Eat My Shorts, NFL Goes Global: Paris, Melbourne, and Rio Get Gridiron!

• The NFL is expanding its international footprint, hosting regular-season games in Paris, Melbourne, and Rio de Janeiro for the first time in 2026.
• Every NFL team is signed up for the Global Markets Program, designed to build brand awareness and explore partnerships internationally.
• The Pittsburgh Steelers' game in Dublin, Ireland, was a major success for television viewership and generated significant economic activity.
• The league is considering expanding the regular season to 18 games, which could lead to even more international matchups.

Ay, Caramba, NFL Invades New Lands

Hey, it's Bart Simpson, reporting live from… well, Springfield. Turns out, the NFL's decided America isn't big enough for their brand of organized mayhem. They're shipping games to Paris, Melbourne, and Rio in 2026. Seriously? I bet Lisa's doing cartwheels thinking she can finally watch a game without me making fart jokes. But let's be real, this smells like a cash grab bigger than Mr. Burns' wallet. Still, maybe I can score some free tickets to Paris. I hear they have good pastries... and maybe some pranks to pull.

Eat My Shorts, Global Markets Program

So, apparently, every team is signed up for this 'Global Markets Program'. Sounds like something Principal Skinner would cook up. Turns out, it's all about making more money – I mean, 'building brand awareness' – overseas. Some teams get special rights in countries based on their connections. Like the Arizona Cardinals in Mexico. Makes sense, seeing as how many bird-related pranks I could pull down there. Speaking of geographical connections, remember when El Paso had that weird airspace incident? It reminds me of the time Milhouse tried to fly his kite near the power lines. You can read all about that El Paso incident in this report: El Paso Airspace Shocker Flights Grounded Then Suddenly Lifted.

The Steelers Go Green (Shamrocks, Not Environment)

The Pittsburgh Steelers are all about Ireland because their owners, the Rooneys, have roots there. They even had one of them as the U.S. Ambassador. Seems legit. They played a game in Dublin, and get this, the Irish government ponied up millions! I bet they could have used that money to buy everyone a pint of Guinness. But hey, it brought in even more money, so everyone wins... except maybe the taxpayers.

D'oh, TV Ratings Skyrocket

Turns out, the Dublin game was a HUGE hit on TV. Like, almost 8 million people watched! Even I watched a bit, between skateboard stunts and dodging homework. Some suit from the NFL said it's "less about the financials" and more about creating a "ripple effect". Yeah, right. Tell that to Mr. Krabs. It's ALWAYS about the money.

Cowabunga, More Sports Go Global

It's not just the NFL. The NBA and soccer leagues are jumping on the bandwagon, playing games all over the place. If the money keeps flowing, expect more sports to go international. Maybe even Krusty the Clown will start doing shows in Siberia. I'd pay to see that... as long as he doesn't try to make me an assistant.

Aye Caramba, Future of Football

So, what does all this mean? More football, more money, and probably more chances for me to cause some mayhem at these international games. The NFL is even thinking about making the season longer. An 18-game schedule? That's a lot of Sundays I'll be "forced" to watch football with Homer. D'oh! But hey, maybe I can convince him to wear a sombrero to the Paris game. That'd be worth it.