Per a release from the Detroit Lions
, the team will be one of the two squads competing at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena next season:The NFL today announced the Detroit Lions will be one of the participating teams for the league’s return to Munich for a regular season game during the 2026 season as part of the NFL International series.
The game will be played at FC Bayern Munich Stadium, with the game date, kickoff time and opponent to be announced during the NFL’s greater schedule release.
“We are
thrilled to be playing internationally and specifically in Munich for the 2026 season,” said Detroit Lions President & CEO Rod Wood. “As an organization, we have invested greatly in the German market and are excited to play in front of our passionate German fans.”
Since 2024, as part of the NFL’s Global Markets Program, the Detroit Lions have had marketing rights in the DACH region, which includes Germany, Austria and Switzerland. This has included the introduction of a mascot with a German flag-inspired mane named Leo Löwe and the hosting of back-to-back Thanksgiving Day Classic watch parties in Cologne. The Lions also launched a streetwear collaboration with up-and-coming German designer MiDNIGHT in 2025.
Additionally, the Lions have held several youth football education camps across Germany, with multiple featuring WR Amon Ra St. Brown. The team also engaged in a strategic partnership with 1. FC Köln of the Bundesliga in 2025 to expand the global reach of both organizations, deepen fan engagement in the United States and Germany, and collaborate across sports, community, and commercial platforms.
Fans can stay up to date on the Detroit Lions in Germany on the team’s social channels @detroitlionsdeutsch on Instagram and TikTok.
“It has been a dream of mine to play a game in my mother’s home country of Germany since coming to the league,” said Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, whose mother, Miriam, hails from Cologne. “I cannot wait to play in front of the incredible fans that I’ve gotten to know through my visits and football camps in the country. Their support for me and the country’s instant connection to the Lions brand is inspiring, and I’m looking forward to our team getting to showcase Detroit football on an international scale.”
For Bayern Munich fans, the first thought typically goes to how this will impact the pitch (Spoiler Alert: It will not be good for the grass). As always, BFW will be monitoring the situation closely.
