When will we be able to watch an NFL game in Italy? Sooner than we might think
The NFL is targeting Italy too. On March 30, the league confirmed that two franchises have obtained marketing rights in Italy: the Cleveland Browns and the New Orleans Saints. This decision is part of the Global Markets Program (GMP), a plan that "grants NFL clubs international marketing rights in countries outside the United States to build brand awareness and fandom globally through fan engagement, events, commercial opportunities, and the development of the NFL Flag program". Part of this expansion also includes the International Series, namely regular season games played abroad.
NFL games in Europe in 2026
For 2026, nine regular season games are scheduled outside the United States, six of which will be played in Europe in as many soccer stadiums. The selected venues are: the Bernabeu in Madrid, the Allianz Arena in Munich, the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and Wembley in London. Other venues selected for the 2026 International Series include Melbourne, Rio de Janeiro, and Mexico City. At the moment, there are no plans to host a game in Italy, but the NFL’s long-term goal is to have each of its 32 franchises play at least one international game per season.
Official NFL requirements to host a game
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According to Article 1 of the NFL Rulebook: "The game is played on a rectangular field measuring 360 feet (110 meters) in length and 160 feet (49 meters) in width. The lines at each end are called end lines. Those on the sides are called sidelines. Goal lines must be marked on the field 10 yards (9 meters) from each end line". These are the minimum dimensions required to host an NFL game, but in order for the league to grant approval, other parameters must also be met, such as a specific shade of green for the playing surface, regardless of whether the turf is natural or artificial. In addition, a minimum seating capacity of 50,000 must be guaranteed. Not to mention all fan areas such as bars and restrooms, as well as state-of-the-art hospitality spaces.
Which Italian stadiums could host an NFL game
Based on these requirements, it is difficult to imagine which Serie A stadiums could host an NFL game: for example, both the New Balance Arena in Bergamo and the Juventus Stadium in Turin are ruled out due to capacity issues, as neither venue can guarantee at least 50,000 spectators. The Artemio Franchi in Florence will not be ready before 2030, and even after renovations it will not reach 50,000 seats. The Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in Naples meets the capacity requirement, but the presence of a running track currently makes hosting an NFL game impractical. The same applies to the Olimpico in Rome, despite being the home of the national rugby team during the Six Nations.
The only viable option points to San Siro, but at the moment the stadium does not even meet UEFA’s minimum requirements to be selected as a venue for Euro 2032. This is why the new San Siro, if it were actually built for real, would become a viable option: a capacity of 71,000 seats and a range of presumably state-of-the-art services would make Milan a strong candidate to host, for the first time in Italy, an NFL game. Perhaps even between the Cleveland Browns and the New Orleans Saints.
