The NFL has been steadily expanding its reach beyond the US, but the possibility of an actual franchise playing its home games outside the country has always seemed like a much bigger leap. That conversation has taken a more serious turn recently, with commissioner Roger Goodell saying he has “no doubt” that NFL teams will eventually be based outside the United States.
The comments have put NFL expansion back in the spotlight, particularly as the league prepares for a record nine international games during the 2026 season. With games scheduled in countries including Australia, France, Germany, Brazil, Spain, Mexico and the UK, the NFL is clearly becoming more comfortable taking its product around the world.
For football fans north of the border, that raises an obvious question: could Toronto be a candidate for one of those future franchises?
The idea isn’t as crazy as it sounds. The city already has a thriving sports culture, a huge population and an established NFL fanbase. There are some significant hurdles to overcome, but Toronto could have a stronger case than you might think.
The Case for an NFL Team in Toronto
If the NFL decided to put a team in Canada, Toronto would not be starting from scratch. The city already has major franchises in the NHL, NBA, MLB and MLS, giving it plenty of experience supporting professional sports leagues that operate across the US and Canada.
Both the Raptors and Blue Jays have shown that Toronto can support major sports franchises beyond hockey, while the city’s size and corporate base give an NFL franchise a market rife with potential.
There is also an established football audience to tap into. Canadians already follow the NFL closely, with fans across the country tuning in every Sunday and many travelling south of the border to attend games.
That gives Toronto a significant advantage. An NFL team would not need to introduce the city to American football. It would be entering a market where plenty of potential fans are already watching.
Getting an NFL Team to Toronto Wouldn’t Be Simple
Toronto has a lot going for it, but getting an NFL franchise here would require more than a big fanbase. The biggest issue may be the stadium. Rogers Centre has hosted NFL games before, but it is not currently an NFL-ready home for a permanent franchise.
There is also the cost. An expansion franchise would require an enormous investment from an ownership group, while building or significantly upgrading a stadium would add another major expense.
Then there is the question of whether the NFL is actually ready to expand. Adding Toronto would mean another roster, another market and more complexity for the league’s schedule and divisions.
So while Toronto has many of the ingredients the NFL would want, getting an actual franchise would be a much bigger step.
The Buffalo Bills Could Complicate Things
There is one obvious complication to putting an NFL team in Toronto: the Buffalo Bills already have a presence there. Buffalo has spent years building a following across Southern Ontario, which is one of the reasons Toronto has long been an attractive market for a franchise.
The Bills even played six regular-season games and two preseason games at Rogers Centre between 2008 and 2013. The series ended, but the team has continued to target Canadian fans. In 2025, the Bills partnered with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment to grow their presence in Canada.
That could make a Toronto franchise a tricky sell. The NFL would not want to undermine a team that already has a strong fanbase in the region, particularly when the Bills are actively investing in that market.
At the same time, the Bills’ success in Southern Ontario could be seen as proof that there is plenty of appetite for NFL football in Toronto. The question is whether there is enough room for two NFL fanbases to coexist.
Canada Has Some Big Advantages as an NFL Market
The NFL’s international expansion comes with an obvious challenge: geography. A team based in Europe or Australia would face much longer travel times for road games, creating logistical and scheduling headaches that don’t exist when the team is just across the US border.
Canada offers a much simpler option. A Toronto-based franchise could travel to most NFL cities without crossing an ocean, while visiting teams would face a relatively straightforward trip north of the border. That would make the regular season far easier to manage than with a team based overseas.
There is also no major language barrier. English is widely spoken in Toronto, while the city already has the infrastructure and corporate connections needed to operate a major North American sports franchise.
If the league is serious about turning its international ambitions into reality, Canada seems like the most obvious place to start. Toronto would qualify as the NFL’s first international market, but it would not feel quite as foreign as putting a team on the other side of the Atlantic.
Will Toronto Actually Get an NFL Team?
An NFL team in Toronto is still far from a done deal, and there are plenty of hurdles before the idea becomes reality. The stadium, franchise cost and the Bills’ existing presence in Southern Ontario would all need to be worked out.
Still, the bigger picture is encouraging for Canadian football fans. If the NFL follows through on its plans for an international franchise, Canada makes plenty of sense as a first step. Toronto, in particular, has the market, fanbase and infrastructure to make a strong case.
For now, an NFL team in Toronto remains a possibility rather than a prediction, but it is becoming harder to dismiss. For NFL fans in the GTA, the possibility of finally having a home team to cheer for is getting a little more real.