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The NFL canceled five international games in 2020 due to the pandemic. Commissioner Roger Goodell said on Thursday that the league plans to return to the UK and Mexico in 2021.
COVID-19, of course, will have the final say if that happens.
“We are planning international games in 21,” said Goodell. “This is the approach that we are going to take. Obviously, we will maintain close contact with our partners in the UK and Mexico and make sure that we do this safely. If at any time we feel that we cannot safely execute it, we will make that determination.
“We hope to get back there and we are planning this, and we will make that decision whenever we have enough information to do so.”
The NFL had four regular season games scheduled in London and one in Mexico City in 2020. The cancellations meant that Wembley did not host at least one regular season game for the first time since 2007.
The NFL is likely to make a final decision on its 2021 international schedule in May, before the program launches.
“Last year, I think we ended up deciding not to play international games just before the calendar was announced. I think it was in April, ”said Goodell. “I think this was done after a lot of consultation, not only with our official doctors, but also looking at the risk of the Players’ Association of traveling the whole party in a stadium that we were unable to implement our protocols. Not that they don’t have protocols, but we did have very strict protocols at our stadium, and we felt it was safer at our 30 stadiums here in the country, where we knew that these protocols were being implemented together and consistent with our policies. “