The National Football League’s (NFL) first-ever regular season international game in Germany took place last Sunday (Nov. 13) as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers met the Seattle Seahawks in this historic game.
The much-anticipated inaugural game, which was won by Tampa Bay 21-16, saw football fever take over Munich as fans from across Germany and beyond celebrated the NFL’s arrival in the Bavarian capital.
NFL Munich Game: By the Numbers
- 69,811 fans attended the sold-out game live in the Allianz Arena, home to Bundesliga side FC Bayern Munich
- The game was NFL Network’s most-watched international game on record in the United States with more than 5.8 million viewers (does not count OTA viewing in Tampa and Seattle)
- German broadcaster ProSieben saw a record-breaking 2.7 million viewers watch the game, making it the most-watched NFL regular season or playoff game ever in Germany — only trailing the last three Super Bowls as the most-watched NFL game of all-time
- DAZN Germany confirmed the game was the most viewed single NFL broadcast, after Super Bowl, on their streaming platform
- Fanatics, the NFL’s exclusive event retail operator for Europe, has confirmed that game day merchandise sales at the Allianz Arena were the highest-ever recorded for an NFL game outside of the US
- NFL Germany‘s social media channels during the Munich game week saw 20 million video views (up 360% vs. an average week), 3.4 million fan interactions (up 717% vs. an average week) and 30,000 new followers across channels (up 526% vs. an average week)
- The NFL’s International Home Marketing Area program saw all four clubs with rights in Germany activate in Munich throughout game weekend, with the Carolina Panthers, Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers each hosting their own “Brauhaus” (bar) in Munich for fans, along with other fan activities
- The NFL partnered with 21 “Brauhäuser” (bars) within the Munich city center, hosting tens of thousands of fans at these team and NFL-themed experiences
- Thousands of fans visited the NFL’s takeover of the city’s Odeonsplatz, a free fan activation open from Thursday, Nov. 10 until Saturday, Nov. 12, complete with an NFL Shop and 32 giant NFL helmets on display
- The NFL Flag Football program and its inaugural nationwide tournament was central to connecting with young fans and athletes during game week, with five cities (Düsseldorf, Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich and Hamburg), 12 schools and more than 300 athletes from across Germany participating. The team from Frankfurt won the tournament and will be traveling to the 2023 Pro Bowl Games in Las Vegas to participate in the NFL Flag Championships
- The NFL UK Academy played a game against the Bavarian Warriors All-Star Team in Munich, with fans watching the live stream around the world and an in-stadium crowd of fans and NFL legends cheering them on
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said: “Munich will forever be a part of NFL history, in what was a significant milestone in the continued growth of the League globally and for our fans in Germany. Our first international regular season game in Germany comes after many years of planning and was a tremendous success. Being in Allianz Arena on game day was a special moment that we will never forget. We are grateful to the city and to our German fans, who were extremely passionate and respectful, and welcomed the NFL with open arms. We look forward to returning to Germany in 2023 and bringing the NFL to more fans in the future.”
Dr. Alexander Steinforth, GM NFL Germany, added: “Bringing an international game to Germany wouldn’t be possible without great partners such as the City of Munich, Allianz Arena, the Bavarian State, the DFL and of course, FC Bayern Munich, who have been integral in the successful delivery of not just the game but the experiences of each of the visiting teams. Here in Germany, we are overwhelmed by the positive reaction from fans following the game, with record-breaking numbers across TV viewership, social media engagement and merchandise sales. Beyond the numbers, the city came alive when the NFL were in town, and we cannot wait to build on this momentum as we look to grow the game at every level in the years ahead.”
The NFL will play at least four games in Germany up to 2025. In addition to Sunday’s first game in Germany there is a commitment to an annual game over the next three years — with Munich and Frankfurt each set to host twice.
In addition to the Germany game, the 2022 NFL International Games saw three games played in London in October and will conclude in Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca Stadium on Nov. 21 when the San Francisco 49ers take on the Arizona Cardinals.
