Further to his comments to Gridiron‘s own Neil Reynolds, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has doubled down on his belief that the league can take its wares worldwide.

Speaking ahead of the first of five ‘overseas’ games scheduled this season, and the first ever to be staged in South America as the Green Bay Packers face the Philadelphia Eagles in São Paulo, Goodell told Good Morning Football that playing in Brazil was just the next step towards taking the game inter-continental.

“We feel like this game is destined to be global,” the commissioner insisted, backing up his long-held belief that the NFL deserves to be recognised — and play — around the world. “We expect to be in Asia soon. We expect to be in Australia soon. We’re going to make sure that our game is available around the globe.

“We want to go where the fans are, where we think a game will really catapult that kind of momentum, and I think that’s what will happen here [in Brazil]. The fans here are just going crazy. I think the reaction is going to be extraordinary and really help us continue our efforts to make this game global.”

Goodell went on to explain that talks to expand the NFL’s regular season slate would only help support plans to play more games overseas.

“I think the ownership has been great on that,” he noted. “They’ve passed a resolution where every team is obligated to play [games abroad]. We’re going to have eight [International Series] games a year — minimum. And, if we do get to an 18-game season, we will likely see even more international games. I hope someday we’ll be playing 16.”

The meeting between the Eagles and Packers is not only the first NFL regular season game to be played in South America, it is also the first contest for 50 years to be played on the Friday of opening weekend. Both teams featured in the playoffs last season, with the Packers — who boast a league-best 59 Week 1 wins — fairing decidedly better than their counterparts by progressing beyond the Wild Card round. As a result, the Eagles will hope to start the season on the right foot, bouncing back from their end-of-season malaise with Kellen Moore now taking over the offensive playcalling for QB Jalen Hurts and new RB Saquon Barkley and Vic Fangio doing likewise on defense after a summer of change in the City of Brotherly Love.

Green Bay, meanwhile, will look to 2023 breakout star, QB Jordan Love, to continue his ascendancy, after throwing for 4,000 yards and 32 touchdowns in his first full year under center. Former Raider Josh Jacobs replaces Aaron Jones in the backfield, while Love still has a young receiving corps at his disposal.

However the two teams perform, Goodell’s assertion that the ‘fans are going crazy’ is likely to be borne out in true Brazilian style, with fireworks highlighting what is expected to be a carnival atmosphere in Corinthians Arena.