New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft has once again voiced his support for expanding the NFL regular season to 18 games, linking it to his ambition for every team to play an international fixture each year. The 84-year-old billionaire has long advocated for extending the schedule, and amid ongoing negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement, he has reiterated his desire to see the change implemented as soon as possible.
Kraft's vision for an expanded season
In an interview with Vanity Fair's Lachlan Cartwright, Kraft stated, "In our new labor agreement, I hope we go to 18 games and two preseason games. And then if we do that, it would allow us to hopefully go to 16 international games, so we would have every team every year play an international game, which would be built mainly through a streaming audience." This proposal would see each team play one regular-season game overseas annually, significantly increasing the NFL's global footprint.
The NFL has been steadily expanding its International Series, with seven overseas games scheduled for 2025 and a record nine planned for the 2026 season. Kraft's vision would further accelerate this trend, potentially transforming the league's scheduling and revenue model.
Current stance and timeline
While Kraft is pushing for change, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell downplayed the likelihood of an immediate expansion earlier this year. During Super Bowl week, Goodell said, "We have not had any formal discussions about it and frankly very little of any informal conversations. It is not a given that we will do that. It's not something we assume will happen. It's something we want to talk about with the union leadership."
The potential expansion hinges on the completion of a new collective bargaining agreement. The current deal runs until March 2031, meaning that even if a new agreement is reached sooner, the earliest possible introduction of an 18th regular-season game would be 2028, given that the next two Super Bowls are already scheduled for mid-February. Expanding the season and international games would require significant schedule adjustments, such as starting the season earlier or pushing the Super Bowl later.
Kraft's renewed call underscores the ongoing debate within the league about balancing player safety, competitive balance, and revenue growth. As negotiations progress, the prospect of an 18-game season remains a key topic for discussion.
