KC Chiefs to Play International Game in Germany in 2023
The Kansas City Chiefs will return to the international stage in 2023 with a regular season game in Germany, the NFL announced on Thursday.
The Chiefs' opponent, city, stadium, kickoff time, and week will all be revealed at a later date, according to the NFL, which previously announced that Munich and Frankfurt will host games over the next four seasons.
The Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Tennesee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars and New England Patriots were all designated for international games. Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt expressed his excitement for the Chiefs' trip to Germany, via NFL.com.
"We could not be more excited to participate in a Germany game and introduce more of the world to Chiefs Kingdom this fall," Hunt said. "Our team and our fans have had incredible experiences in London and Mexico City as part of the International Series in the past, and we look forward to helping the NFL in its effort to continue growing the game in Germany."
Chiefs President Mark Donovan explained that Germany has been a target market for the team and detailed how KC looks to balance their domestic and international efforts.
“We are incredibly excited to put the Kansas City Chiefs and all of Chiefs Kingdom on the international stage with a Germany game in 2023,” Donovan said in a press release. “We’ve aggressively pursued this opportunity because we know how passionate German fans are about NFL football and we’re committed to the international growth of the game as well as our brand. We think we’ll be able to provide the right mix of opportunities for our existing Season Ticket Members and domestic fans while also creating unique experiences that will make this memorable for German fans as well.”
With the expansion to a 17-game NFL season, the league can designate up to four teams to play their ninth regular-season home game at an international neutral site. This will be KC's third international regular season game in team history, following their game against the Lions in London in 2015 and their contest with the Los Angeles Chargers in Mexico City in 2019.