Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes Eye Global Expansion: “We Want to Take American Football Worldwide” Ahead of São Paulo NFL Game

As the Kansas City Chiefs prepare to kick off the 2025 NFL season against the Los Angeles Chargers in São Paulo, Brazil, Super Bowl-winning stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce are setting their sights beyond the gridiron—talking about the future of American football and its debut on the Olympic stage.

Flag Football Goes Olympic: Mahomes Eyes New Glory

Patrick Mahomes, already a three-time Super Bowl champion and one of the most decorated quarterbacks in NFL history, has his eyes on a new prize: becoming an Olympian. With flag football—a fast-paced, non-contact variant of the sport—added to the Olympic programme for the Los Angeles 2028 Games (LA28), Mahomes could soon have a chance to earn gold in a whole new arena.

“I know it will be really cool to showcase American football worldwide in the Olympics through flag football,” Mahomes told Olympics.com. “We have a lot of guys who will be competing for those spots, but I think it’s an honour to be named an Olympian at any point.”

The prospect of NFL stars competing on the Olympic stage has generated excitement among fans and players alike. Mahomes, who will be in his early thirties by LA28, joked about his age but expressed hope that he’d still be nimble enough for Olympic competition.

“I’ll be a little older by then [LA28], but hopefully I’m still young enough to move around and play some football,” Mahomes said.

Kelce, ever the jokester, chimed in: “You might have to be the water boy or something. You’d still get a gold medal though!” Their camaraderie, forged through three Super Bowl victories, was on full display as they discussed the future of the sport.

NFL’s Global Push: São Paulo and Beyond

Mahomes and Kelce spoke to the media ahead of the Chiefs’ season opener at Corinthians Arena in São Paulo, marking the NFL’s first-ever regular season game in Brazil. The event is part of a broader NFL initiative to expand the league’s footprint, with international games scheduled in Dublin, London, Berlin, Madrid, and São Paulo.

“Obviously we want to take American football worldwide, and you can see the fanbase in Brazil. I’m super excited to get out there and play in front of the fans — they look pumped. It’s going to be a great environment,” Mahomes said. “That’s what we want to do when we play professionally: play in front of fans who want to see football, and that’s exactly the opportunity we’re getting.”

Kelce echoed the enthusiasm, highlighting the significance of bringing the NFL to new audiences. “It’s exciting,” he said. “Like Pat said, we’re trying to take this game worldwide, and we’re so fortunate that Brazil has the interest and excitement to see more of the NFL. We’re proud to be one of the teams chosen to showcase that.”

The Future: American Football on a Global Stage

With flag football set to make its Olympic debut and the NFL expanding its international reach, Mahomes and Kelce represent a new era of American football—one that’s focused not just on championships, but on sharing the sport with fans across the globe.

Their excitement for both the Olympic opportunity and the NFL’s global push is palpable, and as they take the field in São Paulo, they’ll be playing not only for victory, but for the future of football worldwide.

The Kansas City Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Chargers season opener in São Paulo kicks off a landmark year for the NFL and the sport’s global ambitions. Will we see Mahomes and Kelce competing for Olympic gold in LA28? Only time will tell, but the journey to take American football worldwide is well underway.