The Dallas Cowboys are the most popular team in the NFL and probably also in the world. In fact, statistically in the Mexican market they are the most popular team in a survey that is conducted in that country year after year and therefore, when it is their turn to play a regular season game abroad, their priority will be to return to play at the Estadio Azteca.
This was reiterated by the owner of the world’s most valuable sports franchise, Jerry Jones, who said that when the time comes, he would like the game to be played in Mexico, the second most important market after the United States.
We would love to play all our games outside the country in Mexico
Jerry Jones
In an interview with ESPN, Jones said: “I can’t explain what our Mexican fans mean to us and how really special it is when we play in Mexico or have a presence in Mexico that represents so many millions of great fans in the United States for us as well, so we really should have the opportunity to play at the Azteca Stadium.”
Since regular season games have been played outside the United States, the Cowboys have only played once and this was in the 2014 season when they defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 31-17 at Wembley Stadium in London.
Before this, when only preseason games were played abroad, the Texans visited Mexico on four occasions between 1994 and 2001. Three of these games were held at the Azteca Stadium, the most important in Mexico, against the Houston Oilers, New England Patriots and Oakland Raiders and the last time they played in Mexico was in 2001, when they faced the Kansas City Chiefs at the Estadio Universitario de Nuevo Leon.
Cowboys’ interest in the Mexican market
It’s not the first time Jerry Jones has talked about the possibility of playing in Mexico. In fact, since the league segmented the international market for its franchises, it assigned Mexico to the Cowboys as a priority market
In fact, he said that although he also has significant business in Brazil, he prefers his team to be based in Mexico City: “I have a lot of business in Brazil, I’m one of the biggest car dealers there in Brazil, but I’m interested in the Cowboys playing in Mexico, where we have a lot of fans”.
He added: “That [playing in other countries] may suit many teams, but not the Cowboys, who have [in Mexico] the largest attendance for an NFL game.”
When could the Cowboys play an official game in Mexico?
While it is imminent that this match will take place soon, there are still details to be known about the date on which this match could be held, perhaps for the 2025 season. While several reports indicate that this is feasible, there are several factors that could delay this match, mainly the state of the remodeling of the Estadio Azteca, which is preparing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Meanwhile, this Sunday is the deadline for the NFL to decide whether to return to Mexico for 2025 and the Cowboys are in the plans, as long as the stadium can be ready, as there is no estimated date for the mythical building to be ready for the start of next season
If this does not happen, the Cowboys could have a spectacular game against the San Francisco 49ers in 2026, in one of the most important rivalries for Mexican fans. While for the 2027 season, it would be the Houston Texans.