Sports activities agent Leigh Steinberg says Tremendous Bowl cannot go abroad

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It is no secret one of many NFL's prime priorities is continuous to construct its model globally.

However with the addition of extra worldwide video games in several international locations, together with the NFL season reportedly kicking off on a Wednesday with a sport in Melbourne, Australia in 2026 (it is going to technically be Thursday for Australians), the query have to be requested: Will the Tremendous Bowl find yourself abroad?

Legendary sports activities agent Leigh Steinberg cannot see it occurring regardless of all of the worldwide momentum.

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A large view of play within the first half throughout an NFL Worldwide Collection sport at Wembley Stadium. (Peter van den Berg-Imagn Photos)

"The Tremendous Bowl has turn out to be a conference of Americana," Steinberg informed Fox Information Digital throughout a current cellphone name. "So, it’s not simply an leisure occasion – it’s a cultural occasion. Massive enterprise, massive politics, massive leisure and massive sports activities, together with followers, all coalesce within the metropolis. To take that abroad, I feel could be tough."

The NFL’s first regular-season worldwide sport was 2005, when the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers traveled to Mexico Metropolis to play. However two years later, the league launched its "Worldwide Collection," a sport between the New York Giants and Miami Dolphins at Wembley Stadium in London, England, that kickstarted the push to proceed bringing NFL video games to abroad followers.

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After all, each league needs to develop its attain, and the NFL has accomplished an amazing job of scheduling extra video games by the yr, whereas additionally interacting in several methods with these followers, whether or not it is via the NFL Draft or different activations.

In 2026, there can be a document 9 worldwide regular-season video games performed, spanning throughout 4 totally different continents and 7 totally different areas.

Leigh Steinberg attends the thirty ninth Annual Leigh Steinberg Tremendous Bowl Get together at Storek on Feb. 7, 2026, in San Francisco. (Jesse Grant/Getty Photos)

Apart from Melbourne and London, the place there can be three video games, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Munich, Madrid and Mexico Metropolis will all be host websites for the NFL in 2026.

However whereas followers proceed to eat these video games, some marking it on their calendars to journey to observe their favourite groups, do the groups themselves prefer it?

"They've blended emotions," Steinberg mentioned. "They really just like the journey side of it, seeing totally different cultures and different issues. But it surely takes a bodily toll. I imply, to fly from [the West Coast] to London is 12 hours. Then, to fly again, it’s 14 hours. Whenever you begin transferring east in Europe, it will get longer than that. So, it takes a bodily toll.

"I feel that in the event you ask the coaches, they don’t love worldwide video games, as a result of it takes them out of the routine and schedule."

Steinberg believes there must be extra analysis accomplished on the results that jetlag and journey have on the human physique, and whether or not it is impacting the standard of play as nicely.

There is no stopping the worldwide push by the league, however will there come a degree the place it is an excessive amount of, particularly for gamers and coaches to deal with throughout a grueling season?

STEINBERG’S COMEBACK Whereas speaking all issues soccer, Steinberg additionally mentioned life and the way his combat via adversity led to him writing "The Comeback: A Playbook for Turning Life’s Setbacks into Victories."

Leigh Steinberg speaks onstage in the course of the thirty ninth Annual Leigh Steinberg Tremendous Bowl Get together at Storek on Feb. 7, 2026 in San Francisco. (Jesse Grant/Getty Photos)

Steinberg had constructed an empire by representing the most effective athletes on the planet, however he additionally handled alcoholism and monetary struggles, finally bringing him to all-time low. However he rebuilt himself via these onerous occasions, and with this guide, he’s hoping to assist others do the identical.

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Additionally sharing tales of athletes coping with related adversities, Steinberg believes all readers ought to come away with this lesson discovered.

"Inside introspection," he mentioned. "A practical understanding of your personal values and priorities, whether or not it’s short-term financial acquire, long-term financial safety, non secular values, household. It’s to have readability internally when it comes to what actually constitutes a satisfying life. Then, arising with a plan to get again to that."