Having already experienced the brilliant atmosphere of NFL games at both Wembley Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, as well as a Jets vs. Giants spectacle in New York/New Jersey, we thought we’d ticked off some of American football’s top bucket-list experiences for sports travellers.
Then came the 2026 NFL International Games schedule…
For the first time ever, the NFL will stage a regular-season game in Paris, instantly making the French capital one of the must-visit sports travel destinations of 2026. As sports travellers constantly searching for the world’s most memorable events, the inaugural NFL Paris Game has shot straight to the top of our bucket list.
The league’s first regular-season game in France is far more than another fixture on the calendar. It represents another milestone in the NFL’s international expansion, with 2026 becoming the biggest global season in the league’s history. A record nine regular-season games will be played across four continents, including first-ever visits to France, Australia and Rio de Janeiro, while returning to established markets including the UK, Spain, Germany and Mexico.
Paris feels like a particularly fitting addition.
Hosted at the iconic Stade de France on 25 October 2026, the inaugural French game will see the New Orleans Saints face the Pittsburgh Steelers. While London has become synonymous with the NFL’s international ambitions over nearly two decades, Paris offers the chance to combine one of the world’s great sporting occasions with one of Europe’s most iconic city breaks.
That’s what makes it such an attractive proposition for travelling fans.
An NFL weekend in Paris isn’t just about the game. It is an excuse to spend a long weekend exploring the city’s cafés, museums and landmarks before joining tens of thousands of fans inside France’s national stadium. Whether it’s your first taste of live NFL action or your 10th, there’s something special about witnessing history.
The wider picture is equally exciting. London remains the cornerstone of the NFL’s overseas strategy with three games once again taking place across Wembley Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Spain returns after its successful debut with another game at Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu, while Germany welcomes fans back to Munich. Meanwhile, Australia and Brazil further underline the league’s determination to become a truly global competition.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has even suggested there is “no doubt” an NFL franchise will one day be based outside the United States, underlining just how significant international growth has become to the league’s long-term strategy.
For sports travellers, this is creating an entirely new category of bucket-list experiences.
Much like Formula 1 fans plan weekends around Monaco or Singapore, and football supporters dream of El Clásico or the UEFA Champions League final, NFL fans can now build European city breaks around regular-season games.
For us, hopefully Paris is next. There’s something uniquely appealing about saying you were there for the very first NFL regular-season game ever played in France.
2026 NFL International Games
- 10 September: Los Angeles Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers (Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, Australia)
- 27 September: Baltimore Ravens vs. Dallas Cowboys (Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
- 4 October: Indianapolis Colts vs. Washington Commanders (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, England)
- 11 October: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, England)
- 18 October: Houston Texans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (Wembley Stadium, London, England)
- 25 October: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. New Orleans Saints (Stade de France, Paris, France)
- 8 November: Cincinnati Bengals vs. Atlanta Falcons (Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, Spain)
- 15 November: New England Patriots vs. Detroit Lions (Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany)
- 22 November: Minnesota Vikings vs. Houston Texans (Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico)
Image: NFL UK & IRE