NFL
NFL Heads To Brazil: Rio De Janeiro To Host 2026 Game
On the heels of another successful year of international NFL games (including three in London) the league has announced that Rio De Janeiro will host a minimum of three regular season games over the next five years, including one in the 2026 season.
The Rio De Janeiro games will be held at Maracanã Stadium. Maracanã Stadium has a 78,838 capacity, about 30,000 more than São Paulo’s Corinthians Arena.
Playing teams, along with game date and kickoff time, will be announced at a later date.
The announcement is no surprise. Ever since the launch of the NFL International Series in 2007 (the New York Giants beat the Miami Dolphins 13-10 at Wembley) the NFL has been ambitious in growing American Football beyond the traditional American market.
After focusing primarily on the European market (and the ultra-important London market in particular), the league has recently begun to cultivate the South American market, where it has an estimated 36 million fans across Brazil alone.
Is This The First NFL Game Held In Brazil?
Previously, the NFL played two games in Brazil (2024: Packers-Eagles; 2025: Chiefs-Chargers). Both of those games were in São Paulo at Corinthians Arena (which drew a crowd of 47,627 fans).
The announcement of future games in Rio will allow the NFL to expand its presence across the country.
Cultivating new fans in non-traditional markets takes more than staging games abroad and the NFL is well aware. They are committed to engaging with fans year-round with grassroots initiatives, including NFL Flag, and community events.
Future Of The NFL International Series
Fifty-six regular season NFL games have been played internationally throughout the league’s history, including cities such as Frankfurt, London, Mexico City, Munich, São Paulo and Toronto.
This season international games have been scheduled in in São Paulo, Dublin, London, Berlin and Madrid. See the remaining 2025 international games schedule below:
- 12th October 2025: Denver Broncos vs New York Jets – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
- 19th October 2025: Los Angeles Rams vs Jacksonville Jaguars – Wembley Stadium, London
- 9th November 2025: Atlanta Falcons vs Indianapolis Colts – Olympic Stadium, Berlin
- 16th November 2025: Washington Commanders vs Miami Dolphins – Bernabeu Stadium, Spain
In 2026, Melbourne, Australia will also stage a game for the first time at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in the league’s inaugural regular-season game on the continent.
For news about the 2026 NFL Rio game and to sign up for ticket information, visit the NFL website.
*Odds subject to change – prices accurate at the time of writing*
