Football is an increasingly global sport, with more and more international players making the jump to the United States’ most popular game. The International Player Pathway Program makes it easier for clubs to identify promising global talent.
International players have been a part of the NFL since its first season in 1920.
That year, the American Professional Football Association — renamed the National Football League in 1922 — featured several prominent players born overseas. The list included German-born John and Phil Nesser, the eldest of seven Nesser brothers to play in the NFL. It also included Irishman Bob Nash, the first player credited with a fumble recovery touchdown, the first player to be traded and the first captain of the New York Giants.
International Placekickers
Only two full-time placekickers are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame — and both were born overseas.
Jan Stenerud, born in Norway, came to the U.S. as a student at Montana State University on a ski jumping scholarship. A gifted athlete, he joined the school’s football team in 1965 and earned All-American honors in both football and ski jumping. He played 19 seasons in the AFL and NFL, made six All-Pro teams, and won Super Bowl IV with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Morten Andersen, born in Denmark, first came to the U.S. as a high school exchange student in 1977. He joined the football team at Indianapolis’ Ben Davis High School and earned a scholarship to Michigan State University after just one season. Nicknamed the “Great Dane,” Anderson played 25 NFL seasons and holds the record for games played (382). When he retired, he ranked first in career points (2,544) and most field goals (565), though he has since been passed in both categories by Adam Vinatieri.
Nine players who were born outside the U.S. have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame:
37 international players have signed with NFL teams since the start of the program. NFL rosters feature players hailing from more than 25 foreign countries, including players from Canada, Australia, Nigeria, Germany, Jamaica, Austria, England, Scotland, Mexico, and Tonga.
International Player Pathway Program
The International Player Pathway Program helps foreign-born football players reach the NFL.
Since its inception in 2017, the program has provided elite international athletes with an opportunity to compete at the NFL level, improve their skills, and potentially earn a spot on an NFL roster.
“The International Player Pathway Program provides athletes with a viable route to the NFL and an opportunity to further develop their skills,” said Damani Leech, Chief Operating Officer of NFL International.
> Meet the 2026 IPP Program Participants
The NFL has specific roster rules for players that sign through the IPP. Each season, an NFL division is selected at random to participate in the IPP program. Designated teams are allowed an extra offseason roster spot for the IPP player that is assigned to that team.
Notable IPP Participants
2017 — Efe Obada (DE, Nigeria): Born in Nigeria, Obada grew up homeless in London. After a tryout with the Dallas Cowboys during their 2014 trip to London, he was signed to an offseason contract. During the next two years, Obada held offseason and practice squad positions with the Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, and Atlanta Falcons. He broke through as an IPP participant with the Carolina Panthers in 2017 and became the first IPP player to make a 53-man roster in 2018. In 2018, Obada was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week in Week 3. He is currently with the Washington Commanders.
2018 — Jordan Mailata (LT, Australia): Mailata grew up playing rugby in Australia but had no football experience before trying out for the IPP in 2018. Mailata became the first player drafted from the program when the Philadelphia Eagles selected him in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He started at left tackle for the Eagles during the 2021 season.
2019 — Jakob Johnson (FB, Germany): A native of Germany, Johnson moved to the U.S. as a high school senior and earned a scholarship with the Tennessee Volunteers. He returned to Germany after graduating and was assigned to the New England Patriots through the IPP program. The fullback was first promoted to the Patriots’ active roster in 2019. He is currently with the Las Vegas Raiders.
At the end of training camp, IPP players can either be signed to their assigned club’s 53-man roster or waived. Players who clear waivers may be signed to their assigned team’s practice squad using an IPP exemption that allows for an extra practice squad spot. IPP players signed to a practice squad using the exemption may not be signed to any team’s active roster that season; however, players signed to a practice squad without the exemption are treated in the same way as other practice squad players for roster purposes.
As of 2024, more than half of NFL teams have signed international players to their offseason/practice squad rosters as a direct result of the IPP program, with several players making active rosters. Since the IPP was instituted in 2017, more than 50 players from 18 countries have trained in the U.S. through the IPP program.
Three players whose careers started in the IPP program — Efe Obada, Jordan Mailata, and Jakob Johnson— have recorded over 1,000 career NFL snaps.
NFL Africa
The NFL’s expanded presence in Africa reflects the league's commitment to growing the game at all levels across the continent. This expansion builds on successful events in Ghana in 2022 and Kenya in 2023 and includes camps, NFL FLAG clinics, and fan events. The program expanded its reach to Nigeria in 2024.
“It has always been a dream of mine to bring the NFL to Africa, and over the past couple of years, The Uprise and NFL have made that dream a reality,” said Osi Umenyiora, NFL Legend and lead ambassador for NFL Africa. “It’s been incredible to see the opportunities it has provided through the International Player Pathway Program, the NFL Academy and NFL FLAG, and this is only the beginning.”
As of 2024, more than 125 NFL players are of African descent, either born in Africa or as first-generation Americans, underscoring the growing connection between the league and the continent.
The NFL International Combine
The NFL’s International Combine allows clubs to identify candidates for the IPP program. The invitational scouting showcase, mirrored after the annual NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, is designed to discover and evaluate potential NFL talent from around the globe for a potential spot in the IPP.
Players who meet specific performance standards and display the potential to play in the NFL will be invited to train in the U.S. for three months as part of the IPP program. The number of participants will be reduced following training camp and a select number will be allocated to designated NFL clubs for the upcoming season.
The International Combine is also a testing ground for new drills that can be used to evaluate player performance. The 2021 International Combine featured several new drills that may more effectively align with player movement on the field. The "hoop drill" that debuted at the 2019 International Combine is now used to evaluate defensive linemen at the NFL Scouting Combine.