“Every team, every year, will play one game overseas”: Patriots owner Kraft backs 18-game NFL season

The NFL has been flirting with the idea of an expanded 18-game schedule and greater international reach for years. And while the increase in annual overseas games has been welcomed by international fans, the prospect of a weekly game on foreign soil has remained in the concept stage, held back by financial, logistical, and player-safety issues.

That balance shifted a little this week when New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft entered the conversation. As one of the most powerful owners in the sport, his comments offered the clearest signal yet that the league’s next big change isn’t really about if it happens, but when.

For fans outside the United States - particularly in England, Germany, and perhaps Ireland, Spain, and Brazil - the consequences are potentially enormous, not to mention exciting.

But what does all of this actually mean? Below, we break down why the NFL is pushing toward 18 games, how international markets fit into the plan, and what UK fans should expect next.

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The league isn’t debating anymore

Kraft didn't suggest a timeline, but his message left no doubt: momentum is building among owners for an expanded regular season, with the expectation that an 18th game will arrive at some point in the future.

He also discussed some of the many significant obstacles, touching on one of the most crucial, and a major reason this may not have happened yet: the players.

Any change to the season length must be negotiated through the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), and while the current deal runs through the end of the decade, groundwork is already being laid.

Why international games are central to the plan

The detail that stood out most on this side of the Atlantic is that international games are no longer a side project. And given how incredible international games have been over the years, it stands to reason that the sport will continue to grow globally.

It's no secret that the NFL doesn’t see London, Dublin, or future European cities as novelty stops. They’re strategic markets. According to Kraft, adding an extra regular-season game makes it easier to grow internationally without taking too much away from US-based fans.

Commissioner Roger Goodell has even discussed the possibility of holding a Super Bowl overseas.

While that goal seems a long way off, it certainly indicates that, in simple terms, the global expansion - and an 18-game season including more games held internationally - will continue to gather steam.

The benefits swing both ways. For international supporters, it likely means more games, more consistency, and more choice of which games to watch. For teams, it means avoiding sacrificing a home date.

Clearly, several obstacles remain. Logistically, financially, and...

The player safety dilemma hasn’t gone away

An 18-game season means more collisions, more wear and tear, and longer recovery windows. Kraft acknowledged that reality, pointing out that roster expansion, revised bye weeks, and smarter scheduling would all need to be part of the package.

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The league’s counterargument is familiar: fewer preseason games, deeper squads, and better sports science can offset the risks. Whether players fully buy into that logic remains to be seen, but history suggests resistance usually gives way to the potential to increase revenue.

What this means for UK fans

From a UK perspective, this latest chapter is significant. More regular-season games overseas would normalise the NFL calendar for European audiences, rather than making international matchups feel like one-off events.

The prospect of expanding the sport internationally also strengthens the case for earlier kick-offs, better broadcast windows, and long-term investment in grassroots support across the region.

So when does it actually happen?

Even the most optimistic timeline suggests this is several years away. But everything points to the next CBA window being a pivotal moment in this process.

The NFL has never expanded its schedule without a clear financial upside, and right now, the incentives are lining up neatly.

The league appears to have already decided where it’s going. Granted, it’s not simply a case of choosing a date, but it appears we're headed in that direction.