With the NFL International Games for the 2023 season now finished, who are the home teams for next season.
The NFL said that from 2022, all 32 clubs will play internationally at least once every eight years and that scheduling up to four games per year outside the USA will initially focus on Canada, Europe, Mexico, South America, and the United Kingdom.
The Jaguar’s home game at Wembley is outside that agreement, so it could mean they play two home games in one season.
The teams that play a home game outside the US will come from the Conference with the extra (9th) home game, so for the 2024 season, the teams will come from the NFC.
The Saints & Packers, who both played in the UK; the Cardinals, who played in Mexico; and the Buccaneers, who played in Germany, are ruled out as they played home games in 2022.
Also, some NFL teams have chosen an International Home Marketing Area (IHMA), and some teams have more than one. It’s safe to presume that the teams will play their home game there.
With that information, the teams left to pick from and their likely location (IHMA means that they have not committed to a country, so can potentially play anywhere) will come from the following:
Atlanta Falcons – Germany
Dallas Cowboys – Mexico
Detroit Lions – No IHMA
Los Angeles Rams – Mexico
New York Giants – No IHMA
Philadelphia Eagles – No IHMA
San Francisco 49ers – UK, Mexico
Seattle Seahawks – No IHMA
Washington Commanders – No IHMA
Carolina Panthers – 2024 (Germany)
Chicago Bears – 2024 (London)
Minnesota Vikings – 2024 (London)
TBC – 2024 (Sao Paulo)
Arizona Cardinals – 2022 (Mexico)
Green Bay Packers – 2022 (London)
New Orleans Saints – 2022 (London)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 2022 (Munich)
Now for some caveats and “signals”.
The NFL said that there will be up to four International games per season; Germany got two because Mexico didn’t host a game this season due to renovations, so, likely, Germany will only get one game. When the Germany games were announced, the NFL said it would rotate between Munich and Frankfurt.
The NFL announced recently that they are looking at having games in Spain and Brazil, so with only four games in the agreement, that would mean one of the countries losing out unless teams agreed on games outside the deal like the Jaguars. The NFL has confirmed that Brazil (Sao Paulo) will host a game and no game in Mexico again due to renovations. So the four games are London x 2, Munich x 1 and Sao Paulo x 1, with the Jags playing at Wembley.
The Panthers (Both Games) and Falcons (only the first game) had themed bars or Watch Parties in Frankfurt.
The Wiki page for the NFL International Games only has the Jaguars game at Wembley, two games at Tottenham, and one in Munich “pencilled” in, nothing for Mexico, but as the renovations will not be completed till 2026 in time for the World Cup, will it be Rio de Janeiro or Spain who picks up the fourth game?
Lastly, the home teams will know if they have an International Game next season. I found out about the Falcons coming to Tottenham a couple of years ago from a Falcons Employee at a Minneapolis bar, week 1 of the previous season, it must have been my English Accent that prompted him to spill the beans!!