NFL sales up nearly 40% over last year, international games continue to rise in popularity, per StubHub

According to StubHub’s 2024 NFL Season Preview, NFL sales are up 38% over last year’s start. The most in-demand tickets go to “America’s Team,” the Dallas Cowboys, with the Las Vegas Raiders not far behind. 

This season, buyers from 72 countries have purchased tickets for games. 

“The NFL’s global popularity continues to expand — international fans have purchased 41% more tickets for games on StubHub, compared to last season’s start, while South America will play host to its first NFL game,” StubHub spokesperson Adam Budelli said. “The wide-reaching Cowboy fan base takes the top spot on our list of best-selling teams for the fourth time since 2017, just narrowly outselling the Raiders and the incredible sales driven by Vegas visitors.”

The New York Jets lead the teams for international buyers at 6% of tickets sold, followed by the Miami Dolphins (5%), New York Giants (4%), Los Angeles Chargers (3%) and New England Patriots (3%). The Miami Dolphins have the widest international following, with 29 countries attending home games. The Giants have 21 countries attending games, the Cowboys and Chargers have 18 and the Los Angeles Rams have 17 countries attending home games. 

The numbers are based on the percentage of cumulative tickets sold and the number of countries buying on StubHub North America and viagogo international for the 2024 season United States home games to buyers outside of the United States and Canada as of Aug. 19.

The NFL is expanding its international reach and it shows in the ticket sales. Fans from outside the U.S. purchased 40% more tickets compared to the start of the 2023 season. Canada’s interest has increased the most year over year, with 46% more tickets sold compared to last season. The United Kingdom is seeing 38% more sales than the start of 2023 and Germany has 28% more sales.

As a whole, international buyers account for 8% of all NFL tickets sold on StubHub, compared to 4% last year. The increased interest is coming from abroad and the appeal to the international games is growing as well. 

Here is a look at the international games ranked, based on international tickets for the 2024 season:

These five games have sold 35% more tickets than last season’s international games, which took place in Frankfurt and London. Fans living in the United States have purchased 36% more tickets to the international games, compared to 2023, with the top numbers coming from North Carolina, followed by New York, Florida, Illinois and New Jersey.

“The NFL is an increasingly international brand, which is also the case for many of the top teams. We see this trend in the increase in international attendees across the season but also in an increase in sales for the international games themselves,” Budelli said. “The international games also continue to be a hot destination event for U.S. fans as the number of U.S. buyers traveling abroad to see these teams has increased.”

After the Cowboys and Raiders, the most in-demand teams to round out the top 10 are the Steelers, Falcons, 49ers, Packers, Rams, Bears, Seahawks and Eagles.