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It’s no secret that one of the NFL’s top priorities is to continue building its brand globally.
But with the addition of more international games in different countries, including the NFL season that will reportedly begin on a Wednesday with a game in Melbourne, Australia in 2026 (technically it will be Thursday for Australians), it begs the question: will the Super Bowl end overseas?
Legendary sports agent Leigh Steinberg doesn’t see that happening despite all the international push.
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A wide view of the game in the first half during an NFL International Series match at Wembley Stadium. (Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images)
“The Super Bowl has become an American convention,” Steinberg told Pak Gazette 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, come together in the city. I think it would be difficult to take that overseas.”
The NFL’s first regular-season international game was in 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, which fueled 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 per year, while also engaging in different ways with those fans, whether through the NFL Draft or other activations.
In 2026, a record nine regular season international matches will be played, on four different continents and seven different locations.
Leigh Steinberg attends Leigh Steinberg’s 39th Annual Super Bowl Party at Storek on February 7, 2026 in San Francisco. (Jesse Grant/Getty Images)
In addition to Melbourne and London, where there will be three games, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Munich, Madrid and Mexico City will host the NFL in 2026.
But as fans continue to consume these games, some mark 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 aspect of traveling, seeing different cultures and other things. 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.”
Steinberg believes more research needs to be done into the effects that jetlag and travel have on the human body, and whether they also affect the quality of play.
There’s no stopping the league’s overall momentum, but will there come a point where it becomes too much, especially for the players and coaches, during a grueling season?
THE RETURN OF STEINBERG
While talking about all things football, Steinberg also talked about life and how his fight against adversity led him to write “The Comeback: A Playbook for Turning Life’s Setbacks into Victories.”
Leigh Steinberg speaks on stage during Leigh Steinberg’s 39th Annual Super Bowl Party at Storek on February 7, 2026 in San Francisco. (Jesse Grant/Getty Images)
Steinberg had built an empire representing the world’s best athletes, but he also had to deal with alcoholism and financial struggles, which ultimately led him to rock bottom. But he rebuilt himself through those difficult times and with this book he hopes to help others do the same.
Steinberg, who also shares stories of athletes facing similar adversities, believes all readers should come away with this lesson learned.
“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 internal clarity in terms of what really constitutes a fulfilling life. Then coming up with a plan to get back to that.”
