The National Football League will play a regular season game for the first time in Berlinin Germany, in 2025. This was announced by the top American football league, underlining that the match will be played at Olympic Stadium as part of a multi-year commitment to organize events in the sporting metropolis.
Since 2022, the NFL has successfully held regular season games at Munich e Frankfurtand the Berlin game will represent the fifth NFL regular season game in Germany and the first in the German capital.
«Germany has a rich American football tradition, and the NFL has a deep history with the city of Berlin. We played our first preseason game at the Olympic Stadium 34 years ago, before it became the home of NFL Europe’s Berlin Thunder in the early 2000s. Now, with almost 20 million NFL fans in Germany, we will make a historic return to the city playing a regular season game for the first time, opening the next chapter in our relationship with Berlin“said the NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
«This long-term partnership with the NFL will continue to strengthen Berlin as a global sports metropolis and excite fans at the Olympic Stadium. The NFL Berlin 2025 match will mean worldwide visibility, numerous international guests, an increase in tourism and significant economic value for the entire city. We look forward to an incredible game and a continued successful partnership with the league as we continue to strengthen American football’s presence across the state,” he said Iris SprangerSenator for the Interior and Sport of Berlin.
The NFL previously played five American Bowl games at the Olympic Stadium between 1990 and 1994, and the stadium was also the home of the Berlin Thunder of NFL Europe from 2003 to 2007. The Olympic Stadium hosted the Summer Olympic Games in 1936, FIFA Men’s World Cup (1974 and 2006), FIFA Women’s World Cup (2011), six EURO matches 2024, including the final, as well as world and European athletics championships. The Olympic Stadium is also the home of Hertha Berlin.
Starting in 2025, the NFL will be able to schedule up to eight league-operated international regular season games each season. A commitment to play two regular season games in London at the has already been announced Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and a match in Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadiumhome of Real Madrid, for 2025. Further matches and locations will be confirmed in the weeks and months ahead.
Throughout its history, the NFL has played 55 regular season games around the world, with cities such as London, Munich, Frankfurt, Sao Paulo, Mexico City and Toronto hosting games to date. The NFL will announce participating teams, schedule and ticket information in the coming months.
