The National Football League today announced the designated teams set to play in London and Munich as part of the 2024 International Games.
The Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars will each play international games in London during the 2024 regular season, while the Carolina Panthers will head to Munich, Germany. Each team’s opponent, along with the dates and kickoff times will be announced when the 2024 schedule is revealed this spring.
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium — the only purpose-built NFL stadium outside of the U.S. — will host games featuring both the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings while the Jacksonville Jaguars will return to Wembley Stadium as part of their multi-year commitment to playing a game in the U.K, in what will be their 12th game in the capital.
Munich, Germany will again host a regular season game, with the Carolina Panthers set to play in Allianz Arena – home of FC Bayern Munich. The NFL’s first-ever regular season international game in Germany was played on November 13, 2022 at Allianz Arena when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Seattle Seahawks, 21-16.
Last month, the NFL announced it will play a regular season game in São Paulo, Brazil (Corinthians Arena) in 2024 – the first ever in South America. The designated team for this historic first game in Brazil will be named in the coming months ahead of the announcement of the 2024 NFL schedule.
“Taking our game to more fans around the world is a major priority for the league and its 32 teams, and we are delighted to be returning to London and Munich in 2024,” said Peter O’Reilly, executive vice president, club business, league events and international at the NFL. “Whether tackle or flag football, international passion for the game and the NFL continues to grow, and having our teams and their world-class athletes play games and engage with fans around the world is an important part of becoming a truly global sport.”
All four designated teams playing in the U.K. and Germany are part of the NFL’s Global Markets Program which awards international marketing rights to NFL teams in countries beyond the U.S. to build fandom, and realize brand and commercial opportunities. The Bears, Vikings and Jaguars have international marketing rights in the U.K., while the Panthers have those rights in Germany.
While there will be no international game in Mexico in 2024 due to Estadio Azteca renovations in Mexico City, the league has confirmed that future international games will return once they are complete.
With the expansion of the NFL schedule in 2021, up to four of the teams from the conference whose teams are eligible for a ninth regular-season home game are now designated to play a neutral-site international game each year.
Following a recent vote by NFL clubs to increase league-operated international game inventory from four (4) to up to eight (8) games a season, beginning in 2025 the NFL will have the right to schedule up to eight regular season games per season internationally. New markets and host cities/stadiums for future seasons will be announced at later dates.
“Every game the Chicago Bears play is rich in tradition, culture and passion. And every year, game after game, we look forward to welcoming fans to experience that richness,” said George H. McCaskey, chairman of the Chicago Bears. “This year, we will take our storied franchise and tradition back to London and share internationally what our fans locally experience at every game. We are excited to join the many NFL teams who are expanding internationally to play a game in London during our 2024 season.”
“We are honored to once again represent the NFL in the continued effort to make the game of football more accessible globally,” said Mark Wilf, owner/president of the Minnesota Vikings. “We’ve seen tremendous international support of the Vikings with our previous three London games and with our successful bid to land the United Kingdom as a global market. Our focus will be on winning for the fourth consecutive time in London, along with replicating the incredible gameday environment we enjoy in Minnesota and creating a memorable experience for our partners and fans.”
“We certainly owe a debt of thanks to the thousands of fans in the U.K., Ireland and throughout Europe who have made the Jaguars their NFL team since our first London home game in 2013,” said Shad Khan, owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars. “We’ve now played 11 games in London, have forged deep relationships with fans and businesses, have introduced American football to young people that participate in our community programs throughout the U.K., and we’ve raised funds and supported causes that touch many lives. In all, we’ve established a strong Jaguars tradition in London that our fans and followers celebrate every day of the year. That tradition continues next season when the Jaguars return to London, and we can’t wait to see everyone once again in Wembley Stadium, our home away from home.”
“It’s an honor for the Carolina Panthers to play in Munich in 2024,” said David Tepper, owner of the Carolina Panthers. “This game represents more than playing internationally for us. With more than 200 German-owned companies in the Charlotte area, this opportunity offers a special connection for the Panthers and our community. We are excited to deepen our relationships with our German fans, engage with our partners and continue to grow our brand globally.”
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