Falcons Could Be Part of International Series History in 2025

The AJC's D. Orlando Ledbetter speculated that the Atlanta Falcons could be part of history, playing the first NFL regular season game in a new city next season.

Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The NFL gave the Atlanta Falcons international marketing rights in Germany as part of the league's Global Markets Program two years ago. That makes the team an obvious choice to play the league's first regular season game in Berlin next season.

At least that's what The AJC's D. Orlando Ledbetter argued on X (formerly Twitter) Wednesday when the NFL announced that the league will play a regular season game at Olympic Stadium in 2025.

"Could the Falcons play in this game? The franchise was awarded international marketing rights in Germany through the NFL's Global Markets Program in 2023," Ledbetter wrote. "The NFL's Global Markets Program gives clubs the opportunity to build brand awareness and fandom in international markets."

Could the #Falcons play in this game? The franchise was awarded international marketing rights in Germany through the NFL's Global Markets Program in 2023. The NFL's Global Markets Program gives clubs the opportunity to build brand awareness and fandom in international markets. https://t.co/BuboLprZ9l

— D. Orlando Ledbetter (@DOrlandoAJC) December 11, 2024

The Falcons are one of ten teams that have marketing rights in Germany. The other nine are the Carolina Panthers, Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

It likely makes the most sense for the NFL to have two of those 10 teams play each other in the first-ever Berlin regular season NFL game. As division rivals, the Falcons play the Panthers and Buccaneers each twice next year. But typically, the league doesn't schedule division matchups overseas.

Based on the current NFL schedule pattern, the Falcons don't have a chance to play either the Steelers or Chiefs next year. But they could face the Colts on the road.

They will visit the Patriots and could play the Lions on the road too. It's also still possible the Falcons host the Giants in 2025.

Finally, the Falcons will definitely host the Seahawks again as they did in October.

Therefore, the NFL has multiple matchups to choose from if they wish to highlight the Falcons in the Berlin regular season debut for the league.

The Falcons own a 1-2 international series record in their history. They lost to the Detroit Lions in London during the 2014 season and the Jacksonville Jaguars last year.

The Falcons defeated the New York Jets at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2021.