South America will welcome for the first time America's most favorite sport as the NFL announced a regular season game in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
The Philadelphia Eagles have been chosen to grace the Corinthians Arena, one of multiple host stadiums during the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
The announcement was made a week before the Super Bowl 58 showdown between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs, which is expected to be one of the most watched globally.
Details of Philadelphia Eagles schedule in Brazil
The Sao Paulo game, first revealed in December 2023, will be played on a Friday as part of the opening week of the new National Football League season.
The 2024 season will debut on September 5, and the Brazil game is expected to take place within that week.
The league is yet to announce who their opponents will be.
The NFL has had regular season games played overseas before, but this is the first time in 50 years that they will have one for an opening week.
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Brazil is a football-crazy country, and the league hopes to tap into its diverse population as part of the NFL International Series project.
Philadelphia Eagles Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie said it is an honor to have been selected to bring American football to Brazilian soil.
"With the global growth of our sport being a top priority to our league, we embrace the opportunity to grow our fanbase around the world and bring Eagles football to the 38 million sports fans in Brazil," he said.
"As one of the world's most culturally diverse nations, Brazil is an international melting pot, and we look forward to experiencing its warm, vibrant and welcoming environment later this year."
Other NFL 2024 schedule outside of America
Four teams were already confirmed to play in Europe for the 2024 season.
Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings, and Jacksonville Jaguars will play each other in London for regular season games.
The United Kingdom capital has been a regular host of NFL games. The league was there last year when the Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons, the Buffalo Bills, the Tennessee Titans, and the Baltimore Ravens played a combined three matches.
Carolina Panthers will travel a little farther as they are scheduled to visit Munich, Germany.
The number of games to be played outside of America is expected to increase by 2025 after league and team officials agreed to double the number of international matches last December 2023.
"Becoming a global sport is a major strategic priority for the league and 32 teams," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said about the plan.
"Increasing international game inventory allows us to grow our global presence and share our game with exciting new markets to connect with more fans around the world."
However, no team will play more than one international game. The Jacksonville Jaguars played two last year in London.
Teams will be allowed to select their regular season opponents, and no games will be played internationally after Week 14 of the current season.
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