Berlin to see first regular-season NFL game in 2025, more to come

[Chris Francis]

THE NFL IS SET TO SHOW-OFF IN GERMANY’S LARGEST CITY. WEDNESDAY THE LEAGUE ANNOUNCED PLANS TO PLAY A REGULAR SEASON GAME FOR THE FIRST TIME, IN BERLIN’S HISTORIC OLYMPIC STADIUM NEXT SEASON.

IT WILL BE ONE OF A RECORD EIGHT REGULAR SEASON GAMES PLAYED OVERSEAS IN 2025 AND THE FIRST OF THREE IN BERLIN OVER THE NEXT FIVE SEASONS. 

THE GERMAN CAPITAL FOLLOWS FRANKFURT AND MUNICH AS HOST CITIES.. ACCORDING TO NFL COMMISSIONER ROGER GOODELL, OVER THE PAST FEW SEASONS THE LEAGUE HAS BUILT UP A FOLLOWING OF MORE THAN 20 MILLION FANS IN THAT COUNTRY.  

THE NFL’S FIRST REGULAR SEASON GAME WAS PLAYED IN MUNICH IN 2022 AND BACK ON NOVEMBER 10TH, FRANKFURT PLAYED HOST TO THE NEW YORK GIANTS AND CAROLINA PANTHERS. 

IN A PRESS RELEASE, THE COMMISSIONER SAID “Germany has a rich tradition in American football and the NFL has a long history with the city of Berlin… now we’ll make a historic return to the city playing a regular season game for the first time as we open the next chapter in our relationship” 

THE LEAGUE PLAYED A PRESEASON GAME IN OLYMPIC STADIUM 34 YEARS AGO AND THE HISTORIC VENUE WAS ALSO HOME TO THE BERLIN THUNDER OF NFL EUROPE FROM 1990-2007

SO, IT’S FULL SPEED AHEAD WITH OVERSEAS GAMES. EARLIER THIS YEAR THE LEAGUE ANNOUNCED A RETURN TO LONDON WITH AT LEAST TWO GAMES NEXT SEASON AND HAS ALSO SAID THEY WILL PLAY IN MADRID. THE PLAN IS TO FILL OUT THE OTHER INTERNATIONAL SITES IN THE COMING MONTHS.

NO WORD ON THE TEAMS THAT WILL BE TAKING THOSE FLIGHTS ACROSS THE POND BUT THE FULL NFL SCHEDULE – WITH MATCHUPS AND DATES IS  TYPICALLY RELEASED IN MID MAY.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, IM CHRIS FRANCIS 

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