The 2024/25 National Football League (NFL) season kicked off last night in Arrowhead Stadium, with the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs tackling the Baltimore Ravens as the Chiefs start their campaign to become the first NFL team to ever win three straight Super Bowls. They face an uphill task as none of the eight teams that have won back-to-back championships ever returned to the Super Bowl the following year. Three of those lost in the ensuing Conference Championship game, two lost in the Divisional Round, and three missed the play-offs altogether.

A full slate of 14 games is scheduled for this weekend but, before we get to those, there is a historic game lined up for this evening in São Paulo, Brazil, at the famous Corinthians Arena. This is the first time that the NFL will play a game in South America and the first time the league has played a game on a Friday night of its opening weekend in over 50 years, when the St Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams met on September 18, 1970.

As the league seeks to expand its global footprint, these two National Football Conference (NFC) powerhouses will venture into Brazil, with a population of 203 million, which now boasts the NFL’s second-biggest international market, after Mexico, with an estimated 38 million fans. And though the game will be played on neutral ground, the Eagles enter as the home team and also as JustBet favourites to return to North America with a victory.

The popularity of American football in Brazil is driven by the National Brazilian American Football League (NBAFL), an American football league in Brazil that is similar in structure to the NFL, with conferences, wildcards, and a single-game final called the Brazil Bowl. The Packers are considered to be the most popular NFL team in Brazil (maybe due to their familiar green and yellow outfit), with the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins following closely in popularity. However, with the colour green affiliated with gang activity in Brazil, the Eagles are expected to forego this aspect of their kits this evening, while the Packers are (possibly) still debating whether or not to don their green gears.

On the issue of gang activity, a number of players have openly expressed their opinion of travelling to Brazil and the potential safety concerns due to the high crime rate.The itinerary indicates that the teams will depart Brazil immediately after the game, having landed on Wednesday night, but even the 48-hour stay has not allayed the concerns. Specific instructions have been given to the travelling contingents to remain in their hotels and, therefore, the usual tourist-type activity will not be an option, and the view of the São Paulo mural to commemorate the event — depicting both starting quarterbacks, Jalen Hurts and Jordan Love — will probably only be seen in passing.

There is also a major health concern that looms large over the event, due to the devastating wildfires that have struck the surrounding area. Reportedly, over 30 neighbouring cities have been affected by the wildfires, leading to a “very unhealthy” drop in air quality, according to Brasilia’s Environmental Institute. The deterioration of the air quality has resulted in a smog alert being issued, the first time since 2007, and to further complicate the issue, it has been determined that the fires are due to deliberate human action, compounded by drought conditions in the region.

These challenges, along with compliance with the recently instituted national ban of
X (formerly Twitter) by Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes (in response to owner Elon Musk refusing to ban certain accounts), are possibly par for the course when organising events of this magnitude; however, the safety of the players must be of utmost importance, and one would expect that the NFL will make decisions with their well-being in mind.

That said, it is hoped that the play on the gridiron will not be impacted by these external elements as a dogfight is anticipated. Green Bay has won five of the last eight regular-season contests against Philadelphia and the clubs have split the last four matches; therefore, on paper, this should be evenly contested. However, they last met in November of 2022 — where the Eagles won 40-33 — and a lot has changed since then.

The Eagles were seventh in the NFL in points per game (25.5) last season, while the Packers were 12th with 22.5, so it is fair to expect that JustBet would have Philadelphia as a three-point favourite. After having lost the 2023 Super Bowl and suffered an early exit in the 2024 Wildcard Round against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Eagles will be approaching this season with a point to prove. Granted, they are rebuilding in some key areas and the retirement of centre Jason Kelce cannot be understated, along with the loss of cornerback James Bradberry. Notedly, they have added running back Saquon Barkley who is expected to provide some needed spark to their ground game.

The Packers, in their quarterback transition from Aaron Rodgers to Jordan Love last year, saw Love explode into the player they hoped he would be, completing 70.3 per cent of his passes for 2,150 yards and 20 touchdowns, with only one interception over the final eight games. They have two bonafide wide receivers in Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks, who showed up in their rookie season, collectively recording a total of 2,058 yards and 20 touchdowns. Defensively, the Packers were a disruptive force last year and Quay Walker, the 2022 first-round pick, was particularly effective. In his first two seasons he recorded 239 total tackles, 10 pass breakups, four sacks, and three forced fumbles.

If the game plays anywhere close to form, it will be a thrill ride. Both teams are coming off play-off appearances: Green Bay reached the NFC divisional round after defeating the Dallas Cowboys before falling to Super Bowl runner-up, the San Francisco 49ers, while the Eagles started strong last season, going 10-1 before losing six of their final seven games, then faltered in the Wildcard Round.

This game will be played in unfamiliar territory but nothing unfamiliar is expected between the first and final whistle. The tradition that started on October 2, 2005, in the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, between the Arizona Cardinals and the San Francisco 49ers, has become a mainstay for the NFL. This global trend will see four other international games this season: The New York Jets vs Minnesota Vikings in Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London (Week 5), the Chicago Bears vs Jacksonville Jaguars in Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London (Week 6), the New England Patriots vs the Jaguars in Wembley Stadium, London (Week 7), and the New York Giants vs the Carolina Panthers in Allianz Stadium, Munich, Germany (Week 10). Are you ready for some football?

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Super Bowl LIX Champion – February 9, 2025

Team Odds

Kansas City Chiefs 6.40

San Francisco 49ers 6.80

Baltimore Ravens 11.00

Detroit Lions 13.00

Cincinnati Bengals 14.00

Buffalo Bills 15.00

Philadelphia Eagles 15.00

Houston Texans 17.00

Green Bay Packers 18.00

Dallas Cowboys 19.00

*Only top 10 odds are shown (see website for full list)

Note: Odds are subject to change