NFL returns to Brazil in 2025, designated Los Angeles Chargers as home team in Week 1 game

Posted by author February 19, 2025 NFL

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The NFL is booking another trip to Brazil.

On Wednesday, the league announced they would return to São Paulo at Corinthians Arena on Friday night in Week 1 of the 2025 regular season, designating the Los Angeles Chargers as the home team.

The kickoff time and Chargers‘ opponent for the game, set for Friday, Sept. 5, 2025, will be announced at the schedule release that’s expected in mid-May.

There are nine potential opponents for the Chargers to play in that game – Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings.

Given the Colts and Steelers are already slated for international play in 2025, it seems unlikely they would also be scheduled for this game.

It marks the second consecutive year for a Brazilian contest, which saw the Philadelphia Eagles defeat the Green Bay Packers last season. The game was introduced ahead of the 2024 season as part of the NFL’s continued international expansion.

The announcement also ensures that the Week 1 schedule should, once again, mirror last year’s loaded slate that featured games on Thursday, Friday, Sunday and Monday in the opening week.

International games have only continued to grow in recent years, especially as an imbalanced 17-game schedule created an opportunity to use that extra home game for games overseas. With the NFC getting the ninth home game in 2024, three of the four international contests were hosted by teams from that conference.

That script has been flipped to the AFC in 2025, with the NFL’s sizeable international slate all designating teams from that conference as the home side.

Games are set to take place in London, Berlin and Brazil, with the new additions featuring Dublin and Madrid to the schedule in 2025. In 2026, the NFL will add Australia to the docket, already announcing the Los Angeles Rams as the home team.