NFL announces 2022 international games, including Buccaneers heading to Germany

The NFL is poised to expand its reach like never before in the 2022 season. On Monday, the league announced its five-game international slate for the coming year along with some of the teams that will play outside of the states. United next season. The Arizona Cardinals will play in Mexico at the Estadio Azteca, while the Green Bay Packers, New Orleans Saints and Jacksonville Jaguars will all play in London, England. Also, for the first time, the NFL will play in Germany (Munich) in a game that will feature the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Of course, this is only the first piece of the international puzzle. The league said in its statement that the opponents for those games — along with the dates and kick-off times — will be confirmed as part of the full 2022 schedule release later this offseason.

As the NFL extended its regular season to 17 games, it was determined that up to four of the conference teams eligible for a ninth regular season home game would instead be selected to play in a neutral-site international game, which helped in the selection of some of these teams.

For the Buccaneers, this match at FC Bayern Munich’s stadium in Munich is the first of what should be a blossoming relationship with Germany. Earlier it was announced that Munich and Frankfurt have been chosen to host regular season matches in Germany over the next four years.

“We look forward to the NFL’s regular season opener in Munich, Germany later this fall as part of the International Series,” Buccaneers owner Joel Glazer said. “This historic game will play a crucial role in the NFL’s efforts to grow its international footprint while allowing us to directly engage NFL fans in Germany.”

Meanwhile, the Cardinals will play in Mexico City, where they hosted the NFL’s first-ever away game in 2005.

It will also be the Green Bay Packers’ first international trip in franchise history. They are now the 32nd team to play in London since 2007.

“The Green Bay Packers are thrilled to make their international debut in the 2022 season,” Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy said. “Our fans in the UK and elsewhere in Europe have been eagerly awaiting the opportunity to see the Packers play in their backyard, and we know many of our fans in the US will be visiting London. It will be an honor to represent the NFL, as well as Green Bay and the State of Wisconsin, internationally. This will be a great opportunity to introduce the Packers, as well as Green Bay and our region, to an international audience and encourage United Kingdom fans. United to visit us in person at Champ de Lambeau.”

The Packers and Saints will play at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London while the Jaguars will return to Wembley Stadium for the first time since 2019.