The NFL will be for the entire world soon. In a new announcement, the NFL is set to expand the business to all the corners of the world. The sport is mostly known to remain within the confines of America, with little to no international representation in the 32 teams. While the NFL community is spread all over globally, the lack of diversity in the sport has been a long-known controversy.

Currently, the NFL contains only 19 international players in the league. All of these players are part of an active contract but still exist as a minority within an American sport. Some of the players who are part of an active roster include- Jordan Mailata (Australia), David Bada and Jakob Johnson (Germany), Sammis Reyes (Chile), and Efe Obada (UK — Washington Commanders). The long-awaited demands finally come to light with the NFL’s latest announcement and this can only mean good news for the outreach of the sport as a whole.

NFL goes international

In a recent tweet by Senior NFL Insider, Adam Schefter of ESPN, it was announced that the NFL is introducing a new policy for the diversity of the game. Starting in 2024, all 32 teams of the NFL will be required to include at least one international player in the squad. This will be done in hopes of creating more inclusivity and providing more opportunities for athletes all over the world.

The NFL previously introduced a similar policy in 2017 and helped sign over 37 new players with 19 making active rosters in the league. While most congratulate the idea, a lot of fans seem to believe that this policy is nothing more than just a money-minded move. A user on  X (Formerly Twitter), commented, “So to hell to all those players who have sacrificed their lives to get in. 😂”

A fan also commented, “They’re forcing international players to be on a team that competes in an American sport? Doesn’t make much sense tbh.“

Another user wrote, “What? If they don’t earn it they don’t belong!”

This person had a harsh opinion saying, “Taking jobs from Americans smh”

Another user commented, “Helping” to create more opportunities for the owners to make more money in more countries.”

Read More: Reports: Anonymous Owner Reveals NFL Is Expected to Add More Teams in the League as International Expansion Accelerates

NFL’s international players in the league

Though international players aren’t expressed majorly in the league, some of the players have actually made it very far in the NFL. The LT of the Eagles, Jordan Mailata has had a successful career in the NFL. He signed a four-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018, making him one of the highest-paid international athletes. The valuation of the contract is $2,549,393 and his career seems extremely promising with the Eagles in the upcoming season.

The NFL is no doubt a global phenomenon, but the sport has lacked international representation for the longest time. Maybe the introduction of the new policy will finally get the ball rolling for the world to finally enter the dominion of the infamous sport. While the policy will be implemented in 2024, it is yet to be seen if the fans will welcome these players with open arms or not. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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