Goodell states that NFL games in Brazil and Europe are crucial for revenue growth.

• On Friday, the NFL is hosting its first game in South America, with the Green Bay Packers facing off against the Philadelphia Eagles.
• The league plans to play five games overseas this season and expects to do eight by 2025 in a bid to boost its income.
• Commissioner Goodell has prioritized international growth for the league.

The NFL is launching its first game in South America on Friday night, as part of its effort to expand its presence globally.

The NFL's financial strength has been on the rise as it expands into the Southern Hemisphere. Last season, the league generated $13 billion in revenue, and the average team value is estimated at $6.5 billion, according to CNBC's Official NFL Team Valuations.

To maintain its expansion, the league is focusing on international markets.

In preparation for the league's first game in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Friday, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced that the league aims to establish itself as an international sports brand. This season, the NFL will hold five games outside of North America, and by next season, the league plans to increase its overseas schedule to eight games.

When we bring our brand of regular season games here, it creates a new environment that sparks and takes off, Goodell stated.

Playing games abroad has been a learning process for the league, as it observes how players cope with long flights and different time zones.

"Goodell stated that when the players return to their home cities tomorrow, they will be on a similar time zone, and eight days before their next game. Brazil is one hour ahead of the Eastern time zone but an 11-hour trip. This is all part of learning how many games we can play."

The NFL's international presence not only attracts new fans but also fosters sponsorship opportunities and strengthens its ties with international media partners.

Before playing games in Germany in 2022, the league had two sponsorship deals. Currently, the NFL has 15 agreements.

The Global Markets Program of the league enables teams to enhance their brand recognition and attract fans globally.

In its third year, this program grants marketing rights to teams in foreign countries. This season, 25 franchises are taking part in the program across 19 international markets.

The Miami Dolphins have marketing rights in Argentina and Colombia, the Los Angeles Rams have rights in South Korea and Japan, and the Seattle Seahawks have rights in Canada and are expanding to Austria, Germany, and Switzerland.

The NFL's commissioner, Goodell, discussed the league's media rights with CNBC and stated that streaming options have positively impacted both the NFL and its fans.

In 2024, the NFL has broadcast agreements with Fox, ESPN and ABC, NBCUniversal, CBS, as well as streamers such as YouTube, Netflix, Amazon, and Peacock, worth an estimated $11.4 billion. Some games are exclusive to streaming platforms, including Friday's matchup in Brazil, which will air on NBC's Peacock platform.

He stated that the key point is to follow your audience and our audience is shifting towards streaming platforms.

NFL games are still mostly accessible on broadcast television, as per Goodell's statement.

He added, "We truly believe that our policy is highly advantageous to our growth, as it enables more people to watch NFL football and enhances the enjoyment of the fans."

Disclosure: NBCUniversal is the parent company of CNBC.