The Berlin Senate decided on Tuesday to officially begin the application process for National Football League (NFL) games in Germany.
The Berlin Senate decided on Tuesday to officially begin the application process for National Football League (NFL) games in Germany. The Olympic Stadium will be the venue for the American football games be.
Sports and Interior Senator Spranger (SPD) justified the decision on Tuesday: “American football is an absolute trend sport, and Berlin is one of the leading international sports metropolises. They belong together. Berlin is also a sports metropolis with its excellent infrastructure and sports-loving Berliners an ideal venue for American football.”
Berlin hopes to gain added value from the games
Berlin has proven that the city can handle major sporting events – such as the recent Special Olympics, explained a spokeswoman for the Senate Department for the Interior and Sport before the decision. Spranger also sees the potential NFL games as “a next great step for major international sport in Berlin.”
Specifically, it is about games between 2025 and 2029. In this context, Berlin is planning investments of up to 12.5 million euros and expects an image gain and economic added value for the city. Above all by national and international visitors, who are intended to sustainably boost tourism.
The application is accompanied by a Senate sports development program for American football and the contactless version of flag football, which is to be implemented in particular in collaboration with Berlin schools.
Will the NFL soon play in Berlin?
American football and the North American professional league NFL are booming, especially in Germany. Which is why there will be a game in Munich again this year. Soon also in Berlin? By Ilja Behnischmore
NFL decision is imminent
The NFL’s plans for duels in Berlin are now becoming more concrete. A decision by the league, which only played another guest game in Munich last weekend, is apparently also possible this week.
League boss Roger Goodell recently commented on the plans at a fan event in the Bavarian capital. “I don’t normally believe in rumors,” the NFL commissioner said. In this case it is different. Regarding Berlin, he added: “We are working on it. It has not been finalized.” According to Goodell, the negotiations with Berlin do not mean that they will not return to Munich or Frankfurt am Main.
Football games outside the USA have now become a tradition in the NFL. Since 2005, some matches have been played in Mexico City, London and Sao Paulo. A game is planned in Madrid next year. In Germany, the NFL stopped in Munich for the first time in 2022, and last year the game was played in Frankfurt.
Broadcast: rbb24 Inforadio, November 12, 2024, 8 a.m
