MLB’s Internationalization Plans

The major U.S. leagues are continuing to expand their international brand presence. While the NFL, NBA, and NHL are positioning themselves broadly on the international stage, MLB is focusing more on baseball’s existing core markets. Stadionwelt provides an overview.

Expanding American sports and the global brand presence of professional U.S. leagues is currently one of the key goals of the major leagues. After the National Football League (NFL) firmly established international games in its regular season calendar, it plans to stage even more games abroad in the coming years. For the 2025/26 season alone, the league is planning, for the first time, to hold eight regular-season games outside the USA similar approach is being pursued by the National Basketball Association (NBA). Widely regarded as the best basketball league in the world, the NBA is increasingly targeting the European market in the coming years. With considerations for launching an “NBA Europe” as a standalone league, the brand presence in Europe is expected to be further strengthened and expanded. The third major U.S. sports league, the NHL, is also working to further penetrate the international market. Plans even include a stand-alone "World Championship" without the involvement of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).