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It’s no secret that one of the NFL’s top priorities is continuing to build its brand globally.
But with the addition of more international games in different countries, including the NFL season reportedly starting on a Wednesday with a game in Melbourne, Australia in 2026 (it will technically be Thursday for Australians), the question has to be asked: Will the Super Bowl end up overseas?
Legendary sports agent Leigh Steinberg doesn’t see that happening despite all the international momentum.
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A broad overview of the first half of an NFL International Series game at Wembley Stadium. (Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images)
“The Super Bowl has become a convention for Americana,” Steinberg told Pakinomist Digital during a recent phone call. “So, it’s not just an entertainment event – it’s a cultural event. Big business, big politics, big entertainment and big sports, along with fans, are merging in the city. To take that overseas, I think, would be difficult.”
The NFL’s first regular season game in its history was 2005, when the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers traveled to Mexico City to play. But two years later, the league launched its “International Series,” a game between the New York Giants and the Miami Dolphins at Wembley Stadium in London, England, kick-starting the push to continue bringing NFL games to overseas fans.
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Of course, every league wants to expand its reach, and the NFL has done a tremendous job of scheduling more games within the year while also interacting in various ways with those fans, whether through the NFL Draft or other activations.
In 2026, nine regular-season international games will be played, spanning four different continents and seven different locations.
Leigh Steinberg attends the 39th Annual Leigh Steinberg Super Bowl Party at Storek on February 7, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Jesse Grant/Getty Images)
Apart from Melbourne and London, where there will be three games, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Munich, Madrid and Mexico City will all host the NFL in 2026.
But while fans continue to consume these games, some marking it on their calendars to travel to see their favorite teams, do the teams themselves like it?
“They have mixed feelings,” Steinberg said. “They actually like the travel aspect of it, seeing different cultures and stuff. But it takes a physical toll. I mean, flying from [the West Coast] to London is 12 hours. Then it’s 14 hours to fly back. Once you start moving east in Europe, it gets longer than that. So it takes a physical toll.
“I think if you ask the coaches, they don’t love international matches because it takes them out of the routine and the schedule.”
Steinberg believes that more research needs to be done on the effects jet lag and travel have on the human body and whether it also affects the quality of play.
There’s no stopping the global push from the league, but will there come a point where it’s too much, especially for players and coaches to handle in a grueling season?
STEINBERG’S COMEBACK
While talking about football, Steinberg also discussed life and how his struggle through adversity led him to write “The Comeback: A Playbook for Turning Life’s Setbacks into Victories.”
Leigh Steinberg speaks on stage during the 39th Annual Leigh Steinberg Super Bowl Party at Storek on February 7, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Jesse Grant/Getty Images)
Steinberg had built an empire by representing the best athletes in the world, but he also dealt with alcoholism and financial struggles, which ultimately brought him to rock bottom. But he rebuilt himself through the difficult times, and with this book he hopes to help others do the same.
Steinberg also shares stories of athletes facing similar adversity and believes all readers should come away with this lesson.
“Internal introspection,” he said. “A realistic understanding of your own values and priorities, whether it’s short-term financial gain, long-term financial security, spiritual values, family. It’s having clarity internally about what really constitutes a fulfilling life. Then you come up with a plan to get back to that.”
