The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the largest global brands in professional sports, and one of the most popular teams in the NFL.
Despite that popularity, and the eyes that they draw wherever they go, the Steelers won’t be playing an overseas game in 2024.
According to a press release from the NFL, the Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings, Jacksonville Jaguars and Carolina Panthers will headline the London games and the Munich game in Germany in 2024. The Bears, Vikings and Jaguars will host games in London, while the Panthers will host the game in Munich.
None of those four teams are on the Steelers’ 2024 schedule.
In 2024, the Steelers will square off against the AFC North foes Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals in home/road splits, per usual. The Steelers will also host the Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, New York Giants and New York Jets in 2024.
Pittsburgh will take on the Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, Las Vegas Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders on the road next season.
All four designated teams playing in the U.K. and Germany in the Bears, Vikings, Jaguars and Panthers are part of the NFL’s Global Markets Program, which awards international marketing rights to NFL teams in countries beyond the U.S. to build fandom and realize brand and commercial opportunities, according to the NFL’s press release.
The Bears, Vikings and Jaguars have international marketing rights in the U.K., while the Panthers have those rights in Germany. As a reminder, the Steelers have international marketing rights in Ireland.
The Steelers previously had marketing rights in Mexico, too.
However, the NFL is holding off on announcing details for the São Paulo game in Brazil in 2024, a game that the Steelers could be part of.
Expanding the NFL’s footprint in other countries with another international game was initially discussed during the league’s owners meeting that took place in Dallas in mid-December as the NFL’s international series has been a topic that the league has discussed, looking to expand to other nations.
