Year after year, the NFL travels to Europe for a few regular-season games. If recent statements by Commissioner Roger Goodell are to be believed, the league is already one step further: not only a permanent franchise, but also its own division could be based in Europe in the future.

London/Munich – The NFL has been visiting London regularly since 2007 and has played 31 regular-season games there so far.

Fan enthusiasm in Europe is high and raises hopes among supporters year after year for a European franchise of their own.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has now fuelled these rumours with an auspicious statement.

NFL in Europe: Roger Goodell fuelled speculation around possible team

“There’s no question in my mind that London can be home to not one but two such franchises. I’m really convinced of that,” Roger Goodell said at a press event ahead of the second London game between the Green Bay Packers and the New York Giants.

The future’s bright for football in Europe! NFLUK pic.twitter.com/S4nfXRMKgI

– NFL UK (@NFLUK) October 8, 2022

Not only would fan interest support this assumption, but also the economic circumstances and media coverage on the ground, Goodell continued.

With Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Wembley Stadium (both in London) and the two planned German venues in Munich and Frankfurt, the NFL currently has four potential locations for an international franchise. But it is unlikely to stop at one team, as the commissioner hinted.

NFL in Europe: An entire division on another continent?

“We used to push for ONE franchise, could we please have a whole division?” the interviewer jokingly asked in Goodell’s direction, who then became surprisingly clear: “That’s why we’re here, isn’t it?!”

“We’re just trying to figure out if you could find some places that could be home to an NFL franchise because it’s significantly easier to implement something like that in the context of a division. “

Speculations about an international franchise in Europe have been around for a few years. The main candidate for a move to London has mostly been the Jacksonville Jaguars, who have played at least one season game in the English metropolis since 2013.

Roger Goodell did not want to heat up the considerations any further afterwards. The 63-year-old also did not comment on possible teams that could move to Europe or even expansion teams.