NEWNow you can listen to Pak Gazette articles!
The NFL will play a record nine international games during the 2026 season, spanning four different continents and seven countries, and starting with a stop in Melbourne, Australia.
The Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers will play the first game in Australia, but it will be played at 10:35 a.m. local time on Friday, September 11 to coincide with an 8:35 p.m. ET Thursday night game in the US.
As the NFL continues to push to reach millions more around the world, a question arises: What do players think about it, especially those who will be in situations like the Rams and 49ers in September?
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PakGazette.Com
ESPN analyst Cam Newton is on the set of “First Take” on February 6, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images)
Former NFL MVP Cam Newton was never able to play overseas as he battled a Lisfranc injury when his team was scheduled to play in the United Kingdom. However, he believes that from a business perspective for the NFL, a global push makes too much sense.
“I think what the NFL is doing is almost a brand. It’s a business,” he said. “As we have this conversation about business, they understand the magnitude of magnifying the game of football. They do it in one sense with full-contact football, but they also do it in another sense, which is probably more natural, with the flag dynamic.
According to the International Federation of American Football, there are 2.4 million children under the age of 17 playing organized flag football in the U.S. But globally, there are millions participating in the flag game, in which the NFL is heavily involved.
LEGENDARY SPORTS AGENT LEIGH STEINBERG HIGHLIGHTS SUPER BOWL NOTION ABROAD: ‘AMERICAN CONVENTION’
As a result, international fans of all ages can access NFL play, and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and the rest of the league front office have made a concerted effort to allow those fans to watch live NFL games in their home countries.
“A lot of different people of different colors, creeds and genders can participate in the flag game. I think the NFL understands the importance, similar to what the NBA has for decades. They’re just trying to explore and expand the NFL brand.”
In addition to Melbourne, there will be three games in London, while Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Munich, Madrid and Mexico City will host the NFL in 2026.
Cam Newton in the radio row at the Super Bowl LIX media center on February 7, 2025. (Kirby Lee/Image Images)
It may be a good deal for the NFL, but legendary sports agent Leigh Steinberg said in a recent interview with Pak Gazette Digital that players have “mixed feelings” about traveling abroad.
“They actually like the aspect of traveling, seeing different cultures and other things,” Steinberg said. “But it takes a physical toll. I mean, flying from [the West Coast] to London it is 12 hours. Then, to fly back, it’s 14 hours. When you start moving towards eastern Europe, time becomes longer. So, it takes a physical toll.
“I think if you ask the coaches, they don’t love international games because it takes them out of the routine and the calendar.”
EXPAND THE REACH OF YOUR CONTENT WITH OFFSCRIPT
Newton may no longer be on the field, but he remains tuned into the NFL and every other sporting moment through his content creation, particularly his shows “Funky Friday” and “4th & 1 with Cam Newton” as part of his Iconic Saga Productions.
Newton and his production team announced a major partnership with Offscript Worldwide, a creator-owned ecosystem that connects brands and platforms that shape culture under one roof, including REVOLT Sports and 3BlackDot.
Offscript unveiled this new partnership at IAB NewFronts 2026, where they will begin collaborating with Newton’s independent production powerhouse, integrating their hit shows and amplifying the reach of athlete-powered storytelling for global brands.
Cam Newton of Team J Balvin looks on against Team Druski during the Super Bowl LX Celebrity Flag Football Game on YouTube at Moscone Center South on February 7, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
“When you really think about Offscript, it’s like the ecosystem that brings together so many different facets of our lives, from sports to culture to lifestyle to so many different things,” Newton explained. “That transition for me wasn’t strange. Instead of training to be the best football player or the best athlete, now I’m just training to be the best content creator I can be.
“I always want to be a beacon of the person, in a lot of ways, I figured that out as I went along. I’m so excited that Offscript gives me and Iconic Saga the opportunity to continue believing in our vision, and we can’t do these things without great partners like this.”
As this partnership begins, Newton will also hit the road for the “4th & 1 College Tailgate Experience,” visiting HBCUs across the United States to celebrate their heritage and shine a national spotlight on the student-athletes, academic programs and unique game day culture that defines what it means to be an HBCU.
