American Football: Football global? Blooming NFL future for Germany

The best football league in the world has made itself comfortable in the luxury Hotel Steigenberger. Numerous rooms in the heart of Frankfurt were temporarily converted into NFL offices, and an entire floor was rented for the spectacle with two games of the season.

League boss Roger Goodell enjoys all the festivities in the Main metropolis and even signed his name in the city’s Golden Book. “We will not say goodbye to the markets that were important for our growth. And Germany was crucial for our growth,” said Goodell in an interview with the German Press Agency.

Just a year after the premiere in Munich, the double pack benefited by a Mexico cancellation shows that the NFL has set up shop in Germany. The game will be played again in the Allianz Arena in 2024 and again in Frankfurt in 2025. It is certain that things will continue afterwards. “We were interested in other cities in Germany,” reported Goodell. “When we first came to Germany, we came to Berlin in 1990. That was a friendly game, now it’s about regular season games. There’s no question that a game like that could be successful in Berlin.”

Mahomes: “We really felt the love”

Goodell and his organizational team are trying to get big names to play in Germany. And that succeeds. Last year, legend Tom Brady appeared, this time the Super Bowl winner Kansas City Chiefs came with star quarterback Patrick Mahomes. And those involved are enthusiastic about the experiences. “The fans were loud and passionate. They understand the game. It was great for the NFL to give us this opportunity. I would be happy to play here again,” said Mahomes last Sunday after the 21:14 in the big game against the Miami Dolphins.

The 28-year-old is currently the face of the league. However, when he found out about the guest appearance in Frankfurt, he was briefly hesitant: Mahomes would have preferred to play in Munich, where Chiefs partner FC Bayern is based. But the Frankfurt experience did not disappoint him. “That was a breathtaking experience. I saw red everywhere, in the whole city. We really felt the love,” said Mahomes, who doesn’t just want to come back to Germany for the sport. He can also easily imagine visiting sponsors or a family trip with his wife Brittany and the children. The quarterback indicated that he would like to play again in Munich.

Super Bowl outside the USA?

The NFL is booming, especially in Germany. The league could have sold millions of tickets for the two Frankfurt games this November. The game between former champions New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts next Sunday (3:30 p.m./RTL and DAZN) was also sold out. The atmosphere is excellent – and completely different to what you are used to in Germany. Separation from fans, cheering chants or pyrotechnics? None of this was seen in football. Instead, the game looked like a big festival for the football family, who enjoyed the sport and the lavish supporting program.

The regular season has arrived in Europe – games have been played regularly in Great Britain for much longer. But what about the Super Bowl, which will take place in Las Vegas on February 11, 2024? “We have already discussed hosting the Super Bowl in other countries. There is not much support for this idea at the moment. But we are not ruling it out in the future. Especially if we have international franchises,” Goodell said.

This is even “more likely” than hosting the playoffs in the USA. The league boss immediately assured that there will be more international games in the future: “We will do it. We will clearly expand our series to new markets. It is more a question of where we go first.” The success of the games in London and Germany has attracted the attention of other countries. “There are other markets that want to host these games and we are actively exploring this.”