The NFL is once again going global for the 2025 season. The league is set to stage games in five countries outside of the United States, marking the most different countries the league has played in during a single season.
Included in the international schedule are games in Brazil, England, Germany, Ireland and Spain, with the latter two hosting their first-ever NFL regular-season games.
The NFL officially revealed six of its seven international matchups for 2025. The seventh, which is set to take place in Brazil, will feature the Los Angeles Chargers against a rumored opponent in the Kansas City Chiefs.
Who are the winners and losers of the NFL’s international schedule reveal? USA TODAY Sports breaks it down.
WINNERS
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars are extending their streak of playing in London to 12 seasons. While their game against the Rams looks like a tough matchup on paper, Jacksonville should have a slight home-field advantage given the fan base they have accrued over their years of playing in England.
Add in that the Rams will be facing a significant time change, as England is eight hours ahead of the United States’ West Coast, and the Jaguars could have a body-clock advantage in this matchup.
New York Jets
The Jets are in a similar boat to the Jaguars. New York hasn’t played overseas quite as often as Jacksonville, but the Jets played in London last season. Comparatively, their opponent – the Broncos – haven’t played overseas since 2022.
That may not seem like a major gap, but it’s worth noting Sean Payton wasn’t the Broncos’ head coach then, nor was Bo Nix an NFL quarterback. As such, Denver may face a slightly steeper learning curve, along with a body-clock disadvantage, that could give the Jets a fighting chance in this contest.
Ireland and Spain
Ireland and Spain are set to host their first NFL regular-season games in 2025. The league made sure each got a strong-looking matchup that should produce excitement.
The Dublin game will feature the Steelers and Vikings in a battle between two playoff teams from last season. Neither won their first-round games, but each sports a strong-looking defense on paper and should match up well with one another.
Meanwhile, Madrid will get a matchup between the Commanders and Dolphins. Washington has one of the most explosive, young quarterbacks in the league, Jayden Daniels, while Miami has a plethora of speedy weapons in Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and De’Von Achane. That could end up being a high-scoring game that excites Spanish football fans.
LOSERS
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings are making history as the first NFL team to play back-to-back international games in different countries. They will play against the Steelers in Dublin in Week 4 before squaring off with the Browns in London Week 5.
That may not sound too bad, given that London is only about an hour-and-a-half-long plane ride from Dublin. That said, the scheduling quirk also guarantees Minnesota will be playing three consecutive games in different countries, as they will be playing somewhere in the United States during Week 3.
That unforgiving travel schedule could prove problematic for the Vikings, especially with J.J. McCarthy entering his first season as a starting quarterback. He won’t get much time before his normal, week-to-week routine is thrown for a loop, which could make for some growing pains in the first six weeks of Minnesota’s season.
Cleveland Browns
While Minnesota’s travel schedule will be daunting, they will have one significant advantage during their three games in three countries stretch. That will come in Week 5, when they have the short travel from Dublin to London for their Week 5 game.
The Vikings will already be adjusted to the time difference across the pond entering Week 5. Cleveland will be making that adjustment mid-week, which could put them at a disadvantage in this contest. A similar situation played out in 2023, when the Jaguars upset the Buffalo Bills in the second of Jacksonville’s back-to-back games in London.