in Brazil.
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“Bringing the NFL to new continents, countries and cities around the world is a critical element of our plan to continue to grow the game globally,” Commissioner Roger Goodell said.
Sao Paulo Mayor Ricardo Nunes led the Brazilian contingent that made a presentation to owners and smiled widely as he held a football during a news conference.
“The right choice was made,” Nunes said through a translator.
The NFL also will expand to up to eight international games starting in 2025, with Spain and a return to Mexico among the possibilities.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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