The NFL is set to play a record nine international games in 2026. With the Atlanta Falcons bound for Spain, we now know at least one team that will play in each matchup.
The 2026 slate includes three cities — Rio De Janeiro, Paris and Melbourne, Australia — that will host a game for the first time. The league will also return to Mexico City and Munich, two cites that didn’t host a game last year but have hosted in the past.
With nine games, there are 18 international spots to fill on the schedule. So far, 10 of those have been taken. There are still eight other teams that will be sent abroad this year. Let’s make some predictions on which ones.
Falcons in Madrid
Possible opponents: Panthers, Saints, Buccaneers, Bears, Lions, 49ers, Ravens, Bengals, Chiefs
Prediction: Bears or Chiefs
Breakdown: Three teams — the Dolphins, Chiefs and Bears — currently have marketing rights in Spain. The Dolphins went to Madrid last year for the NFL’s first-ever game in Spain. It would be logical for the NFL to send one of the others with marketing rights in Spain this year. Fortunately for the league, Atlanta will play the Chiefs and Bears at home this year, so it seems highly likely that one of those two teams will be sent to Spain with the Falcons.
Lions in Munich
Possible opponents: Bears, Packers, Vikings, Saints, Buccaneers, Giants, Patriots, Jets, Titans
Prediction: Giants
Breakdown: There is a report that the Giants will play an international game this year, and this one certainly would make the most sense. The Giants hold marketing rights in Germany, so they would probably be on board with the decision if the NFL decides to ship them off to Munich. This one isn’t a lock, but it would be a mild surprise if the Giants aren’t sent.
Jaguars in London for two games
Possible opponents: Texans, Colts, Titans, Browns, Steelers, Patriots, Commanders, Eagles
Prediction 1: Browns or Titans
Prediction 2: Eagles or Commanders
Breakdown: The Jaguars head to London for two games. The twist here is that they’re going to be the home team for both, making them the first team in NFL history to serve as the home team in back-to-back international games. This will mark the third time that the Jaguars have played two games in London in the same season. On the two previous occasions, the NFL had the Jags play one AFC team and one NFC team, so it won’t be surprising if the league once again goes that route.
On the NFC side, there are only two options here: the Eagles or Commanders. Although Washington is already set to host a game in London this year, the NFL could have the Commanders play back-to-back games in London with one as the home team and one as the visiting team. As for the Eagles, they’ve only played two international games in franchise history, which is tied for the second-fewest in the league, so the NFL could certainly send them abroad.
On the AFC side, let’s start with the Titans. The NFL usually tries to avoid sending divisional games out of the country, but it has happened before. As for the Browns, they’ve never played an international game as the visiting team, so this would be breaking new ground for them.
Commanders in London
Possible opponents: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Rams, Seahawks, Falcons, Texans, Colts, Bengals
Prediction: Bengals or Texans
Breakdown: Only five teams that have not played an international game this decade, and the Bengals and Texans are on that list. Of the other three teams on this list (Cowboys, Lions, Raiders), we know that at least two of them will be sent out of the country this year (Dallas, Detroit), so it seems like the NFL is trying to distribute the NFL games more fairly. If that’s the case, then sending Cincinnati or Houston to London to face the Commanders would be the right move. Neither team has played an international game since 2019.
If the NFL has a sense of humor, the league will definitely send the Bengals and that’s mainly because this season will mark the 10-year anniversary of the infamous 2016 game in London between Cincinnati and Washington that ended in a tie.
If the Commanders end up playing the Bengals again, I’ll definitely be rooting for a tie.
Saints in Paris
Possible opponents: Falcons, Buccaneers, Panthers, Packers, Vikings, Cardinals, Browns, Steelers, Raiders
Prediction: Browns or Raiders
Breakdown: A French media outlet has reported that the Browns will face the Saints in France. This is the outlet that originally broke in January the news of the Paris game, so it’s certainly possible that the Browns could be headed to France. If the Browns do get sent, they could conceivably play the Jaguars in London in one week and then play the Saints in Paris the following. The NFL did that with the Vikings last year — sending them to Dublin and London in back-to-back weeks — so it could be in the cards for the Browns.
If the Browns don’t go, then the Raiders could make some sense here. The Raiders have played five international games in franchise history, which is tied for the fourth-most in the NFL. Mark Davis never turns down an opportunity to take the Raiders’ brand worldwide. If the NFL asks, his team would likely be more than willing to take part in the league’s first-ever game in France.
Cowboys in Rio De Janiero
Possible opponents: Giants, Eagles, Commanders, Cardinals, 49ers, Buccaneers, Jaguars, Titans, Ravens
Prediction: Ravens or Buccaneers
Breakdown: When the NFL plays in a new city for the first time, the league usually tries to make a splash. Having the Cowboys face Lamar Jackson would certainly accomplish that. As for the Buccaneers, they’ve always embraced the NFL’s big international ambitions: They were part of the first game ever played in Germany, and they were the first NFL team to play two games in London (2009, 2011). Heading to Rio for the league’s first game in Brazil would definitely be on brand for them.
Three teams that you won’t see in Rio are the 49ers, Commanders and Jaguars. Those teams are already scheduled to play an international game this year, so it’s pretty much a guarantee that the NFL won’t be sending any of them to Brazil.
49ers in Mexico City
Possible opponents: Cardinals, Rams, Seahawks, Eagles, Commanders, Vikings, Broncos, Raiders, Dolphins
Prediction: Broncos or Cardinals
Breakdown: Of the six games that the NFL has held in Mexico City since 2005, two involved the 49ers against the Cardinals, so Arizona could certainly be an option — especially since the Cards have marketing rights in Mexico. If the NFL decides to go with an AFC-NFC matchup, which has been popular for international games, then the Broncos would make sense. The Raiders are also popular in Mexico and have played two games there, but it would make more sense to keep that game in the Bay Area since the Raiders still have plenty of fans there from their time in Oakland.
AUSTRALIA NOTE: One city that’s not listed here is the NFL’s first game ever in Australia, and that’s because there’s no prediction needed. The league has already announced that the Rams will host the 49ers in Melbourne next season.
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