NFL: 5 Teams to Play in Germany, London in 2023
Bills, Titans, Jaguars, Chiefs and Patriots will be designated home teams
Posted On: January 19, 2023 By :The NFL has announced that five teams — the Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots — will each play international games during the NFL’s 2023 regular season.
The Chiefs and Patriots will play in Germany. The Bills, Titans and Jaguars will play in London. The Bills and Titans are the designated home teams for two games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, while the Jaguars will host a game at Wembley Stadium as part of a multi-year commitment to play in the United Kingdom. Opponents, dates and times for the games will be released when the full schedule is announced later this year.
“Growing the league and our sport internationally is a major strategic priority for the NFL, and we are excited to again be playing five games outside of the United States in 2023,” said Peter O’Reilly, NFL executive vice president, club business, major events & international. “We know how important live regular season games are to our passionate global fans and we thank our clubs for their strong, long-term commitment to this important initiative. Interest in our game globally is at an all-time high, and we look forward to returning to the UK and Germany in 2023 with some of the most iconic clubs and stars in the NFL.”
There will be no international game in Mexico in 2023 due to renovations taking place in Estadio Azteca in Mexico City ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Chiefs and Patriots are part of the league’s International Home Marketing Area program, which sees teams secure international marketing rights in countries beyond the United State, with both sides having been awarded rights in Germany. The NFL previously confirmed that Munich and Frankfurt will host games in Germany over the next four years; the Buccaneers beat the Seattles in Munich in the NFL’s first Germany game this season.
The Bills and Titans will play their second games in London. The Bills lost to the Jaguars in London in 2015. The Titans lost to the Chargers there in 2018. The Jaguars will play their 10th game in London. The Chiefs, Bills and Jaguars are playing AFC divisional playoff games this weekend.
“We could not be more excited to participate in a Germany game and introduce more of the world to Chiefs Kingdom this fall,” Chiefs Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Clark Hunt said in a statement. “Our team and our fans have had incredible experiences in London and Mexico City as part of the International Series in the past, and we look forward to helping the NFL in its effort to continue growing the game in Germany.”
The NFL’s expansion to 17 regular-season games gives teams a ninth home game in alternating seasons. Up to four of the teams from the conference whose teams are eligible for that ninth regular-season home game are designated to play a neutral-site international game each year.
“We are thrilled to be selected to play in Germany this year,” Patriots Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Robert Kraft said. “We are undefeated in our three previous international games, thanks in part to the outstanding support from our fans. We know that some of our most passionate fans reside in Germany, and we look forward to finally playing a game there. We know the fans will create an amazing atmosphere. We are sure it will be a memorable experience and one of the highlights of the 2023 season.”
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