NFL will reportedly never surpass cricket or soccer even if “100,000 people show up at a cricket arena to watch an NFL game at 10.30 in the morning local time on a weekday”

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NFL will reportedly never surpass cricket or soccer even if “100,000 people show up at a cricket arena to watch an NFL game at 10.30 in the morning local time on a weekday”

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NFL will reportedly never surpass cricket or soccer even if “100,000 people show up at a cricket arena to watch an NFL game at 10.30 in the morning local time on a weekday” (Image 1 via Getty, Image 2 via Pinterest: Stephen A. Smith and NFL logo)
Stephen A. Smith is all praise for the NFL after 100,021 fans showed up at Melbourne Cricket Ground for the Los Angeles Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers game in Melbourne, Australia.The fans packed the iconic venue for the NFL’s first regular-season game. ESPN’s First Take host Stephen A. Smith is astounded by the league’s globalization. He praised the attendance at the football game on a weekday morning.“Let’s give props to the NFL,” Smith said. “Once again, the NFL is showing that it is rapidly becoming the No. 1 sport in the world. Not just the world. I know in America, that’s a given, but in the world, when 100,000 people show up at a cricket arena to watch an NFL game at 10.30 in the morning local time.What do you say to that? The NFL. 100,000 people on a weekday showing up at a place where they’re usually watching cricket, and instead they’re watching an NFL game? I mean, damn! I got to give props where props are due. The NFL wants to globalize its brand. And ladies and gentlemen, they are doing it.”

NFL popularity is growing

The Melbourne crowd shocked everyone. It was the 7th-largest attendance for an NFL regular-season game. This shows how American football can attract a huge audience outside the United States. The league is also aggressively pushing internationally.In 2026 alone, the NFL has scheduled a record nine international games across seven countries and four continents. Its Global Markets Program includes all 32 teams across 22 international markets for the 2026 season.Nevertheless, one massive crowd presence does not mean global sporting dominance. When Stephen A. Smith spoke highly of the NFL, X fans couldn’t help but mention soccer and cricket.

Cricket has deep cultural roots

Cricket has been around for generations, for as long as anyone can remember. It originated in southeastern England during the late 16th century. The NFL came in the 20th century. Unlike the NFL, cricket possesses generations of cultural familiarity.In countries like Australia, England, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and South Africa, cricket is embedded in sporting traditions, national identity, and everyday conversations. Just like how the NFL is in America.The scale of cricket’s digital audience also speaks to its massive reach. The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 surpassed 10 billion video views across official ICC digital channels. In 2023, it generated 6.64 billion video views across ICC channels before the tournament had even reached its halfway point.As for American football, 100,021 fans attended an NFL regular-season game outside of America in an Australian cricket ground. But this alone does not prove that every cricket fan could become an NFL fan. Mega events attract massive crowds. But they do not necessarily turn global sports fans into permanent followers of a new sport.

Soccer remains a global benchmark

Soccer puts forth an even greater challenge for cricket and the NFL. FIFA estimates that football has 5 billion fans worldwide, with especially large fan bases across Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa.

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The 2026 FIFA World Cup further demonstrated that reach, recording 4.6 million attendances across its first 72 matches.The first Melbourne NFL game proves that American football can travel – and travel impeccably. But surpassing cricket or soccer globally probably requires filling a popular stadium more than once.The NFL could build sustained grassroots participation, local fandom, youth development, and year-round cultural relevance across markets where other sports already have deep roots.The 100,021 spectators in Melbourne are a memorable milestone, but not necessarily proof that the NFL could overtake the world’s reigning sporting giants like soccer and cricket.
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