The National Football League (NFL) has made no secret of its desire to expand beyond the United States. The Global Markets Program (GMP) serves as the league’s primary initiative to broaden its international footprint.
The Detroit Lions were among four teams added to the program last year after being awarded marketing rights in Germany, Canada, Austria, and Switzerland. This inclusion allows the Lions to leverage opportunities in these regions, such as hosting fan engagement events and attracting new supporters. Additionally, the program enables teams to forge corporate partnerships and local business collaborations that enhance the NFL’s global presence.
Under the GMP, teams receive marketing rights for a minimum of five years, during which they can engage in activities consistent with their domestic operations. While this initiative has helped the NFL expand into various markets, the Middle East remains an untapped region for American football.
NFL Eyes the Middle East as a Potential Market
The NFL has already begun laying the groundwork for expansion into the Middle East. Last year, a league delegation visited the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to evaluate whether Abu Dhabi could serve as a host city for a future regular-season game.
The NFL has previously staged international games in England and Mexico, offering a precedent for expansion into new markets. Some sources suggest that the UAE is the frontrunner to host an NFL game, a claim reinforced by a high-ranking NFL team executive in an interview with CBS Sports:
“Abu Dhabi is theoretically the safest political harbor of all the places in the Middle East,” he stated to CBS Sports. “Saudi Arabia—clearly not. Qatar—no.
If I’m in the NFL and see the fact that the NBA has done it for three years and they’re way more progressive, you’re safest doing it.”
Why the Detroit Lions Are a Natural Fit for the Middle East Market
Abu Dhabi has rapidly emerged as a global destination, fueled by aggressive tourism initiatives backed by the UAE’s vast energy revenues. Given its strategic location and economic stability, the city could be the ideal gateway for the NFL into the Middle East—and the Detroit Lions could be the league’s golden ticket to making it happen.
Detroit is widely recognized as the Arab capital of the United States, home to over 400,000 residents of Middle Eastern and North African ancestry. The Dearborn suburb, in particular, has the largest proportionate Muslim population in the U.S. and is home to North America’s largest mosque.
This significant Arab-American presence has made Detroit’s professional sports teams hugely popular among Middle Eastern sports fans. This enthusiasm has even extended into the region’s emerging sports betting industry, where the Lions and other Detroit teams are frequently wagered on by Arab bettors.
The best sports betting sites are inundated with wagers from Middle Eastern bettors whenever the Lions play, highlighting the allure they possess. Given the NFL’s ambitions to expand into the Middle East, the Lions make a compelling case as the team best positioned to lead the charge.
The Lions Have Already Made Inroads in the Region
The Lions have previously engaged with the Middle East market. In 2015, former Lions punter Sam Martin spent several weeks visiting U.S. troops stationed in the region, including a stop in Bahrain.
During his visit, Martin described Bahrain as more “laid back” compared to other Middle Eastern countries—a sentiment that applies to the UAE as well. While in the region, he participated in autograph sessions with Arab sports fans and made public appearances in local communities, further strengthening the Lions’ presence.
The Lions: A Perfect Fit for the NFL’s Middle East Expansion
With Detroit’s deep Arab-American ties, the Lions’ existing popularity in the Middle East, and their previous engagement in the region, the team stands out as the ideal choice to front the NFL’s expansion bid.
If the league moves forward with hosting regular-season games in Abu Dhabi, it’s hard to envision the Detroit Lions not playing a central role in bringing American football to a brand-new audience.
