NFL international expansion: League set to return to Germany during 2025 season with first-ever game in Berlin

What has long been rumored in the NFL plans to be announced at next week’s league meetings in Texas.

Sources tell CBS Sports the NFL is expected to award a regular-season game to Berlin, giving Germany its fourth consecutive season with a game and its first in the capital city.

Last month, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell hinted strongly at the possibility. And in a few days, it will officially be a reality.

“I usually tell people, ‘Don’t believe rumors.’ In this case, I might say, ‘Believe it,'” Goodell said while in Germany last month, referencing the rumors of a Berlin game. “We’re working on it, but it isn’t finalized. We really feel like Berlin would be a great addition, so we’re looking very hard at that. Our people have been working very hard at it.”

The Berlin game is expected to be the only game in Germany in 2025. The teams playing in the game, if decided, will not be announced next week.

The NFL began its Germany series in 2022 in Munich. The following year, the league played two games in Frankfurt. And this past year the NFL returned to Munich. Goodell has not ruled out returning to both Frankfurt and Munich in future years.

The 2025 season is the first where the NFL can expand its international helping to eight games. Next year there could be as many as three games in London (the Jaguars choose to play an extra game at Wembley that doesn’t count toward the maximum of eight), one in Madrid, a likely return to Brazil and a possible return to Mexico City along with the Berlin game. The league hasn’t been shy about its interest in a game in Dublin, either, and the Pittsburgh Steelers would be at the top of the list to play a game there.

International expansion has been a key focus for the league in recent years. The NFL has looked into hosting games in Paris, Barcelona, Rome and even the Middle Eastern city of Abu Dhabi. Australia has drawn strong interest from the league, as well, and the island continent could host a regular-season game as early as 2026.  

Goodell aims to eventually play 16 international games in a season. Such a hope would likely coincide with the addition of an 18th regular-season game, and those discussions have already started at the highest levels of the league office and players union.