The NFL’s international roadshow heads to Germany on Sunday morning, when the New England Patriots face the Detroit Lions at the FC Bayern Munich Stadium in Munich, kicking off at 9:30am ET on FOX. It is the league’s annual Munich game, and it brings two teams with very different seasons to one of Europe’s great football cathedrals for a morning kickoff that will feel like prime time in Bavaria.
Munich has become one of the NFL’s favourite stops. The atmosphere at the Allianz Arena has been electric in previous visits, with German fans embracing the league’s annual trip, and the early kickoff means the game will be the first action of the Sunday slate for American viewers. For the Patriots and Lions, it is a chance to play in front of a new audience — and to pick up a win that could matter a great deal come January.
Two teams heading in different directions
Detroit arrives as one of the league’s most entertaining teams, a side that can score with anyone and has made a habit of winning shootouts. The Lions’ offence has been among the most productive in the NFL this season, and their trip to Munich comes with the expectation that they can put on a show for the German crowd. New England, meanwhile, has been rebuilding and scrapping, looking for the kind of statement win that can change the feel of a season.
The neutral-site setting removes home-field advantage, which could suit the Patriots. Without a hostile crowd to deal with, New England can focus on execution, and the early start — 3:30pm local time in Munich — is kinder than the transatlantic trips teams used to face. The Lions, though, have the firepower to make the venue irrelevant. If their offence gets rolling early, the Allianz Arena could feel like a home game for Detroit’s travelling support.
What the Munich game means
The NFL’s international games are no longer a novelty; they are a core part of the league’s calendar, with nine games at neutral sites outside the United States this season, including London, Madrid, Melbourne and Mexico City. Munich’s place on that list reflects how deeply the game has taken root in Germany, where the league’s fanbase continues to grow. The Patriots-Lions matchup is the latest showcase, and the league will be watching the crowd, the atmosphere and the television numbers closely.
For the players, the trip is a break from routine and a chance to be part of something bigger than a regular-season game. For the fans in Munich, it is a rare chance to see the NFL live. And for the two teams, it is a football game like any other: four quarters, a win to be had, and a season to be shaped. Kickoff is 9:30am ET on Sunday, and the Allianz Arena will be rocking long before then.
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