The Los Angeles Chargers will kick off the next season over 6,000 miles from their home at SoFi Stadium, as the NFL returns to Brazil and has selected the Chargers as the designated team for an international game. The opponent for this matchup will be announced in the spring, according to the NFL. Scheduled for Friday, September 5, the game will take place at Neo Quimica Arena in São Paulo and is part of the NFL’s International Series. This game will mark a historic moment, as the Chargers will become the first franchise in NFL history to play games on five continents.
Since 1976, the Chargers have participated in regular season or preseason games in various international locations, including Mexico City, London, Tokyo, Berlin, and Sydney. Last season, the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers faced off in São Paulo, marking the first NFL game held in South America.
The Eagles, who recently defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX, are set to play against Los Angeles in 2025. However, reigning champions typically open the following season at home, making it unlikely for the Eagles to have consecutive trips to South America.
In 2024, the Chargers finished their season with an 11-6 record under coach Jim Harbaugh but were eliminated in the wild-card round by the Houston Texans with a score of 32-12. A.G. Spanos, the Chargers’ president of business operations, expressed pride in representing the NFL on an international stage, emphasizing the opportunity to grow the game and expand the Chargers brand to millions of fans in Brazil and Latin America.
The NFL has announced plans for seven regular season games to be played internationally during the 2025 season, with the possibility of scheduling up to eight. In addition to the game in Brazil, London will host three games, and the Miami Dolphins will participate in the first-ever regular season game in Spain. The Indianapolis Colts are set to be the home team for a game in Berlin, Germany, while the Pittsburgh Steelers will host the first regular season game in Ireland, taking place in Dublin.
Looking ahead to 2026, the Los Angeles Rams will represent the NFL in Melbourne, Australia, marking the first NFL game on that continent. The complete schedule of regular season games for the upcoming season is expected to be released in May.