The NFL wants to become a major force globally, and Nike is dedicated to helping it expand its reach worldwide. On Wednesday, the NFL and Nike announced a 10-year extension of their partnership, focusing on growing the game globally, boosting participation, developing new talent, and increasing the number of football fans.
Nike, the biggest supplier of athletic shoes and apparel in the world, has been the NFL’s exclusive provider of uniforms, sideline, practice, and base layer apparel for all 32 teams for 12 years.
“Nike is a global brand, an iconic name around the world, known for great athletes and sports,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in an interview with The Associated Press. “They’re the kind of brand that, especially in partnership with us, will help get kids to play the game around the world. This partnership adds credibility to both sides.”
Growing the sport internationally has become an important goal for the NFL in recent years. The league has worked to increase the popularity of flag football and has pushed for it to be included in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
This season, the NFL played five international games in Brazil, England, and Germany. The league will host its first regular-season game in Berlin in 2025, and league executive Peter O’Reilly said that playing in Germany every year is expected.
The aim is to have eight international games next year, which could eventually double to the point where every team plays internationally each season.
In December 2021, the NFL started giving teams international home marketing rights in different countries. This allows teams to market, engage with fans, and grow their commercial presence internationally, which helps expand the NFL’s global fan base.
“We want our partners to support our players in many different ways because they have various interests,” Goodell said. “Some may be international. Some might be involved in community work, and some may be in tackle or flag football. We want a partner with the capabilities Nike brings.”
Another key part of the NFL-Nike partnership is player health and safety. The league will use Nike’s Sport Research Lab and its expertise in product design to address lower body injuries and improve footwear safety.
“Their innovation will be critical to our global growth, but also in making cleats safer and better for the different fields we play on to help improve performance,” Goodell said. “That’s what the players want.”
Nike will continue to support grassroots, high school, and college-level youth development programs for both flag and tackle football, helping to expand the sport further.
“Together with the NFL, we’re committed to growing football globally,” said Elliott Hill, President and CEO of Nike. “We believe in the power of sports to inspire and bring people together.
We’re working to grow flag and tackle football and develop new talent through storytelling, initiatives to increase participation, and expanding the football fan base. I’m excited about what two of the biggest names in sports can achieve together.”
