Robert Kraft, the longtime owner of the New England Patriots, recently shared his vision for the future of the NFL. During an appearance on a Boston sports radio show, Kraft revealed that NFL owners are pushing for an 18-game regular-season schedule that would include every team playing at least one international game. This move could create massive opportunities for the league on a global scale.
Under the proposed format, the preseason would be reduced to two games instead of three, and each team would receive two bye weeks during the season. This change would further the globalization of the NFL while also opening international markets for U.S. cities that already have NFL teams. Domestic cities could be paired with international counterparts, forming partnerships that begin with football but eventually expand into other business opportunities, such as tourism and international commerce.
However, this proposal is only the beginning of a lengthy process before any new schedule becomes official. While owners appear to be largely in favor, player approval is still required. From an outsider’s perspective, one additional game may not seem significant, but for players it represents another physically demanding week that increases the risk of injury for a regular-season contest. Proper compensation would also be a major point of negotiation.
An extra week of games would generate additional revenue through television deals, ticket sales, and advertising, but both sides must agree on how that revenue is divided. The price of an added game will be a critical factor in discussions between players and owners. Currently, the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) operates under a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that runs through 2031. If players chose to do so, they could simply ignore ownership discussions until that agreement expires. Owners, however, are unlikely to want to wait that long, as they are eager to capitalize on increased revenue as soon as possible.
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As a result, they may need to offer significant financial incentives to convince players to renegotiate the current CBA. This potential shift could also influence other professional sports leagues in the United States, many of which are also seeking greater international reach. The MLB, NBA, and NHL have hosted international series in recent years, though none have matched the scale of the NFL’s global ambitions.
Internationalism has become a growing theme across major sports. The NHL’s 2025 Four Nations Faceoff, which replaced the traditional All-Star Game, was widely successful and helped build excitement for the upcoming Winter Olympics. That success has reportedly inspired the NBA to adopt a similar format for its All-Star Game. Baseball continues to grow globally as well, highlighted by Shohei Ohtani—widely regarded as the best player in the world—who hails from Japan. The World Baseball Classic returns in 2026 with 20 teams, and baseball is also set to make its return to the Summer Olympics in 2028.
