NFL Execs Sound Off on Best International Cities to Host Franchise After Roger Goodell's Comments

London, Mexico City, Toronto and Berlin were mentioned as potential international cities to host NFL teams in light of commissioner Roger Goodell's recent statement that the league will have franchises outside the United States someday.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler spoke with NFL team executives and asked them to select cities that would be the best places for the league to have a team if this does come to fruition.

London, per Fowler, was the "overwhelming favorite among league executives."

"It's got the facilities, a large economy and the population," an AFC executive told Fowler. "The fanbase there is passionate."

Per Fowler, London hosted 41 NFL games dating back to 1983. London will host three games in October this year, including two featuring the Jacksonville Jaguars on Oct. 11 and 18.

Mexico City and Toronto would certainly assuage any travel concerns about having an international team. Mexico City has hosted five regular season games and will add a sixth on Nov. 22 when the Minnesota Vikings play the San Francisco 49ers. Toronto, of course, is already host to numerous North American professional sports squads.

Berlin just hosted its first NFL game in 2025, when the Indianapolis Colts beat the Atlanta Falcons 31-25 in an overtime thriller. Early returns on that game were good, per an AFC executive to Fowler.

"Great atmosphere," the exec stated. "The (Colts-Falcons) game sold out really quickly, it was loud all game and there was definitely buzz in the city and downtown."

Berlin will also host games in 2027 and 2029, per Fowler.

Goodell made his belief clear that NFL teams will be outside the United States someday during an Aug. 18 interview with Markus Kuhn of RTL/ntv in Germany (h/t Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk).

"At some point, there will be NFL teams outside the USA," Goodell said. "I have no doubt that this will happen one day."

If so, there are some clear candidates, with London leading the way. In the meantime, the NFL continues its international series with nine regular season games outside the United States. The first-ever regular season game in Australia leads the way, with the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams playing on Thursday, Sept. 10 (Sept. 11 local time) in Melbourne.