The NFL Is Heading To Germany

The NFL has arguably the best annual sporting spectacle: the Super Bowl.

But while that game alone can attract millions of viewers, football is still primarily an American game.

Of the over 1,500 active NFL players as of the 2021 season, only over 60 have a foreign nationality.

However, the league is bringing the game to more territories by expanding its International Series to one more country.

Da kommt Großes auf dich zu. #NFL pic.twitter.com/FJtx13VKjI

— NFL Deutschland (@NFLDeutschland) February 8, 2022

Aside from Mexico and the United Kingdom, Germany will host a regular-season game starting 2022.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell revealed that FC Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena would be the venue for that game.

It isn’t a surprise, though, that the Germans will get to witness a game on their home turf.

After all, the league has a solid fan base in the European country.

Guten Tag, NFL

The league has an estimated 19 million fans in Germany, and there are four active players of German nationality in the NFL: David Bada, Aaron Donkor, Dominik Eberle, and Jakob Johnson.

But even before this, Germany already had a special place in the league because of NFL Europe.

The @NFL is touching down in Munich! 🏈

We're thrilled to host the first-ever NFL game in Germany! 🙌#MiaSanMia @NFLDeutschland pic.twitter.com/zt59mBV0WP

— 🇺🇸 FC Bayern US 🇨🇦 (@FCBayernUS) February 9, 2022

In that attempt to bring the game to more audiences, five European-based teams were from Germany.

The Frankfurt Galaxy joined in 1991, while the Rhein Fire followed four years later.

The Berlin Thunder became a member in 1999, while the Cologne Centurions signed up in 2004.

In 2005, the Hamburg Sea Devils joined NFL Europe.

The @NFL is touching down in Munich! 🏈

We're thrilled to host the first-ever NFL game in Germany! 🙌#MiaSanMia @NFLDeutschland pic.twitter.com/zt59mBV0WP

— 🇺🇸 FC Bayern US 🇨🇦 (@FCBayernUS) February 9, 2022

By the time the league ended, five of its remaining six teams were from Germany.

But even if that competition ultimately folded, the country remains an important market to the NFL that four teams were given access to the local fanbase as part of the International Home Marketing Initiative.

That program gave the Carolina Panthers, Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers the ability to conduct marketing activities for a five-year term.

Two of those teams mentioned above may play in Germany’s inaugural regular-season game.

.@NFL Announces International Home Marketing Area Teams and Markets

For more information, click here: https://t.co/ooPlFa3XKX pic.twitter.com/NvSU0wBVix

— NFL345 (@NFL345) December 15, 2021

But beyond the game itself, those franchises can initiate fan events, corporate sponsorship sales, youth football activities, and co-marketing strategies with other local sports properties.

Aside from Germany, Mexico, and the United Kingdom, the NFL will also engage in other countries like Brazil, Canada, Australia, Spain, and China.

NFL’s Plan For Germany

The league’s goal is to have all 32 teams play at least one International Series game in the next eight seasons.

Nine cities submitted proposals to host the NFL regular-season game.

However, the selection went down to Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, and Munich, which eventually won.

But while Munich gets first dibs to welcome the NFL, the country will host four International Series games over the next four seasons.

🇩🇪 Munich 2022
🇩🇪 Frankfurt 2023

Germany will hold its first NFL regular season game next season! pic.twitter.com/XvstLrLyzg

— NFL UK (@NFLUK) February 9, 2022

Munich and Frankfurt will split those games for now.

There’s still a chance, though, that Dusseldorf gets to host an NFL game, but nothing is certain as of the moment.

Still, bringing the games to Germany will be a massive step for the league to conquer more territories.