American football, and more particularly the National Football League (NFL), is a sport deeply rooted in the United States’ culture.
However, its popularity extended much beyond the U.S. borders thanks to the development of broadcasting technology and, later on, the internet and social media.
Now, significant fan bases exist worldwide, and we’ll explore the NFL’s global reach, focusing on countries with the largest viewership in Europe, Asia, and South America, and also touch upon betting trends related to the NFL on these continents.
Going International
The NFL has been growing its international footprint aggressively through deliberate efforts.
One of the most important catalysts has been the playing of regular season games in international markets. Games have been played in London since 2007 as part of the NFL International Series. More recently, there have been games in Mexico and Canada, with Germany playing host to an NFL game for the first time in 2022.
These games have tremendously increased the league’s popularity beyond the United States. If you are part of the domestic audience and wish to try your luck with the odds, you can click here to see what apps have the best starting offers.
Mexico is at the top outside of the U.S., with more than 23 million NFL fans. Brazil is second with about 20 million fans, even though soccer is each nation’s preferred and successful sport.
Canada, with its own football league, still has more than an estimated 7 million NFL fans.
On the other side of the globe, in Europe, the top NFL-watching countries are the United Kingdom and Germany.
The UK has around 6 million fans, and Germany has slightly more, around 6.5 million estimated fans. The NFL’s profile in Europe is also boosted by the legacy of NFL Europe, which existed between 1991 and 2007 and featured teams from Germany and the UK.
South Korea is the sole exception in Asia, with approximately 7 million NFL fans. This is part of the larger interest in American sports, like baseball, which enjoys a larger fanbase throughout the continent.
In South America, more than 2 million Argentine fans support the NFL and drive the sport on the continent.
International Team Recognition
Although the popularity of teams may differ by region, certain NFL teams and their logos are more widely recognized internationally thanks to their success, promotion, and often popular culture.
The New England Patriots, Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, and Las Vegas Raiders tend to be some of the most internationally recognized teams whose names ring a bell even to those people who don’t watch American football.
Betting Culture
NFL betting is one of the reasons it is so popular worldwide since the majority of operators offer regular season games and specials during events like the Super Bowl.
The UK is the sports betting center of Europe, and the NFL is no different. Many people in the UK bet on NFL matches, particularly the International Series, which takes place in London. Online bookmakers have made it convenient for people all over the world to bet on NFL matches.
Betting on American sports in Asia is less prevalent than betting on other sports, such as soccer or cricket, which are popular with domestic audiences.
Nonetheless, nations like South Korea have seen surges of interest in NFL betting, especially among younger supporters who are more exposed to American sports through electronic media.
In South America, soccer still dominates. However, there is a growing interest in NFL game betting, particularly in Brazil and Argentina. Access to online streaming websites and betting sites has made this possible.
The NFL’s popularity outside the United States indicates its strategic growth plans and the international popularity of American football.
By playing games overseas and tapping into online media, the NFL continues to expand its roots across all the continents. And, as gambling statistics indicate, the NFL is not only a sport to watch but also a vast sports betting industry worldwide.
As it continues to make inroads to attract international viewers, the NFL’s expansion of its global presence will likely be further felt in the upcoming years.