Tampa Bay Buccaneers to face Seattle Seahawks in first regular season NFL game in Germany
A general view of Allianz Arena before the Bayern Munich vs. Manchester United match on August 5, 2018 in Munich, Germany.
(CNN)The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will face the Seattle Seahawks in Munich, Germany, in what will be the first-ever NFL regular-season game in the country.
The match-up was announced on Wednesday, with the game taking place on November 13 at the Allianz Arena, home of German football giant Bayern Munich.The game will be the first major non-soccer event held at the stadium.
The NFL’s International Series expansion to Germany is to its third country, following games played in the United Kingdom and Mexico.
The game in Munich is one of five international NFL games scheduled for 2022, along with one in Mexico and three in London — two to be played at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as well as a Jacksonville Jaguars home game at Wembley Stadium.Read MoreThe NFL also announced on Wednesday the teams involved in the London fixtures. The Minnesota Vikings will face the New Orleans Saints at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 2, with the New York Giants facing the Green Bay Packers a week later. On October 30 at Wembley Stadium, the Jaguars will host the Denver Broncos.
Germany has a strong NFL supporter base, with the Seahawks announcing that, per NFL data, the team is the second most popular NFL franchise in Germany. It’s the fourth time the Bucs have participated in the International Series, having played in London on three occasions. For the Seahawks, it’s their second trip to Europe in five years, with head coach Pete Carroll saying in 2018 that their trip to London felt “like a home game.”The Munich locals are sure to see an enthralling encounter take place for them. The 2020 Super Bowl champion Buccaneers, under new head coach Todd Bowles and quarterbacked by NFL legend Tom Brady, will be looking to bounce back after a disappointing playoff defeat to the Los Angeles Rams last season.
Brady throws a pass in the first quarter against the Chicago Bears on October 24, 2021.Visit CNN.com/sport for more news, features, and videos
On the other sideline will be the Seahawks who are heading into their first season in 10 years without stalwart quarterback Russell Wilson. Under the stewardship of Carroll, the Seahawks have consistently been one of the most competitive teams and will see the 2022 season as no different, despite Wilson’s departure to the Denver Broncos.
Source