NFL is scheduling more games overseas than ever before, so why not MLS? The soccer league already features several teams owned by NFL billionaires and should consider playing competitive MLS games overseas.
For example, who’s up for Inter Miami vs LA Galaxy at the renovated Camp Nou in Barcelona?
Instead of worrying about foreign teams playing competitive games on U.S. soil, MLS should embrace the threat and do the same thing overseas. More specifically, MLS needs to play Messi overseas before he hangs up his boots. Otherwise, it may be too late.
Garber drops a hint about playing MLS games overseas
Speaking with Front Office Sports last month, Garber admitted that MLS is looking at many possibilities for the future. “Should we be thinking about international exhibitions similar to what the NFL is doing overseas, or what some of the European soccer leagues are looking to do around the world,” asked Garber.
English soccer teams already have their Premier League Summer Series in the United States. There’s been plenty of talk about UEFA playing Champions League matches in the States. Plus, of course, LaLiga keeps trying to get permission to play competitive league matches here to gain a superior advantage over the Premier League.
Garber is no stranger to the world of the NFL. He worked for 16 years at the NFL before becoming MLS commissioner. By playing competitive games around the world, the NFL is growing in popularity abroad, as I wrote about in November when I attended an NFL game in Germany.
If you look at the upcoming schedule of NFL games abroad, it’s quite impressive. In 2025 alone, the NFL has scheduled seven league games overseas in
- 1 game in Sao Paulo, Brazil
- 2 games at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England
- 1 game at Wembley Stadium in London, England
- 1 game in Berlin, Germany
- 1 game in Madrid, Spain, and
- 1 game in Dublin, Ireland.
In 2026, the NFL has already scheduled a game to be played in Australia, while many more games are expected to be announced soon.
How is it fair that the NFL can go into foreign countries to play games when other soccer leagues aren’t allowed to do the same?
Last year, Relevent Sports reached an agreement with FIFA which involved dropping the world’s governing body from its lawsuit against U.S. Soccer. That opens the door to a possible decision by FIFA that it will allow foreign leagues to play competitive games in the United States. Vice-versa, it would allow MLS (and other leagues) to play some of its games overseas too, if they so wished.
Now is the time for MLS to put its wheels in motion to take advantage of this likely development. Otherwise, it could risk being left behind.
