The National Football League (NFL) confirmed its return to Mexico City with a regular season game scheduled for 2026, to be played at Azteca Stadium. The announcement was made this Monday by Commissioner Roger Goodell, who highlighted the importance of the Mexican market within the league's international expansion strategy. “We have a very important announcement as we are returning to Mexico City in December, which I think is wonderful for our Mexican fans,” Goodell stated when making the news official. The executive emphasized the historic bond between the NFL and the Mexican public, who have responded massively every time professional American football has crossed the border. The Mexican capital has not hosted an NFL game since November 21, 2022, when the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Arizona Cardinals 38-10. Since then, the league had expressed its intention to maintain a constant presence in Mexico, but the renovations to Estadio Azteca, in preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, prevented any new matches from being held there starting in 2023. “Estadio Azteca has been renovated for the World Cup, so this will be an opportunity for us to return. Our ambition is to have a greater global impact,” the commissioner stated, explaining why the stadium is once again on the league's radar. Mexico, a key piece in international expansion. According to figures from the NFL itself, Mexico is the country with the most professional American football fans outside the United States, with nearly 40 million followers. That support has made the country one of the league's priority markets, which has hosted six regular season games at Estadio Azteca since 2005. Arturo Olive, general manager of NFL Mexico, emphasized that the announcement fulfills an expectation that had been on hold for several years. “This is an exciting moment for the NFL in Mexico, and we hope to continue building on this momentum in the coming years,” he stated. Although the schedule and participating teams have not yet been announced,Goodell publicly acknowledged that the San Francisco 49ers could be one of the teams involved in the 2026 game. “We are grateful to the 49ers for their participation in international games. We haven't released the schedule yet, but the 49ers raised their hand from day one and have said they are ready. I have no doubt they will want to participate,” the commissioner said. The game in Mexico City will be part of an ambitious global plan for 2026. The NFL also confirmed that for the second consecutive year, a game will be played at the Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid. Games are also scheduled at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia, with the Los Angeles Rams as one of the participating teams; at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro; at the FC Bayern Munich Arena in Munich; and three games in London. In total, there will be nine regular-season games outside the United States, the highest number in league history. Goodell even stated that the long-term goal is to increase that number. “The goal we must reach is 16 games, so that each team plays one regular season game each season away,” he concluded.