ORLANDO — NFL owners meeting in Orlando approved increasing the maximum number of international regular-season games to 10 for the 2027 season. The decision expands the league's allotment under the current collective bargaining agreement, which permits up to 10 games to be moved outside the United States each season.

The record for international games to be played outside the U.S. in the current season is nine, scheduled for Melbourne, Rio de Janeiro, London, Paris, Madrid, Munich and Mexico City. A Jacksonville Jaguars game at Wembley Stadium does not count toward the collective bargaining agreement total. If owners approve adding two more games, the league could schedule up to 11 international games in the next season, though the NFL Players Association and the NFL must ratify a new collective bargaining agreement before the league can move more than 10 international games per season.

The current season's slate began in Week 1 with the Los Angeles Rams playing the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne. The Dallas Cowboys, who have played only one international game in franchise history — against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London in 2014 — served as the home team for a Week 3 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens in Rio de Janeiro. The Washington Commanders faced the Indianapolis Colts at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London in Week 4, followed by the Jaguars meeting the Houston Texans at Wembley Stadium in Week 5 and the Philadelphia Eagles at Tottenham in Week 6. The New Orleans Saints played the Pittsburgh Steelers in Paris in Week 7, the Atlanta Falcons played the Cincinnati Bengals in Madrid in Week 9, the Detroit Lions played the New England Patriots in Munich in Week 10, and the 49ers played the Minnesota Vikings in Mexico City in Week 11. The NFL first hosted a regular-season game in London in 2007.

League executive Peter O'Reilly said the NFL intends to keep returning to established markets. "Our strategy is not one and done so our goal is to go back to those markets that we're establishing," O'Reilly said. He pointed to potential future destinations beyond 2027. "There are parts of the world that we are looking at for future years, maybe not '27, beyond. Asia would be an example of that. Japan would be a good example within Asia of a market that has complexity," he said.

O'Reilly also addressed the prospect of staging the Super Bowl abroad. "I don't know if I can fully parse that in terms of feasibility versus likelihood, but if you're just talking feasibility, obviously, as we go to new stadiums around the world, we're getting a better sense of those buildings," he said. "I think all of that strengthens the foundation that you need to perhaps someday on a far off horizon have an international Super Bowl," he said.

The league previously allowed home international teams to protect up to five games from being moved abroad, but as of the current season, teams are only allowed to protect two home games from being scheduled at international venues. Mike North, NFL vice president of broadcast planning, described how those protections have narrowed. "Clubs right now, by resolution, have an opportunity to protect a minimum -- a limited number -- of home opponents from being taken for international venues," North said. "I think we're down now to two, and that may continue to diminish as we are trying to build a schedule and deliver quality inventory to our international fans."

North said further changes are being discussed. "I'm hopeful that the protections continue to diminish and maybe even are eliminated entirely. I think that would be better for everybody -- not just the international fans, but also for the teams that might want to play internationally and keep getting blocked," he said.