Men who chase balls are heroes. This applies in Germany as well as overseas. The venue for the German-American sporting event partnership will be Frankfurt’s Deutsche Bank Park, the Eintracht football stadium, on November 5th and 12th. The National Football League (NFL) will be visiting there on two dates.
The “show” has long been completely sold out, 48,000 tickets were sold out in just a few moments, and more than 90 percent of those who asked came away empty-handed. Not only those without tickets will be sad, but also the Frankfurt Eintracht supporters. Because of the leather egg-throwing occupiers, they now have to miss their team’s home games for four weeks.
The city will breathe world sporting gold standard for a period of seven days. It doesn’t get any bigger. An exception is the so-called Super Bowl, the annual final game of the NFL season. With around one billion television viewers, it is one of the most watched sporting events in the world. The winner is crowned less the national champion and more the title holder of an unofficial world championship. In his self-image, the American is unparalleled in his sport.
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NFL: Everything you need to know about the football games in Frankfurt
Why do Americans come to Europe?
Even if you particularly like to celebrate yourself, the association has long stretched far and wide. The first official league game outside the United States took place in Mexico in 2005. More than one hundred thousand spectators watched the Arziona Cardinals win against the 49’ers from San Francisco in the Atztekenstadion. And since Roger Goodell has headed the league as commissioner, he has now also led his teams to Europe. Until 2022, the games took place exclusively in London. Last year, Munich became the first German venue to join. Frankfurt is following suit.
Who plays in Germany?
The Kansas City Chiefs, the Super Bowl title holders from last year and 2021, will meet the Miami Dolphins at the Frankfurt Games. The two are, so to speak, the Real Madrid and Manchester City of the NFL, the current best of the best, and their playmakers Patrick Mahomes and Tua Tagovailoa are the Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland of their sport.
A week later, the New England Patriots play against the Indianapolis Colts. Both are currently more like HSV, they were once among the best, but have declined quite a bit in recent years.
Why Frankfurt?
The cities of Frankfurt and Munich are scheduled to alternate as venues in Germany until 2025. As a result of their history as locations for the US armed forces, both have a large football community; the Frankfurt Galaxy team came second in the European League of Football last season and even became ELF champions in 2021.
What is unprecedented this year is that two games will be played in the city on the Main these days. The NFL’s trip to Mexico has to be canceled due to stadium renovations for the 2026 World Cup. Frankfurt becomes a double stage for rough ball sports. A “milestone,” you ask Frankfurt Mayor Mike Josef (SPD). In his work as head of the sports department, he campaigned for the games to be held.
The expected profit for the city of Frankfurt is also a milestone. In Munich in 2022, total sales totaled 70 million euros. Nevertheless, the costs for the two games will also run into the millions. However, these are mainly borne by the NFL and the teams.
Football fans from all over the world are expected in Frankfurt. Aside from the respective games, the sport is brought to life for them through, among other things, a trophy collection and a miniature playing field at the Roßmarkt and the Hauptwache. The teams also offer their own supporting program.
