NFL’s 2025 International Games Slate Draws Record Ratings
It seems the NFL’s little European vacation is turning into a full-blown global conquest. The league just dropped the numbers for its 2025 International Games, and to put it mildly, they’re crushing it. The NFL Network is popping champagne after reporting its most-watched international season ever.
Remember when waking up for a 9:30 AM kickoff felt like a cruel joke? Well, apparently, millions of us are now happily setting our alarms to watch football with our morning coffee. The six international games this season, spread across Dublin, London, Berlin, and Madrid, roped in an average of 6.2 million viewers. That is a massive 32% leap from last year’s numbers.
So, what’s the secret sauce? Is it the novelty of seeing a gridiron plopped in the middle of a legendary soccer stadium? Is it the die-hard fans making the pilgrimage across the pond? Or is it just that the NFL is an unstoppable juggernaut, destined to take over the world? It’s probably a bit of all three.
The Madrid Thriller: A Perfect Overtime Drama
Let’s talk about the game that put an exclamation point on this whole international bonanza. The showdown in Madrid between the Miami Dolphins and the Washington Commanders wasn’t just a game; it was pure, unadulterated sports drama. Played in the iconic Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, this nail-biter went into overtime, with the Dolphins sealing a 16-13 victory. You couldn’t have scripted it better.
The broadcast pulled in an average of 5.9 million viewers, making it one of the top five most-watched international games in NFL Network history. But here’s the kicker: as the game reached its heart-pounding conclusion, viewership peaked at over eight million. It is proof that a great game is a great game, no matter what time zone it’s in.
Is Global Domination the NFL’s Next Big Play?
The NFL has been playing the long game with its international series, and it looks like the gamble is paying off in spades. What started as a curious experiment has blossomed into a full-fledged spectacle that fans have come to anticipate. The league isn’t just planting flags in new cities; it’s building legitimate fanbases and creating appointment television.
The sustained growth year after year suggests that the league has successfully trained its audience to treat these overseas matchups as must-see TV. The numbers don’t lie. When you see a nearly one-third increase in viewership from one year to the next, it’s clear this is no longer a niche interest. It’s mainstream.
The success of the 2025 season sends a powerful message to the league office and its broadcast partners: the appetite for the NFL abroad is ravenous, and American fans are more than willing to wake up early to get their fix. For the NFL Network, what was once experimental programming has morphed into one of its most reliable audience magnets.
As the league continues to explore new territories and expand its global footprint, one has to wonder what’s next. The 2025 season has proven that when it comes to the NFL, the world is their end zone.
