Eagles to play in NFL’s first game in Brazil to kick off ’24

LAS VEGAS — The Philadelphia Eagles will play host to the NFL’s first regular-season game in Brazil, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced Monday in his state of the NFL media conference at Allegiant Stadium.

The Eagles, who last played an international game in 2018, will face a to-be-announced opponent in São Paolo on Friday, Sept. 6, the day after the NFL season kicks off on Thursday night. This will be the NFL’s first Friday game on opening weekend in more than 50 years.

“We are just incredibly enthusiastic about our growth on a global basis,” Goodell said. “We are convinced we can be a global sport in the near future. Our ownership has committed to allow more games to be played on an annual basis, on a global basis. We are excited about the fans’ reaction and our media partners. I think this is a great opportunity for the league and we are committed to making it a global sport.”

The Eagles’ home opponents for the 2024 season are the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Commanders, Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers.

“Brazil is new for us this year,” Goodell added. “We think this is giving us the ability to access more fans. Not just here in the States, but on a global basis. And I think it’s going to be a huge hit. We’re excited.”

Per NFL.com, the league counts 38 million fans in Brazil with an “increased” interest in recent years when it comes to the playoffs and the Super Bowl. The league’s website also noted 49,000-seat Corinthians Arena, which played host to World Cup matches in 2014 as well as Olympic soccer matches in 2016, as the likely site of the game.

The NFL already plays international games in England and Germany and could be targeting Spain in 2025 as owners passed a resolution in the fall compelling each team to play an international game once every four years.