The Cowboys to play in Brazil as the NFL looks globally

The big picture: The Cowboys haven't been great for years, but they remain the world's most valuable sports team and one of the most searched NFL teams globally.

State of play: The NFL will host nine international games this year — in London, Madrid, Paris, Munich, Mexico City, Melbourne and Rio de Janeiro.

• The league hasn't announced when the Cowboys will play at Maracanã Stadium in Rio. Their opponent also hasn't been announced.
• Fans can register here for updates and ticket information.

Flashback: The Cowboys played the Jacksonville Jaguars at London's Wembley Stadium in 2014 for their last overseas regular-season game. Dallas won 31-17.

The intrigue: Brazil is home to more than 36 million NFL fans and is one of the league's most important international markets, per the league.

• The NFL plans to bring at least three regular-season games to Rio de Janeiro in the next five years.

What they're saying: "Introducing one of the league's most iconic teams to the Maracanã Stadium marks a powerful milestone in the continued growth of the sport worldwide," NFL Brazil general manager Luis Martinez said in a statement.

💭 Naheed's thought bubble: I came across a New Zealander wearing a Dallas Cowboys hat in Japan last year. It was game day, so I told him, "Hey, go Cowboys!

• "Are they a good team?" he asked. And that's how I realized the hat was fashion and not fandom.