The Allianz Arena requires structural adjustments to host the NFL’s Munich Game because the regulation football field is slightly too short for standard gridiron dimensions, n-tv reported.
The NFL returns to Munich on Sunday for the third regular-season game in the city’s history, following previous matchups in 2022 and 2024. This year’s fixture features the Detroit Lions, led by wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, against the New England Patriots. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. local time, broadcast live on RTL and Sky Sport.
Before kickoff, stadium operators must physically expand the playing surface at the home of FC Bayern. Because soccer pitches are shorter than American football fields, the turf in both the north and south curves of the stadium must be extended once the soccer goals are removed.
Crews first elevated the ground in front of the spectator curves to match the height of the main pitch, which typically sits slightly lower for soccer configurations. Workers then installed a specialized base layer of soil before rolling out the standard hybrid turf used for the event, according to n-tv.
FC Bayern played its final home match before the NFL fixture against Borussia Dortmund on Nov. 2, giving ground staff more than a week to complete the heavy lifting. Aside from the turf installation, crews dismantled the LED advertising boards along the sidelines and behind the goals.
Temporary installations include expanding press seating areas, building additional VIP boxes, and mounting temporary LED displays on the stadium balustrades for down-and-distance markers and game clocks. The final visual adjustments involve removing the soccer penalty boxes, painting the gridiron lines, spraying team wordmarks in the end zones, and placing the NFL shield at midfield.
The primary logistical test begins immediately after the final whistle on Sunday. Arena operators must dismantle the football infrastructure and restore the stadium to soccer standards within a tight window.
FC Bayern hosts 1. FC Köln in a Bundesliga match on Friday, Nov. 20—just five days after the NFL game concludes. Stadium management plans to install a completely new roll of hybrid turf immediately following the football game to ensure a playable surface for the league fixture, a rapid turnaround procedure the venue also executed after the 2024 NFL event.
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