The NFL is still open for non-Americans, though the route has become a little different.

Eight Japanese football players, who passed a tryout in early January, left Tuesday for Barcelona to participate in the NFL's new International Player Development Program.

The program was established after NFL Europa, which had long been considered the stepping stone to the NFL, folded after 15 years at the end of last season. The outline for the program includes three training camps in Barcelona, a pair of exhibition games against U.S. college teams in May and a game against a U.S. select squad in June.