From London to Mexico City, the NFL’s Global Footprint Is Growing Fast
SAN FRANCISCO - The Super Bowl isn’t just America’s biggest sporting event anymore-it’s becoming a truly global spectacle. From British broadcasters to German offensive linemen, and from Australian fans to Mexican commentators, the NFL’s international reach has never been more visible than it is right now.
That reach was on full display at Super Bowl Radio Row, where media outlets from countries like Ireland, Mexico, Australia, and Germany came together to cover the week’s festivities. It’s a sign of just how far American football has come in the global sports landscape.
“It’s exploded in the last probably 10 years or so,” said British NFL play-by-play broadcaster Will Gavin. “Really since they started bringing the competitive games in 2007.”
Gavin’s not exaggerating-the UK’s appetite for football has grown steadily since the NFL began staging regular-season games in London. In fact, every single NFL London game since 2007 has drawn crowds of over 60,000.
And it’s not just about attendance. According to the NFL Network, the 2025 international games averaged a record 6.2 million viewers. That’s a massive number for games played outside the U.S., and it underscores how much the global audience is not only tuning in-but buying in.
Now, that momentum is trickling down to the college level. On September 19, Arizona State will take on Kansas at Wembley Stadium-the iconic London venue that ranks as the 17th largest stadium in the world. It’ll be a rare opportunity for college football to showcase itself on one of the sport’s biggest international stages.
“I’m super excited that we’re gonna be calling a college game at Wembley this year,” Gavin said. “More importantly, ASU gets to go there. So, you know, getting college [football] into the country now is great.”
But it’s not just fans overseas who are catching football fever-international players are making waves too.
Take Lorenz Metz, for example. The German offensive tackle, signed to the Patriots’ practice squad just weeks before the Super Bowl, became one of the most sought-after interviews during Super Bowl Opening Night. Despite not appearing in a single game during the 2025-26 season, Metz was swarmed by German media to the point where many reporters simply couldn’t get to him.
That kind of attention speaks volumes about the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program-a league initiative designed to bring more foreign-born talent into the league. Metz, who hails from Neuötting, Germany and played college football at Cincinnati, has already spent time with three NFL teams since entering the program. His presence at the Super Bowl, despite his limited on-field action, shows just how invested international audiences are in seeing their own succeed on football’s biggest stage.
And the global growth isn’t limited to Europe.
Just south of the border, the NFL continues to make major inroads in Mexico. At Radio Row, Mexican media members were quick to highlight the country’s deep love for the game-and their hopes for more NFL action on home soil.
Mario Atzin, a sports commentator and host of Atzin Sportsnet, knows firsthand how a single moment can create a lifelong fan. “I’m a Steelers fan because I remember back in, I think it was 2008-09, being in a restaurant with my family and seeing the Santonio Holmes catch,” he said, referencing the iconic toe-tap touchdown in Super Bowl XLIII that sealed Pittsburgh’s win over the Cardinals.
That moment left a lasting impression-and Atzin believes similar highlights could help the Cardinals build a strong following in Mexico, especially if they return for another game in Mexico City. The franchise played there in both 2005 and 2022, and fans would welcome them back with open arms.
“The Mexican NFL community loves football. I mean, they love-love football,” Atzin said. “They love all of the teams so I think if the Cardinals go down to Mexico they’re gonna be huge and it’ll be sold out.”
From sold-out stadiums in London to passionate fans in Mexico City, the NFL’s global expansion is no longer a side project-it’s a full-blown movement. And if this Super Bowl week is any indication, the league’s international future is looking brighter than ever.