NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a U.S.-based pro football league that is currently the richest professional sports league in the world. The NFL merged with the American Football League in June 1966 to create the current iteration of the league, and the first Super Bowl, the NFL’s championship game, was played in January 1967.
The NFL started with 14 teams and has since grown to 32, divided into the American Football Conference and the National Football Conference. Collectively, the teams are worth $165 billion, according to Sportico’s most recent NFL team valuations. The league’s commissioner is Roger Goodell, who stepped into the role in 2006 and is under contract through at least 2027.
The NFL starts its season in early September, and each team plays 17 games through early January; 14 of the league’s teams make the playoffs, which culminate in the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl consistently draws huge numbers of viewers, with the 2024 Super Bowl drawing a record 123.4 million viewers.
League Information
- Name
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National Football League
- Commissioner
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Roger Goodell
- Reigning Champion
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Kansas City Chiefs
- First Season
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1920
- Number of Teams
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32
- Most Valuable Team
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Dallas Cowboys ($9.2 billion)
- Least Valuable Team
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Cincinnati Bengals ($4 billion)
