WFAN host Boomer Esiason predicts the NFL will create a Europe division within five years.
Boomer Esiason Believes The NFL Will Create A Europe Division
Boomer says the NFL is heading towards a four-team division in Europe by 2028 or 2029 👀 @WFANmornings @GioWFAN pic.twitter.com/GnfkIyPWqt
— WFAN Sports Radio (@WFAN660) January 17, 2025
On Friday’s edition of Boomer and Gio, Esiason spoke about the NFL’s increased interest in Europe.
The NFL continues to play multiple regular-season games in Europe every season as part of the International Series. Esiason took it one step further, predicting the NFL will create an entire division with European teams.
“I’m gonna tell you right now, I’m gonna say by 2029, maybe 2028…there will be an NFL division in Europe,” Esiason said. “There are going to be four teams over there, there’s gonna be an NFL Europe division, you watch.”
Esiason believes said the four teams will come by way of league expansion.
“There are so many billionaires out there right now that want a piece of this,” Esiason said about the increased value of an NFL franchise. “It’s gonna happen.”
If the NFL adds four more teams, that takes the league to 36 teams.
Roger Goodell Wants To Increase Amount Of International Games
Commissioner Roger Goodell liebt die 🇩🇪 NFL-Fans und Berlin! #NFLBerlinGame pic.twitter.com/lnCAT2tGnP
— NFL Deutschland (@NFLDeutschland) December 11, 2024
In an effort to expand the game globally, the NFL continues to schedule regular-season games overseas.
During the 2024 season, the NFL played games in São Paulo, Brazil; London, England; and Munich, Germany.
Starting in 2025, the NFL will schedule up to eight games overseas. On Friday, the NFL announced the Miami Dolphins will be the designated home team for the first-ever regular season game in Madrid, Spain.
Additional international sites for the 2025 season include Berlin (Indianapolis Colts) and London (Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland Browns, and New York Jets).
While speaking on Bloomberg’s The David Rubenstein Show, Goodell spoke about the NFL’s plans to play 16 international games per season within the next few years.
“We had five last year, we expect to have eight next year, which will be the highest we’ve ever had,” Goodell said. “Our hope would be at some stage to get to 16 games in the next few years. We think we can do that. I think it’s an indication of the popularity of our game. Every time we take our game to a new market… the fans go crazy for it.”
Goodell admitted the league has discussed a Europe Division and believes certain markets would “without question support an NFL franchise.” However, the plans remain in their infancy stages.
