The NFL game in Berlin was a complete success. But what happens next?
The NFL game in Berlin was a complete success with the 31:25 overtime spectacle and the outstanding Jonathan Taylor.
Players, officials and fans were very satisfied with the Olympic Stadium – with the exception of the halftime show.
The US players in particular highlighted the special site where Jesse Owens won three Olympic gold medals in 1936.
After the Berlin game is also before the next Germany game. So what remains of Berlin? What awaits us in the 2026 season?
ran answers the most important questions.
When is the next NFL game in Germany?
There will definitely be a game in Germany in the 2026 season. NFL Germany boss Alexander Steinforth confirmed this in an interview with ran in February at the Super Bowl in New Orleans. Only the host city has not yet been determined. Both Munich (2022 and 2024) and Frankfurt (2023) have each played two NFL games.
When is the next NFL game in Berlin?
The NFL returns to the Olympic Stadium in 2027. Berlin and the Olympic Stadium will also be an integral part of the schedule in 2029.
What was the atmosphere and fan experience like in the Berlin Olympic Stadium?
There was little cause for criticism from fans. And the audience showed this before and during the game.
Björn Werner’s intro, when he hammered on the Colts anvil, the choreo for the 36th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and HP Baxxter, who performed the Indianapolis Colts’ touchdown song live in the end zone, provided emotional highlights in addition to the sporting ones.
And the stadium classic “Country Roads”, which has been a staple since Munich 2022, also caused great euphoria.
Around the stadium and in the city, NFL fans were kept entertained by a variety of fan activities.
What lasting changes have there been to the Olympic Stadium?
In order for the Berlin Game to actually take place, the Olympic Stadium had to undergo a change. And these changes remain for the regular host of the home football games, Hertha BSC.
Since the squad of an NFL team is significantly larger than that of a football club, the locker rooms had to be renovated. “The cabins now have a capacity of at least 56 people. For comparison: around 23 are needed for football,” said Julia Kämpf, spokeswoman for Olympiastadion Berlin GmbH.
New sanitary facilities were installed for the large number of players and the hot water capacity was increased. 30 new showers, ten sinks, eleven toilets and 18 urinals were added to the existing inventory.
Highlights: Taylor excels at OT-Krimi in Berlin
Another innovation is wider doors, which will now accompany the Olympic Stadium. Due to the size and width of the players with full equipment, it was feared that many would have difficulty walking through the locker room. Some doors were widened to 1.26 meters.
How did arrival, parking and admission go?
Parking spaces are always a problem at the Berlin Olympic Stadium; this is also known from Hertha’s home games, even when there are not 72,000 spectators on site, or the DFB Cup.
Thanks to the options for traveling by S-Bahn and U-Bahn as well as multiple entrances, the rush of fans is better distributed around the stadium – unlike in Munich, for example.
Why does the NFL play so many games in Germany?
Germany is considered one of the NFL’s most important markets. It was not for nothing that Steinforth highlighted its special position when he described Germany as the blueprint for all other international markets.
Who is considered the favorite for the next Germany games?
The Detroit Lions are one of the teams that have secured the German market – and have never been represented in a game in “good old Germany”. With Amon Ra St. Brown they also have a player with German roots. The Pittsburgh Steelers are also one of the “new” teams that have not yet played a game on German soil. One of the two is considered a hot candidate.
Can other German cities also hope for an NFL game?
Düsseldorf narrowly failed in the selection for the first event due to Munich and Frankfurt, which were each chosen in a double pack. In addition, other major cities such as Hamburg, Cologne and Stuttgart are repeatedly brought into play when it comes to possible hosts. Gelsenkirchen could also handle the dimensions. Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion is hindered by its dimensions.
Is an NFL team in Germany/Europe realistic?
Nope. If there is a so-called European division, then a German team alongside London would certainly be likely. The NFL would just have to push the plans for this intercontinental expansion even further. It is currently planning for 16 international games in existing divisions, so each team would play abroad once per season as either a home or visiting team.
What remains of the NFL game in Berlin?
It was an outstanding representation of Berlin – especially at a special moment, the 36th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, which was honored with a special choreo and the sounds of “Wind of Change”.
But it wasn’t just the game alone that was impressive, but also everything surrounding it with fan activities in the city and around the stadium – whether from NFL Germany, the Indianapolis Colts or other teams with the German market such as the New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks or Tampa Bay Buccaneers and many more.
One thing is clear: Berlin lives the NFL.
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