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NFL Owners Approve Raising League Cap to 10 International Regular-Season Games

The move removes teams' protections for home matchups and signals a league push for global revenue growth that will require NFLPA sign-off to go further.

Overview

  • NFL owners voted Tuesday to raise the league-run limit on regular-season international games from eight to 10 starting as soon as the 2027 season.
  • The owners also ended teams' ability to protect up to two home games from being moved overseas, giving the league office greater freedom to place matchups in foreign markets.
  • The 2026 schedule already features a record nine international games across seven countries, and the Jacksonville Jaguars' separate London deal could push 2027 to 11 games if the NFL Players Association approves a supplemental agreement.
  • League executives say the expansion is driven by global TV rights and revenue goals, but the change raises clear concerns about travel, player recovery, competitive balance and lost local game-day revenue for season-ticket holders.
  • Any step beyond the new 10-game ceiling or toward a 16-game international slate tied to a longer regular season would require new negotiations with the NFLPA and further planning for logistics and scheduling.