The Miami Dolphins will be headed back overseas in the 2025 regular season. Given the team's international rights markets and AFC teams getting nine home games in 2025, this was somewhat expected all along, but it became practically official Friday when Dolphins season ticket members were notified that the NFL has informed the team will play an international game next season. It figures that an official announcement from the league will come sooner rather than later, though final details regarding location and opponent might take a while. A good guess here would be the Dolphins will play in Spain, with Brazil also a possibility. In an interview with CNBC in September, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said he was envisioning seven international games for 2025, including games in England naturally, a likely return to Brazil (where the NFL had its first game this season), a first-ever game in Spain, and possible games in Germany and Mexico. The Dolphins are the only team in the NFL granted marketing rights in Spain and they're one of only two, along with the New England Patriots, with the rights for Brazil. As for the potential opponent for the international game opponent, we already knew seven of the Dolphins' nine home opponents for 2025: the AFC East rivals, the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The other two teams will be the ones from the AFC West and NFC East that finish in the same spot in their division. Based on the current standings, with the Dolphins in second place in the AFC East despite their disappointing 2-4 record, that would be the Denver Broncos and Philadelphia Eagles. DOLPHINS INTERNATIONAL HISTORY The Dolphins, of course, are no strangers to overseas games, having played six of those already. The last one was the 2023 game in Germany against the Kansas City Chiefs, when the Dolphins lost 21-14 as the road team. The Dolphins also have played five games in England, starting with the first-ever regular season international game in 2007, a 17-7 loss against the New York Giants. The Dolphins also defeated the Oakland Raiders (38-14) in London in 2014, lost against the New York Jets (27-14) in London in 2015, lost against the New Orleans Saints (20-0) in 2017 and lost against the Jacksonville Jaguars (23-20) in 2021. Additionally, the Dolphins defeated the Buffalo Bills, 16-3, in Toronto, Canada, during the 2008 regular season.
Horsesh!t if you ask me. The Dolphins play so many games overseas, losing home games most of the time, and some teams have yet to play anywhere but the U.S.
If the international games have to happen, then I'm in favor of that plan. Do four games in the UK, four in Europe, two each in Mexico City and Brazil. None of the games vs division rivals, but divisions all play overseas during the same week vs the "extra" game against the other conference. (this year that would be Green Bay for Miami) so that no team loses their turn for a home game against another club in the regular rotation. This would also help attempt to match up teams of similar quality in the games to limit blowouts. This also has the effect that the international games would have the smallest possible effect on any playoff tiebreakers, as none would be vs a conference opponent, and would only feature a common opponent vs four teams. Each team plays in one of the locations every four years. All of the games happen between Week 5 and Week 12. (or whichever the final week prior to Thanksgiving happens to be) Every team takes their bye, followed by a home game, after their international trip. No team is forced to play an international game after back to back road games.
The only way I would be in favour of the Dolphins playing in Europe is if it is a road game against Buffalo... That way we do not have to go up there in Late December and play on the frozen tundra.
The only site so far that I don’t really like is Brazil. When the area is too dangerous for NFL players to be out and about, that’s no place for fans to be. The NFL should look elsewhere for a fourth international site, imo.
