Broncos won't play international game in 2026, but they could host in 2027

The NFL has announced the teams set to play in Mexico this fall.

The San Francisco 49ers, who were already the known "home" team, are set to host the Minnesota Vikings at Estadio Azteca (now called Estadio Banorte) in 2026.

The Denver Broncos were believed to be a strong candidate for the game because they are among San Francisco's opponents this season, and Mexico is the Broncos' designated international market. Instead, the NFL has picked Minnesota to face the Niners this fall.

The full slate of 2026 international games has now been announced, and Denver won't play outside of the United States this season.

Because the NFL has an unbalanced 17-game schedule, the AFC and NFC alternate hosting eight or nine home games. The NFC has nine home games this season, and the AFC will have nine next season.

The Broncos will be required to "host" an international game by the 2028 season, and it would make sense to do so in a year that the club has an "extra" home game. So it wouldn't be surprising to see the Broncos play in an international game in 2027, and Mexico would be a logical location. That's merely dot-connecting, though. We'll see what the NFL has planned in the coming months.