NFL To Invade Canada In 2008

Buffalo Bills Raid CFL's Turf By Playing Miami Dophins In Canada

Jun 23, 2008 John F. O'Connor

Toronto joins Mexico City and London as hosts for National Football League regular seasong games

Last year, the National Football League went international by holding one of its regular season games in London's Wembley Stadium.

The New York Giants and Miami Dolphins game drew a near capacity crowd despite fans braving a hard rain storm.

It marked the first time a regular season game has been played outside North America.

In 2005, the league played a regular season game in Mexico City with the Dallas Cowboys playing San Francisco 49ers before over 100,000 at Azteca Stadium,

The NFL had been doing this to promote the game worldwide. They have already played preseason games in Japan and Australia.

Now its Canada's turn.

NFL to Play Game in Canada

The NFL will play another regular season game outside the country this year when the Buffalo Bills will play the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, Dec. 7 at Toronto's Rogers Centre.

Since the Buffalo market includes Canada, this game is a natural fit. The Bills have agreed to play one home game in Canada in each of the next five years that includes some preseason games.

The Bills are doing this to expand its fan base in the hopes of surviving in the Buffalo market. The league is also testing Canada for future expansion.

Canada Already has Football

The National Football League playing in Canada has caused some concern for supporters of the Canadian Football League.

The CFL, which is celebrating its 50th birthday this season, plays a similar game to the NFL with a variation to the rules and a much bigger playing field.

The two leagues have been involved in bidding wars for certain star players in the past and the CFL tried to expand into the United States in the early part of the 1990's.

The NFL now subsidizes the CFL hoping to keep that league going for player development purposes.

The CFL appears to be in good shape nowadays setting attendance records in each of the last three seasons in the eight team league.

The league will grow to nine teams in 2010 when Ottawa rejoins and a 10th team is in the realm of possibility.

Toronto in Market for NFL

The dynamics of the CFL would change if the NFL set up permanent shop in Toronto or other cities. One could see the two leagues merging in the future, but the CFL would have to conform to NFL style rules for that to happen. And remember, Los Angeles still doesn't have a team in the United States, and Mexico City could possibly host an expansion team.

The NFL is creating these possibilities thanks to its international policy.

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