NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says that the league could be going across the Pacific to play a game in Tokyo in upcoming seasons.
Under the league’s collective bargaining agreement with its players, the NFL can organize up to 10 international games each year. On the NFL Daily podcast, which is officially affiliated with the league, Goodell said, “Listen, Tokyo is clearly on our list, whether it’s next year or the year after. It’s coming at some point in the near future.”
The league used to operate an office in Tokyo and also played 13 preseason games in the city between 1976 and 2005, according to an article on the NFL website.
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The only team to currently have marketing rights in Japan via the league’s Global Markets Program is the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams have the same rights in Australia and played a game against the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia, to kick off their season.
The rights do not always determine which teams are scheduled to play in a league game abroad. The game held in Rio de Janeiro this season, the first of the three games in London and the upcoming game in Madrid each involved two teams that do not hold marketing rights in the host country.
The NFL has four international games remaining this season:
— A game in Paris scheduled for Sunday between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints, who have marketing rights for France
— A game in Madrid scheduled for Nov. 8 between the Atlanta Falcons and Cincinnati Bengals
— A game in Munich scheduled for Nov. 15 between the New England Patriots and Detroit Lions, both of whom have marketing rights for Germany
— A game in Mexico City scheduled for Nov. 22 between the Minnesota Vikings and San Francisco 49ers, who have marketing rights in Mexico
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