NFL Eyes Berlin as Next International Market

Jermaine Eluemunor #72 and John Michael Schmitz Jr. #61 of the New York Giants takes the field prior to the game against the Washington Commanders at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on Nov. 3, 2024. Al Bello/Getty Images

On the eve of the NFL contesting its fifth and final international game of the 2024 season, commissioner Roger Goodell continues the league’s global push with a new destination in mind. As the New York Giants and Carolina Panthers prepare to kick off in Munich, Germany, on Sunday, and with two games held in Frankfurt last year, the NFL now has its sights set on the capital and most populous city in Germany: Berlin.

Goodell took part in a Q&A interview ahead of the Giants versus Panthers game, and he wasn’t bashful in telling the assembled German media and fans that the NFL is strongly pursuing a game in Berlin.

“I usually tell people, ‘Don’t believe rumors.’ In this case, I might say, ‘Believe it,’” Goodell said of reported interest in Berlin.

“We’re working on it, but it isn’t finalized. We really feel like Berlin would be a great addition, so we’re looking very hard at that. Our people have been working very hard at it. But I want to add that does not mean we’re not going to be back in Frankfurt and Munich.”

This is the third season that the NFL has ventured over to Germany for regular-season contests, first playing in Munich in 2022. Then, games were held in back-to-back weeks in Frankfurt during the 2023 season, with a return to Munich this year.

Berlin wasn’t even in the conversation for German locations when the NFL first began exploring games in Germany in 2021. The three initial cities being considered include Munich and Frankfurt, as well as Düsseldorf, which has not hosted a game and has roughly one-sixth of the population of Berlin.

While Berlin has yet to host a regular season NFL game, it has hosted multiple preseasons contests. West Berlin hosted a 1990 preseason game between the Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City Chiefs in what was the NFL’s first-ever game of any kind in Germany. Berlin then hosted preseason matchups in each of the next four NFL seasons, culminating in a 1994 game between the Giants and eventual AFC champion San Diego Chargers.

Sunday’s game between the Giants and Panthers will be the ninth overall contest to be held in Germany—five preseason games in Berlin, plus two regular season matchups in Frankfurt and Munich.

Previous international games in the 2024 NFL season included stops in both London and in Brazil. The first-ever NFL Brazil Game was held on a Friday in Week 1 and took place in São Paulo. Then, three London games took place on successive Sundays in Weeks 5–7. The five international games in 2024 ties the NFL record for most in a single season, while the three international countries of Germany, Brazil, and England also ties a record for the most host countries in a given year.

As Goodell made sure to note, Berlin gaining a game doesn’t necessarily mean that Frankfurt or Munich would lose games, as the NFL owners have already agreed to substantially increase the number of annual international games. In December 2023, the owners voted to approve an increase in the international game inventory to up to eight games on foreign soil each year, starting with the 2025 season.

Germany was always one of the targets of the league when it began exploring foreign games outside of London. The numbers back up why the NFL is so eager for a greater presence in the country, and not just because its population of 82 million makes it the most populous in the European Union.

Per the NFL, a total of 3.8 million German residents watched last season’s Super Bowl, averaging 1.9 million during The Big Game. That was a 13 percent year-over-year increase for the country, which was one of the highest of any international market. Only Mexico (24.1 million) and Canada (18.8 million) had more viewers amongst foreign countries, with residents in both of those countries getting the advantage of being in similar time zones to the United States.

Sunday’s game in Munich will be the 55th regular season NFL game to take place outside of the United States. London overwhelmingly leads the way with 39 of those games, followed by Toronto (six), Mexico City (five), Munich (two), Frankfurt (two), and São Paulo (one). However, London is the only city in the United Kingdom to host a game, so Germany could reach three host cities with Berlin hosting a game before the UK, or any other country, even reaches two.

Madrid, Spain, will get added to that list next year, as the league announced in February it will visit the Spanish capital in 2025. Madrid will host a regular season contest, with Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, which is the home stadium of soccer powerhouse Real Madrid, being the location. Teams participating and the date of the game have not yet been announced.