The NFL will play a record nine international games during the 2026 season, spanning four different continents and seven countries, and beginning with a stop in Melbourne, Australia. The Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers will play the first-ever game in Australia, but it will be played at 10:35 a.m. local time on Friday Sept. 11 to coincide with a Thursday night game at 8:35 p.m. ET in the U.S. With the NFL continuing its push to reach millions more globally, there is a question: what do players think about it, especially those that will be in situations like the Rams and 49ers come September? CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMFormer NFL MVP Cam Newton was never able to play overseas, as he battled a Lisfranc injury when his squad was set to play in the United Kingdom. However, he believes, from a business perspective for the NFL, a global push makes too much sense. “I think what the NFL is doing is almost on brand. It’s business,” he said. “As we’re having this conversation about business, they understand the magnitude of magnifying the game of football. They’re doing it on one sense with full-contact football, but they’re also doing it in another sense, that comes probably more natural, with the flag dynamic. According to the International Federation of American Football, there are 2.4 million kids under 17 who play organized flag football in the U.S. But globally, there are millions participating in the flag game, which the NFL is heavily involved in. LEGENDARY SPORTS AGENT LEIGH STEINBERG SLAMS NOTION OF OVERSEAS SUPER BOWL: ‘CONVENTION OF AMERICANA’As a result, international fans of all ages are tapped into the NFL game, and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and the rest of the league office have made a concerted effort to allow those fans to see live-action NFL play in their home countries. “So many different people from different colors, creeds, as well as genders, can participate in the flag game. I think the NFL understands the importance, similar to what the NBA has been on for decades now. They’re just trying to explore and expand the brand of the NFL.”Other than Melbourne, there will be three London games, while Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Munich, Madrid and Mexico City will all be host sites for the NFL in 2026. It may be good business for the NFL, but legendary sports agent Leigh Steinberg said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital that players have “mixed feelings” about traveling overseas. “They actually like the travel aspect of it, seeing different cultures and other things,” Steinberg said. “But it takes a physical toll. I mean, to fly from [the West Coast] to London is 12 hours. Then, to fly back, it’s 14 hours. When you start moving east in Europe, it gets longer than that. So, it takes a physical toll.”I think that if you ask the coaches, they don’t love international games, because it takes them out of the routine and schedule.”EXPANDING CONTENT REACH WITH OFFSCRIPTNewton may
Cam Newton says NFL’s global push is ‘on brand’ ahead of historic 2026 season: ‘It’s business’
