Brazil is about to become the NFL’s biggest market outside the United States. With 36 million fans, the South American country is only behind Mexico, which currently has 40 million, considering international venues.
The information was given by Luis Martínez, General Manager of NFL Brazil during a talk at the Sports Summit, which is taking place in its third edition between October 30th and November 1st, in São Paulo. The event, aimed at the sports market, brings together professionals in the sector, entities, athletes and companies in the industry.
In his speech, Martínez highlighted the importance of Brazil for the NFL, detailing the league’s strategy to grow its impact, presence and influence among Brazilian fans.
— International expansion is one of the most important things for the NFL at the moment, we want to expand its reach, and Brazil represents an opportunity — he said.
— Brazilians already have football, that is, they are already open to the sport. But it’s not just football, they are also big fans of Formula 1, NBA, tennis, etc. — he analyzed.
Martínez then went into detail about the audience in Brazil and how the league intends to create content that encompasses the country’s diversity, in a language that is authentic to the NFL’s culture but that speaks to the profile of the Brazilian fan.
According to the data presented by him, among these 40 million NFL fans in Brazil, 37% are women, 51% are under 34 years old, in addition to the large presence of casual fans from the LGBTQ+ community.
— This diversity gives us the opportunity to create disruptive and casual content on different platforms, whether TikTok or stories, and we have compiled information on how to better communicate with Brazilians — said Martínez.
The response from Brazilian fans to the communication strategies adopted by the NFL has been positive. In addition to impressive numbers on social media, such as 1 billion views, 500 million impressions and 6 million followers on NFL networks in Brazil, the league will expand its reach by holding a game in Rio de Janeiro in 2026, after two seasons of matches at the NeoQuímica Arena, in São Paulo.
— Our mission is clear, it is our mantra. We want to add value to the league, its 32 teams and more value locally, for Brazilian fans. It’s a huge commitment. And everyone is welcome, regardless of your level of knowledge or connection to the NFL, whether it’s the Super Bowl, the halftime show, Taylor Swift, every fan plays an important role for the league. And when we know this role, we can produce something specific for this fan — he explained.
MORE: Sports Summit brings together giants of the sports market again in the 3rd edition in São Paulo
Sports Summit: schedule
The 2025 edition will be held at the WTC Events Center, in the south of São Paulo, and will feature the The Sporting News as one of the partners.
This year’s program includes activities parallel to the fair, such as poker matches promoted by H2 Clube with the participation of guests from sports and entertainment, as well as an octagon set up on the Market Floor for jiu-jitsu and martial arts fights in partnership with Mundo Combate.
On November 1st, a charity auction is also planned with works and experiences linked to the sporting universe, with proceeds going to a partner institute that works with social inclusion through sport.
Event expands space for e-sports
The 2025 edition will have expanded space for debates on the digital scenario. The Sports Summit will include in its programming panels and activations focused on the universe of e-sports, a segment that continues to expand and is expected to surpass the mark of 600 million viewers worldwide this year, according to data from Statista.
Among the confirmed names are Joker (co-founder of Loud Sports Club), Roberta Coelho (CEO of MIBR), Nyvi Estephan (presenter and influencer) and Marcio Zuba (director of E-Sports at the Ministry of Sports). The event will also feature an E-Sports Arena for competitions between professional teams.
Kings League will have panel on presence in Brazil
A phenomenon on social media and with a strong audience in the country, the Kings League will also be on the Sports Summit schedule. The event will have a panel dedicated to the sports entertainment model created by Gerard Piquéwith the presence of Beatriz Scavazzini (president of Kings League Brasil), Rafael Gimenes (head of marketing), Cris Guedes (co-president of Fúria FC) and again Nyvi Estephan, now as president of Nyvelados Fute Club.
Presences of Olympic sport and football
The program will feature representatives from different sports. In volleyball, Olympic champions André Heller, Bruninho Rezende e Mauricio Lima will participate in a panel about the Vôlei Renata project and its professional management. The presence of Sebastián Pereira, executive manager of COB, is also expected.
In football, former players like Danny Moraes, Patric Cabral e Zé Roberto will integrate debates linked to the development of the sport. The agenda also includes topics such as protection in the sporting environment, with the participation of Luis Villas-Boas, director of judicial bodies at FIFA.
Eduardo Toni (marketing director at São Paulo) and Vinicius Manfredi de Azevedo (marketing superintendent at Corinthians) will discuss sponsorship strategies. The São Paulo Football Federation will present the Paulistão case as a relevant championship for brands in the national market, with Bernardo Itri (executive vice-president) and Rodrigo Iorio (LiveMode).
Brands and media confirm participation
The Sports Summit will have institutional support from the São Paulo Municipal Tourism Department. The box office will be the responsibility of Ticketmaster. Among the confirmed partners are Fundação Pelé and Sport Integrity Global Alliance.
