The Philadelphia Eagles will make international history to help open the 2024 NFL season, "hosting" the league's first-ever South American contest in Brazil on Friday, Sept. 6. The special Week 1 affair, announced Monday by commissioner Roger Goodell, will kick off at Corinthians Arena in São Paulo, expanding the NFL's global presence while ringing in the new year of football.
Which team will take the international stage along with the Eagles? That has yet to be revealed. But a quick look at Philly's schedule of 2024 opponents helps us narrow down the possibilities. Because the Brazil game will count as one of the Eagles' nine home games next season, we can rule out almost half their potential opponents. That leaves the following:
- Atlanta Falcons
- Carolina Panthers
- Cleveland Browns
- Dallas Cowboys
- Green Bay Packers
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- New York Giants
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Washington Commanders
Both the Panthers and Jaguars are already scheduled to "host" their own international games in 2024, with Carolina set to play in Germany and Jacksonville set for its annual trip to London. That effectively eliminates them from another overseas venture.
A splashy rivalry game with the Cowboys would certainly be a draw, both in-stadium and on TV, but it's unlikely the NFL would strip the Eagles of their one guaranteed chance to host a divisional opponent in Philly. So it's relatively safe to say the NFC East foes are also off the table, leaving just four contenders for Brazil: the Browns, Falcons, Packers and Steelers.
Here's how we'd rank those four by likelihood of playing the Eagles overseas:
4. Falcons
The Eagles and Falcons have a surprisingly strong recent history of early-season matchups, meeting in either Week 1 or Week 2 four different times in the last nine years (2015, 2018, 2019, 2021). There's also some juice in Atlanta with Raheem Morris taking over at head coach, and a new quarterback potentially on the way. But here's the holdup: The Falcons played in London just last year, so it stands to reason the NFL would let them preserve their domestic contests in 2024.
3. Browns
Cleveland is likely to have Deshaun Watson back under center for the start of a make-or-break year under Kevin Stefanski, and it's possible, if not probable, the NFL would prefer a cross-conference clash for this stage. The Browns also haven't played overseas since 2017, so they're ripe for the opportunity. But their home stadium is scheduled to host a special concert days before a would-be Week 2 game, which means a Brazil trip would likely delay Cleveland's home opener until Week 3.
2. Steelers
First, they haven't appeared overseas since 2013, giving them the longest drought of international action among the teams listed here. Second, even casual fans recognize the Steelers franchise, which has famously avoided a single losing season under coach Mike Tomlin, giving them widespread appeal. Besides the Pennsylvania rivalry, there's also the fact this would pit AFC against NFC, giving the South American market a taste of both conferences.
1. Packers
On paper, this is easily the most intriguing matchup from both a football and marketing standpoint. Green Bay appears to be one of the top up-and-coming contenders after QB Jordan Love's breakout as the starter. The Packers are a historic franchise. And they didn't play abroad in 2023, clearing the way for a more feasible trip. Squaring Love against Hurts and the Eagles would potentially give Brazil an up-close look at two of the NFC's most explosive contenders, provided Philly returns to form. Must-see material.
