NFL Says It's Considering Adding Australia Games to Future International Schedules

NFL executive vice president Peter O'Reilly confirmed the league is considering adding an Australian game to its international calendar but cautioned it might not be immediate.

"When you start talking Asia/Pacific, Australia, you talk about distance, logistics, and the football component of that. Those factors are real," O'Reilly told reporters Tuesday.

Melbourne, Australia, is 14 hours ahead of the Eastern Standard Time Zone in the United States. By contrast, Germany and Spain are six hours ahead.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has been determined to offer more international regular-season games to expand the game's footprint. The 2024 season will see the league play three games in the U.K., one in Germany and one in Brazil. Spain is set to be added for the 2025 season.

"I honestly think we'll be playing 16 games internationally if you go 10 years out," Goodell said last month on ESPN. "I think we'll try to get to eight or nine in the next couple years."

Goodell also envisions the NFL expanding its regular-season schedule to 18 games, with each team receiving two byes. That could make international travel easier, as it would make sense for teams to receive a full week off after playing in another country.

"The reaction we're getting from the fans every time we play in a new market is incredible," Goodell said, "so we'll continue to play in London, we'll continue to play in Germany and I hope continue to play in Brazil. We'll be back in Mexico, but there are a lot of other markets that — obviously, we're going to go to Spain next year, we've already planned that — but there are a lot of markets that want us to play there and we're actively looking at all those, exploring that."

There are currently nine Australians on NFL rosters.